Earnings Report

An earnings report is the official disclosure of a company's financial performance for a specific period, typically released quarterly (10-Q) and annually (10-K). The report includes the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and management commentary. Public companies are required by the SEC to file these reports and typically host an earnings call where executives discuss results and forward guidance. The most closely watched figures are revenue (top line), net income (bottom line), and earnings per share (EPS), all compared against analyst consensus estimates. An "earnings beat" means results exceeded expectations, while a "miss" means they fell short. Earnings reports are often the single biggest catalyst for stock price moves, with some stocks swinging 10-20% or more in after-hours trading following the release.