What is a 10-K and 10-Q?
Reading the Annual Report
Every public company must file a complete financial report with the SEC each quarter (10-Q) and each year (10-K). These are the most comprehensive disclosures in all of EDGAR — and the hardest to read. Knowing which sections to focus on separates the signal from the noise.
10-K vs 10-Q — what's the difference?
Filed once per year, within 60–90 days after fiscal year end (60 days for large accelerated filers, 90 for smaller companies). The most comprehensive filing a company produces.
Includes audited financial statements — the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement have been reviewed and signed off by an independent auditor. That audit opinion matters.
Filed for each of the first three fiscal quarters, within 40–45 days after quarter end. The fourth quarter is covered by the annual 10-K instead.
Financials are unaudited — reviewed but not fully audited. Still the primary source for quarterly earnings data, guidance, and management commentary beyond the earnings press release.
Key sections to read — in priority order
| Section | What it contains | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Item 7 — MD&A | Management's Discussion & Analysis. Management explains results in their own words: why revenue grew or fell, where margins moved, what risks they see ahead. This is the narrative behind the numbers. | ★★★ Read first |
| Cash Flow Statement | Operating cash flow vs net income. Earnings can be manipulated via accruals; cash is harder to fake. A company with rising net income but falling operating cash flow is a yellow flag. | ★★★ Critical |
| Item 1A — Risk Factors | A legally required list of risks the company faces. Rarely read, but changes between quarters reveal what management is newly worried about — new litigation, regulatory threats, customer concentration. | ★★ Watch for changes |
| Balance Sheet | Debt levels, cash position, working capital. Key ratios: debt-to-equity, current ratio, goodwill as % of assets. Goodwill impairment charges are often a leading indicator of business deterioration. | ★★ Scan quarterly |
| Notes to Financial Statements | Where the details live: revenue recognition policies, off-balance-sheet obligations, related-party transactions, contingent liabilities. Often where the real surprises are hidden. | ★★ When flagged |
| Auditor's Opinion | Look for 'unqualified' (clean). Any qualification, going concern language, or new emphasis of matter paragraphs are red flags requiring immediate attention. | ★★★ Any deviation = act |
What to look for — earnings quality signals
The income statement alone is insufficient. High-quality earnings are those where net income is backed by real cash generation and sustainable revenue. Low-quality earnings are inflated by accounting choices that won't repeat.
- Operating cash flow ≥ net income
- Revenue growth from volume, not price alone
- Gross margins stable or expanding
- Accounts receivable growing slower than revenue
- Consistent revenue recognition policy (no changes)
- Free cash flow covers capex and dividends comfortably
- Net income rising while operating cash flow falls
- Large non-cash adjustments (goodwill, restructuring)
- Revenue recognition policy changed this quarter
- Accounts receivable growing faster than revenue
- Inventory building faster than sales
- Rising debt with no revenue growth to show for it
NT 10-K and NT 10-Q — the late filing signal
When a company cannot file its 10-K or 10-Q on time, it files a Notification of Late Filing — an NT 10-K or NT 10-Q. This is almost always bad news.
Companies cite reasons like "additional time needed to complete financial statements" or "ongoing audit procedures." The real translation is usually one of three things: the auditor found something that needs resolving, management is rewriting numbers, or the company is in financial distress severe enough that it can't close its books on schedule.
BullishAgent tracks NT filings as red flag events. An NT filing on a small-cap stock that already has going concern language in its prior report is a high-probability distress signal. See the Red Flag Filings chapter for the full pattern library.
Recent Earnings Surprises — Reported via 10-Q
| Ticker | Date | EPS Est | EPS Act | Surprise | Gap% | D1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
YMM
Full Truck Alliance
|
May 21 | $0.13 | $0.17 | +28.2% | +2.2% | +4.3% |
|
WSM
Williams-Sonoma, Inc
|
May 21 | $1.80 | $1.93 | +7.2% | +1.1% | +6.5% |
|
WMS
Advanced Drainage Sy
|
May 21 | $0.98 | $1.07 | +9.3% | -0.2% | -1.2% |
|
RL
Ralph Lauren Corpora
|
May 21 | $2.52 | $2.80 | +11.1% | +10.3% | +13.9% |
|
NTES
NetEase, Inc.
|
May 21 | $2.19 | $2.53 | +15.5% | -4.5% | -2.1% |
|
NMM
Navios Maritime Part
|
May 21 | $2.77 | $3.35 | +20.9% | +3.0% | -0.8% |
|
NIO
NIO Inc.
|
May 21 | $-0.07 | $-0.03 | +61.3% | +5.9% | +0.2% |
|
LSPD
Lightspeed Commerce
|
May 21 | $0.09 | $0.08 | -11.1% | -3.3% | -6.6% |
How BullishAgent tracks 10-K and 10-Q filings
BullishAgent tracks earnings results reported via 10-Q each quarter, combining EPS estimates from analyst consensus with actual reported figures to compute surprise percentages and post-announcement price performance. The full earnings history — including gap%, D1%, D5%, and 20-day returns — is visible on each stock's page and in the Earnings Calendar.
NT 10-K and NT 10-Q late filings are tracked as red flag events. When a company files an NT, it appears in the EDGAR filings feed and is flagged in The Open morning brief if the company is in any watchlist.