A public business is owned by shareholders and its shares are traded on the stock market, while a private business is owned by individuals or a small group of investors and is not publicly traded. Public businesses are required to file quarterly reports known as 10-Q reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), providing detailed financial information, operational updates, and management discussions about their performance and prospects.
Data Axle and Mergent are two premium databases which aggregate data (including financials, competitor data, directories and profiles, etc.) for public companies.
You can also find some directory and company profile information using the GoinGlobal database. (This database is especially helpful for job applicants.)
When searching for information in EDGAR (or Yahoo! Finance) you will notice the following common SEC filings. (Click on the form name for more info from the SEC.)
| Filing | Purpose |
| 8-K | Form 8-K is used for the prompt disclosure of specific events or material information that occurs between the filing of quarterly or annual reports, ensuring timely communication with investors. |
| 10-Q | Form 10-Q is filed quarterly and offers unaudited financial statements and a condensed version of the information found in the annual 10-K, providing regular updates on a company's financial performance. |
| 10-K | Form 10-K is an annual report providing a comprehensive overview of a publicly traded company's financial performance, business operations, and overall financial health. |
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