The accessibility of annual reports depends on the status and type of the company:
Public companies / Listed companies
A public company has shares of stock that represent an ownership interest in the company. Those shares are traded openly on one or more stock exchanges.
Public Companies must file various forms and documents (in the United States the public companies must file to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) detailing their financial performance and governance structure).
Because of these regulatory requirements, annual reports and other company filings are accessible and information on many public companies is relatively easy to find.
Private companies
Can be very difficult to find the annual reports.
Access to Transcripts, SEC Filings. Filings, Annual Reports etc.
Search hint: search for company name and look in the left hand menu for News, Events & Filings
Coverage: late 1980s until today (depending on the company)
Coverage: Eikon includes annual reports from more than 60.000 public listed companies from all over the world. Data is available back to the 1980s
Search hint: enter the company name in the search box > choose the category Filings
Coverage: annual reports are available back to the 1990s depending on the specific company. The coverage is global.
Search hint: use the command CF
EMIS NEXT
Information on companies and annual reports from some of the listed companies from more than 120 emerging markets.
Search hint: Search Company name > Reports > Annual Reports
Westlaw International
access to annual reports from listed and some private companies from all over the world. The coverage vary from company to company, but you can find annual reports dating back to the early 1990s.
Search hint: find annual reports via US Materials > Business Law Center > Annual Reports to Shareholders. Search for the company name in the "Company"-field or limit your search to companies by "Location of Incorporation", "Industry" or "SIC-Code".
As part of the Company section in database (access to 750.000+ company profiles) you find the sub-database:
Company Filing Analytics:
The Filing Analytics database serves as an alternative source of competitive intelligence by identifying and tracking the most critical factors that impact performance. It delves into the company’s financial statements and earnings transcripts using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques
Edgar (US SEC company database):
access to all annual reports (so-called 10-K) from the US-listed companies. Foreign listed companies in US file similar annual reports (20-F)
Coverage: back to 1994
Search hint: this Libguide from Milner Library gives you a short introduction on how to use the Edgar database. You can find a more comprehensive guide on the web page of SEC, where you also find an overview of all the filing formats. Here just to mention some of the most common: 10-K (Annual Reports), 10-Q (Quarterly reports), 20-F (annual reports from foreign companies).
Thomson Research also have a Guide to SEC Filings.
Note! look below in the US Annual Reports section for more information
Companies required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) include:
Edgar (US SEC company database):
The Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (Edgar) is a database which performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Please note that not all documents filed with SEC are available on EDGAR. Access to all annual reports (so-called 10-K) from the US-listed companies. Foreign listed companies in US file similar annual reports (20-F)
Coverage: back to 1994
Search hint: this Libguide from Milner Library gives you a short introduction on how to use the Edgar database. You can find a more comprehensive guide on the web page of SEC, where you also find an overview of all the filing formats. Here just to mention some of the most common: 10-K (Annual Reports), 10-Q (Quarterly reports), 20-F (annual reports from foreign companies).
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 put in place requirements for disclosure documents filed by public companies. These documents are subject to review by the SEC Division of Corporation Finance. The most common SEC forms are:
Searching on the Internet:
Search by the company's name. Once you have entered the company website look for links marked:
Search hint: "company name" investor relations
Other useful websites: