What is a 10-Q filing? A plain-English guide (2026)
A 10-Q filing is the quarterly report a US public company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for each of its first three fiscal quarters. It is the shorter, faster cousin of the annual 10-K: a mid-year check on revenue, profit, and cash, filed close enough to the quarter-end to still be timely. This guide explains what a 10-Q filing contains, why its numbers are unaudited, and how it fits with the annual report. It is not investment advice.
Definition
A 10-Q filing
is a US public company's quarterly report to the SEC, filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the first three quarters of each fiscal year. It carries unaudited financial statements and management's discussion, and is filed on EDGAR. The fourth quarter is covered by the annual 10-K. Source: SEC.
What does a 10-Q filing contain?
A 10-Q covers the same ground as the annual report but in condensed form, focused on the quarter:
- Unaudited financial statements the balance sheet, income statement, and cash-flow statement for the quarter, reviewed but not audited.
- Management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) management explaining the quarter's numbers.
- Market risk disclosures exposure to interest rates, currencies, and similar factors.
- Controls and legal updates changes to internal controls and any new material litigation.
The point of the 10-Q is timeliness. Investors get an interim read on the business without waiting a full year for the audited 10-K.
Why is a 10-Q unaudited?
A full audit takes time and cost that would defeat the purpose of a fast quarterly update. Instead, an independent accountant performs a review, which is a lighter procedure than an audit. This is the sharpest practical difference from the 10-K, whose financial statements are fully audited. The trade is speed for a lower level of assurance.
When is a 10-Q due?
The deadline is shorter than the annual report because the filing is narrower.
| Filer category | 10-Q deadline |
|---|---|
| Large accelerated filer | 40 days after quarter-end |
| Accelerated filer | 40 days after quarter-end |
| Non-accelerated filer | 45 days after quarter-end |
40 to 45 days
Window to file a 10-Q after quarter-end, depending on company size
Source: SEC, Exchange Act reporting rules
How the 10-Q fits with the other reports
Across a year, a US public company files one annual 10-K and three 10-Q filings, plus an 8-K whenever a material event occurs between those scheduled reports. For a direct comparison of the annual and quarterly reports, see 10-K vs 10-Q. All of them sit on the SEC's EDGAR system, and you can read any of them yourself.
Flock reads disclosure filings and keeps each one dated and linked to its SEC source, so a summary is always one click from the original 10-Q. What any of it means for you is your call to make.
Frequently asked questions
How many 10-Q filings does a company file each year?
Three. A US public company files a 10-Q for each of its first three fiscal quarters. The fourth quarter is folded into the annual 10-K, so there is no separate fourth 10-Q. Source: SEC.
Is a 10-Q audited?
No. The financial statements in a 10-Q are reviewed by an independent accountant but not fully audited. That is the main reason it is lighter and faster than the annual 10-K, whose financials are audited. Source: SEC.
When is a 10-Q due?
A large accelerated or accelerated filer files within 40 days of quarter-end, and a non-accelerated filer within 45 days. The deadline is shorter than the 10-K because the report is narrower. Source: SEC, Exchange Act reporting rules.
What is the difference between a 10-Q and an 8-K?
A 10-Q is a scheduled quarterly report covering results for the quarter. An 8-K is an event-driven filing made when something material happens, usually within four business days. One is periodic, one is triggered. Source: SEC EDGAR.
Flock tracks these filings, sourced, dated, and linked back to the original. See what smart-money entities disclosed, without the guesswork about what it means.
Disclosures shown are public regulatory filings. Data may be delayed or incomplete. Smart-money entities may no longer hold positions shown. Not investment advice.