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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

How Do I Use EDGAR?

This tutorial describes the various ways web users can search EDGAR for real-time filings and other company information. If you wish to access EDGAR through anonymous file transfer protocol, you'll find instructions elsewhere on this site.

General-Purpose Searches

Companies and Other Filers


This search works best when you have a specific company in mind. "Search Companies and Filings" allows you to retrieve real-time filings for a specific company and to find key company information — including its name, address, telephone number, state of incorporation, Central Index Key (CIK) number, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code, and fiscal year end. Simply type in the name of the company or its CIK number. Note: A CIK is the unique number that the SEC's computer system assigns to individuals and corporations who file disclosure documents with the SEC. All new electronic and paper filers, foreign and domestic, receive a CIK number. You don't need to know a company's CIK, but searching by that number will narrow your search to the exact company you want.

You can also search for all SEC-registered companies in a particular state. Or you can search for all companies with a specific SIC code. For example, if you enter 7370 in the SIC box, you'll retrieve all SEC-registered companies that fall into the Standard Industrial Classification known as "Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc."

Once you've found the company you want, you can limit the search results by date (for example, "Prior to 2002-01-01") or by the type of filing (for example, "10-K").

Latest Filings


Here you'll find the most recent filings our EDGAR system has received - from all SEC filers, including individuals and companies, paper filers and electronic filers. The list on this page features real-time filings from a broad range of companies and individuals for the current official filing date (including filings made after the 5:30 pm deadline on the previous filing day). Note: Filings may be made Monday through Friday (except for U.S. Federal Holidays).

If you want to retrieve a paper filing, please contact the SEC Public Reference Room and be sure to provide the "Paper/Film #" that appears in blue under the company's name.

Historical EDGAR Archives


Enter a keyword or phrase to search all header information (including addresses) in all filings in the EDGAR database. You can also use the company CIK as a search term. This search will truncate at 2000 records (filings).

Tip: For best results when using the Simple search syntax, use lower-case only and make use of phrase delimiters (commas, "and", "or", etc.), which are described more fully on the bottom of the search screen. For example, to search on "Washington Energy" and "Utility", use the keyphrase washington energy and utility.

Special-Purpose Searches

EDGAR CIK (Central Index Key) Lookup


The CIK is a unique identifier assigned by the SEC to all companies and people who file disclosures with the SEC. Simply enter the company's name and click on search to find the CIK. Then use the CIK (including the leading zeroes - e.g., 00001111) as a keyword in your Archives or Forms Lookup search.

Current Events Analysis


Retrieve filings made during the previous week. For example, you can check 10-K (annual) and 10-Q (quarterly) reports, proxies, and others. Simply select the desired time period and the form you'd like to see. Select "all" if you don't want to limit your search to a particular form.

Mutual Fund Prospectuses


To view prospectuses for the mutual fund of your choice, enter at least 5 - but no more than 20 - characters of the mutual fund company's name, and then click the "Find Funds" button.

Tip:  Mutual fund companies often register several different funds as one "series" and include information about each of those funds in one prospectus for the series. For example, information about the "XYZ S&P; 500 Index Fund" might appear in the prospectus for "XYZ Index Funds." If your search results don't list the exact name of the fund you're seeking, then scan the list for the most logical name, check each prospectus to see whether it covers the fund you're researching, or contact the fund to find out the name of the series to which the fund belongs.

 

http://www.sec.gov/edgar/quickedgar.htm


Modified: 03/06/2003