Recently, many people have asked me how to quickly grasp the rhythm of earnings season. The key is actually understanding the logic behind the release schedules of Taiwan stocks and U.S. stocks.

First, let's talk about Taiwan stocks. Taiwan's financial reporting system is very strict; listed companies must complete their filings within the legal deadlines, leaving little room for flexibility. The annual report must be announced by March 31 (financial holding companies can extend to April 30), and large companies like TSMC and MediaTek need to finish by March 15. For quarterly reports, Q1 is due by May 15, Q2 by August 14, and Q3 by November 14. These dates are basically deadlines.

But there's a detail many people overlook—what truly impacts stock prices is usually not the filing deadline itself, but the timing of the company's earnings conference calls. For example, this year's Q1, TSMC held its earnings call around mid-April, and high-priced electronics stocks like MediaTek and Largan held theirs in early May. During these periods, stock price volatility is often the most intense.

Taiwan stocks also have a rare global regulation: each company must announce last month's revenue before the 10th of each month. This data is quite timely, and many investors use it as a leading indicator before the quarterly reports.

As for U.S. stocks, the logic is a bit more complex. The deadline for filing annual reports (10-K) depends on the company's size—large accelerated filers must submit within 60 days after the fiscal year-end, mid-sized companies within 75 days, and small companies within 90 days. Quarterly reports (10-Q) are due in about 40 to 45 days. But note, the filing deadline and the timing of earnings calls are two different things. U.S. companies typically release their annual reports from late January to February, and quarterly earnings calls usually start about 15 days after the quarter ends. Each quarter often begins with bank stocks, followed by a "super earnings week" for tech stocks.

If you want to check specific dates, the most authoritative source for Taiwan stocks is the Taiwan Securities Exchange's Public Information Observation Station (MOPS), where all listed companies' financial data must be disclosed. For U.S. stocks, you can check the SEC's EDGAR database for 10-K and 10-Q filings.

If you’re too lazy to check each company individually, many brokerage apps now have organized "Earnings Conference Calendar" features, where you can see the key companies' earnings schedules directly. For U.S. stocks, platforms like Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq’s official site, or SeekingAlpha offer earnings calendar functions.

Actually, mastering the timing of the fourth quarter earnings releases can be very helpful for short-term trading. Stock prices tend to fluctuate the most before and after earnings season. If you can anticipate when certain companies will release their reports, you can better plan your entry and exit points. Whether in Taiwan stocks or U.S. stocks, earnings reports are the primary data for assessing a company's health and often determine short-term stock performance.