Using the SEC's Edgar Portal

Abstract

This technical note provides hands-on instructions for searching, classifying, and obtaining documents from the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission's (SEC) official document repository, EDGAR. It helps students become familiar with the different types and classifications of SEC filings available for public companies registered with the SEC. Excerpt UVA-C-2395 Aug. 21, 2017 Using the SEC's EDGAR Portal The U.S. Congress passed the Securities Act of 1933 in response to the market crash and ensuing Great Depression. While many states had blue sky laws at the time to regulate public securities markets, the Securities Act marked the first of several bills to regulate securities markets at the federal level and create the first federal securities regulator, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The mission of the SEC is to “protect investors, maintain fair, orderly and efficient markets and to facilitate capital formation.” The SEC requires public companies to disclose meaningful financial (and other) information to the general public. Its Electronic Data-Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (EDGAR) is the main system by which the SEC regulates and distributes relevant information to the public. EDGAR performs automated collection, validation, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by the companies and others required by law to file with the SEC. Below are instructions on how EDGAR may be accessed and searched (Appendix 1); the types and classifications of filings available for viewing (Appendix 2); and the classification of 8-K items (Appendix 3). . . .