Annual SEC filing that provides a detailed, audited view of a public company's business, risks, and financial results.
Form 10-K is the annual filing public companies submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It provides a detailed year-end picture of the company’s business, risks, financial statements, and management commentary.
It matters because it is one of the core public reporting documents investors use to assess a company’s condition, performance, and disclosures in a standardized format.
Legacy finance glossaries often shorten the term to just 10-K, but the underlying concept is still the same SEC annual filing.
A Form 10-K commonly includes:
business overview
risk factors
audited financial statements
notes and supplementary disclosures
An annual report is the broader shareholder-facing package.
Form 10-K is the formal SEC filing format, usually more standardized and regulatory in structure.
Form 10-Q: The quarterly SEC filing companion to Form 10-K.
Annual Report: The broader year-end reporting package.
SEC Filings: The broader set of required SEC reporting documents.