Finding Financial Statement Information on the Internet (Easy)

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains the EDGAR database of company filings with the commission. Explore the SEC’S EDGAR site:

http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Look at the “Descriptions of SEC Forms” page to familiarize yourself with the types of filings that firms make. Then click on “Search for Company Filings” for the filings of firms you are interested in. Forms 10-K (annual reports) and 10-Q (quarterly reports) will be of primary interest.

Accessing the database directly on the SEC site gives you the full text of each filing.

A number of services deliver the material in small, digestible pieces so you don’t have to scroll through the entire filing in search of a particular item. These services also format the filing in a form that can be downloaded into a spreadsheet program. Access these sites through links on the book’s Web page.