Financial Education Center
Financial Education Series
Understanding SEC Filing Timelines
The Smart Investor's Guide to Authoritative Financial Data
Knowing when companies report their official numbers is essential for making informed investment decisions. Here's our research-backed guide to the SEC filing schedule that savvy investors rely on.
Why This Matters
In today's information-saturated market, distinguishing between speculation and fact is crucial. These filing dates represent when 100% authoritative financial information becomes available. Our clients appreciate having this clarity when building their financial systems of record.
May 15
Q1 Financial Reports (January-March)
All companies must file their Q1 reports by this date. This includes financial data for the first quarter of the calendar year.
System of Record Action
Record Q1 financial data from all your tracked public companies after this date for 100% authoritative numbers.
August 14
Q2 Financial Reports (April-June)
All companies must file their Q2 reports by this date. This includes financial data for the second quarter of the calendar year.
System of Record Action
Record Q2 financial data from all your tracked public companies after this date for 100% authoritative numbers.
November 14
Q3 Financial Reports (July-September)
All companies must file their Q3 reports by this date. This includes financial data for the third quarter of the calendar year.
System of Record Action
Record Q3 financial data from all your tracked public companies after this date for 100% authoritative numbers.
March 31
Annual Reports/Q4 Financial Reports (October-December)
All companies must file their annual reports (10-K) by this date. This includes Q4 data and the full year financial summary.
System of Record Action
Record annual financial data from all your tracked public companies after this date for 100% authoritative numbers.
The Information Landscape Between Official Filing Dates
Company Voluntary Disclosures
Press releases, earnings calls, and forward guidance. Often preliminary and subject to later adjustment.
Form 8-K (Special Events)
Reports of significant events like mergers, acquisitions, or executive changes. Important but often lacks full financial context.
Analyst Estimates
Third-party projections based on past results and market trends. Informative but inherently speculative.
Market Commentary
Media and financial analyst opinions rather than official data. Valuable for context but not for accounting records.
Smart Investing Starts With Quality Data
This timeline reflects our commitment to providing our clients with objective, fact-based financial intelligence. As a carrier of information, we relay what we believe to be accurate financial data, while users maintain responsibility for their financial decisions.
This educational resource presents factual information about SEC filing requirements as of March 2025, similar to how a newspaper would report financial deadlines. While we strive for accuracy, regulations may change over time. See our Terms of Service for more information.