Understanding SEC Filings: 10-K, 10-Q, and More

Understanding SEC Filings: 10-K, 10-Q, and More
📘 FINRA Exam Mastery – Decode Financial Filings Like a Pro
🌐 https://finra-exam-mastery.com/

📂 What Are SEC Filings?
SEC filings are documents that public companies are legally required to submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings provide transparency, protect investors, and give detailed insight into a company’s financial health, operations, and risks.

📄 Key SEC Filings You Need to Know

📘 10-K – Annual Report

• What it is: A comprehensive annual summary of a company’s financial performance.
• Includes: Financial statements, risk factors, management’s discussion (MD&A), and audit results.
• When it’s filed: Once a year, 60–90 days after fiscal year-end.
• Why it matters: Offers the most detailed and audited look at a company’s business.

📄 10-Q – Quarterly Report

• What it is: A quarterly update of financial performance.
• Includes: Unaudited financial statements, recent developments, and market risks.
• When it’s filed: Three times a year (Q1, Q2, Q3); the 10-K covers Q4.
• Why it matters: Tracks short-term performance and trends.

📢 8-K – Current Report

• What it is: Filed when a company experiences a major event.
• Examples: CEO resignation, mergers, bankruptcy, earnings releases.
• Why it matters: Provides real-time transparency for material events.

👤 DEF 14A – Proxy Statement

• What it is: Sent to shareholders before a vote (e.g., electing board members).
• Includes: Executive compensation, board structure, shareholder proposals.
• Why it matters: Helps investors understand governance and management incentives.

📊 S-1 – Registration Statement for IPOs

• What it is: Filed before a company goes public.
• Includes: Business model, risks, planned use of funds, and financials.
• Why it matters: Helps potential investors evaluate an IPO.

📘 Other Notable Filings

• Form 4 – Insider trading disclosures
• 13D/13G – Ownership reports by large shareholders
• S-3 / S-8 – Follow-on offerings and employee stock plans
• Form 144 – Notice of intent to sell restricted securities

🎯 Why This Matters for FINRA Exams
Understanding SEC filings is critical for exams like the Series 7, 24, 63, and 65. You’ll be tested on what these filings include, when they’re submitted, and how investors use them for decision-making.

📘 Master Financial Filings with Ease
Our courses at FINRA Exam Mastery explain every SEC form with visuals, real examples, and quizzes — so you retain what matters.

👉 Learn the language of transparency.
🧠 Read between the filings. Pass with confidence.