what is an 8k

An 8-K is a report of unscheduled material events or corporate changes at a company that could be of importance to the shareholders or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) . It is also known as a "current report" and is filed in addition to an annual report on Form 10-K and a quarterly report on Form 10-Q. Companies are required to file an 8-K with the SEC to announce major events that shareholders should know about, such as acquisitions, bankruptcy, the resignation of directors, or changes in the fiscal year. The types of information required to be disclosed on Form 8-K are generally considered to be "material," meaning that there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider the information important in making an investment decision. Companies usually have four business days to file an 8-K for most specified items. Investors can count on the information in an 8-K to be timely and unfiltered, making it a valuable source of complete information for investors and researchers.