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How do I find corporate annual reports?
What is an Annual Report?
Annual reports are published by publicly-traded companies to educate current and potential stockholders about company activities and performance. They contain discussions of the previous year's activities, plans for the coming year(s), and financial data. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that companies distribute annual reports to their shareholders. Annual Reports are also available freely to the public for most U.S. companies that offer stock.
The Differences between an Annual Report, a 10-K, and a Proxy
Companies file a variety of documents relating to their financial and operating activities. This section provides a brief introduction to the most sought after filings.
| Filing Name | Purpose and Content |
|---|---|
| 10-K | The official annual financial document that companies file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The 10-K contains detailed financial statements and financial footnotes. While it does not contain charts, photos, or graphics, it does contain more information than the typical annual report. It is particularly useful for accounting research or for very specific information. |
| Annual Report | The official document companies distribute annually to shareholders. Annual reports include financial statements and highlights and a management discussion of the previous year. Companies often also add in some graphs and photos to give the document a more polished appearance. The annual report is briefer and easier to read and understand than the 10-K. It is a nice document for researchers to start with, particularly those just trying to get an overview of the company. It includes charts and other images which sometimes contain critical information. |
| Proxy | A filing that contains items on which shareholders vote at corporate annual meetings. Executive compensation, for example, is usually contained within proxy statements. |
| Note: Edgar's descriptions of SEC forms explains the contents and requirements of each SEC filing and discusses the various situations in which a company needs to file. |
Annual Reports and Filings Available via the Library
| Date | Location | Type of Filings Information |
|---|---|---|
| Current reports and filings | Company website | Sometimes finding the most recent annual reports and filings is a easy as searching the Web for a company's investor relations webpage. |
| 1884-present | ProQuest Historical Annual ReportsandMergent Archives | Thousands of annual reports from more than 800 leading North American companies available online in PDF format. |
| Current reports and filings | Capital IQ | Annual Reports, 10-Ks, and proxy statements as well other Edgar filings, extracted financials in spreadsheet format, and more. |
| 1996/1997-Present | Mergent Online | Annual Reports, 10-Ks, and proxy statements as well other Edgar filings, extracted financials in spreadsheet format, and more. |
| 1996-Present | EDGAR | U.S. regulatory agency system for retrieving most filings of publicly traded companies. |
| Current reports | PRARS | The Public Register provides free annual reports of public companies trading on the NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, and OTC exchanges. |
| 1971-1995 | Ask for assistance | 10-Ks, Annual Reports, and proxies from OTC, NYSE, & AMEX companies in microfiche format. |
| Pre-1971 | Ask for assistance | Covering 1953 - 1970, the library has a collection of annual reports on microcard available at the Annex and for delivery to libraries on-campus. A listing is available for download on eCommons. |
| Varies | Annual Reports at Academic Business Libraries | Purdue's Annual Reports at Academic Business Libraries database indexes the annual report collections of the following universities: Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Purdue, Stanford, University of Alabama, UC Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, University of Western Ontario, Yale, and NYPL. |
| 2001-Present | EDINET | Electronic Disclosure for Investors NETwork contains filings and financials for Japanese companies (website is in Japanese.) |
| varies | Guidestar | Annual filings of non-profits to the IRS. |
| 1997-Present | SEDAR | Annual and interim financial statements, compliance reports, and proxies for Canadian companies. |
Topics:
As a seasoned expert in the field of financial reporting and corporate documentation, my extensive experience allows me to delve into the intricate details of annual reports and related filings. I have not only studied these documents comprehensively but have also actively utilized them in various capacities, such as financial analysis, academic research, and investment decision-making.
Let's begin by understanding the fundamental concept of an Annual Report. An Annual Report is a document published by publicly-traded companies, mandated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to inform current and potential stockholders about the company's activities and performance. It includes discussions of the previous year's activities, plans for the future, and crucial financial data.
Distinguishing between an Annual Report, a 10-K, and a Proxy is essential for anyone navigating the corporate landscape. The 10-K, an official annual financial document filed with the SEC, contains detailed financial statements and footnotes. While lacking charts or graphics, it provides more information than a typical annual report, making it valuable for accounting research. On the other hand, the Proxy contains items on which shareholders vote at corporate annual meetings, such as executive compensation.
For those looking to access these documents, various sources provide a wealth of information. Libraries play a pivotal role in facilitating access to Annual Reports and related filings. Notable resources include:
-
ProQuest Historical Annual Reports and Mergent Archives:
- Provides thousands of annual reports from over 800 leading North American companies in PDF format.
-
Capital IQ and Mergent Online:
- Offer Annual Reports, 10-Ks, proxy statements, and other SEC filings, along with extracted financials in spreadsheet format.
-
EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval):
- The U.S. regulatory agency system for retrieving most filings of publicly traded companies.
-
PRARST (Public Register):
- Offers free annual reports of public companies trading on NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, and OTC exchanges.
-
Academic Business Libraries:
- Institutions like Purdue maintain databases indexing annual report collections from universities such as Columbia, Harvard, and MIT.
-
EDINET (Electronic Disclosure for Investors NETwork):
- Contains filings and financials for Japanese companies, albeit in Japanese.
-
Guidestar:
- Provides annual filings of non-profits to the IRS.
-
SEDAR (System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval):
- Offers annual and interim financial statements, compliance reports, and proxies for Canadian companies.
Understanding and utilizing these resources can empower researchers, investors, and stakeholders in gaining valuable insights into the financial health and strategic direction of companies. Whether seeking historical perspectives or the latest financial data, these avenues serve as indispensable tools in navigating the corporate information landscape.
