A company's SEC filings, in particular the
annual 10-k report, is a comprehensive overview of the company's
financial health. The 10-k report gives you detailed, audited
numbers — the company's balance sheet — where you
can review debts and assets, revenues, expenses, and descriptions
of the company's activities, developments, and a catalog of the
risks it faces. It also contains detailed footnotes that elaborate
on specific situations and may provide valuable clues to the company's
prospects. While it's dry reading, many investors and their financial
advisers view the 10-k as an indispensable resource.
Many SEC filings are available free of charge through the SEC's online database, EDGAR — the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system. EDGAR is accessible from the SEC Web site, www.sec.gov.
It's also important to follow the financial press,
to keep abreast of what's current in the industries and stay informed
about the companies you're following. If you're tracking a stock
closely, it's smart to set up automatic email news alerts that
send you the latest stories about the stock's industry and
company as they're published. Your adviser can also help direct
relevant news and information your way and help you single out
important developments.
Sam Stovall,
Chief Investment Strategist at Standard & Poor’s
A company's SEC filings, in particular the
annual 10-k report, is a comprehensive overview of the company's
financial health. The 10-k report gives you detailed, audited
numbers — the company's balance sheet — where you
can review debts and assets, revenues, expenses, and descriptions
of the company's activities, developments, and a catalog of the
risks it faces. It also contains detailed footnotes that elaborate
on specific situations and may provide valuable clues to the company's
prospects. While it's dry reading, many investors and their financial
advisers view the 10-k as an indispensable resource.
Sam Stovall, 