The recent earnings season has just passed, and I realized that many new investors simply don't know how to track the Q1 earnings release dates of their holdings. They always passively wait for news alerts, which results in them being a step behind. Actually, as long as you grasp a few key time points, you don't have to be so passive.

First, let's talk about the Taiwan stock market. Because the regulations are stricter, it's actually easier to keep track. Taiwanese listed companies must announce their financial reports within the statutory deadline, leaving little room for flexibility. For 2026, the deadline for Q1 quarterly reports is May 15, but large companies usually start holding investor conferences as early as mid-April. Big names like TSMC and MediaTek typically release their reports first, so by mid to late April, you can almost see the scheduled release dates and specific figures for their Q1 financial reports.

My personal approach is to check each company's monthly revenue announcements before the 10th of every month. Once these figures are out, I can roughly predict what the quarterly report will look like. Taiwan's stock market has a rare global regulation that companies must announce last month's revenue before the 10th, which is a huge advantage for investors—it's like getting an early glimpse of some clues about the quarterly report.

Over in the U.S. stock market, things are a bit more complicated. The filing deadline for annual reports (10-K) depends on the company's size: large companies have 60 days after the fiscal year-end, while smaller ones have 90 days. But the key point is that the release of press releases and investor conferences usually happen well before the official SEC filing deadline. For example, TSMC ADRs, Tesla, and Apple tend to release their Q1 reports between late April and early May, much earlier than the SEC's official deadline.

The most common way I check is by visiting each company's investor relations website directly, or using financial calendar features on platforms like Yahoo Finance or Nasdaq. These tools give a quick overview of the entire quarter's investor conference schedule. For Taiwan stocks, the most authoritative source is the Market Observation Post System (MOPS), where basically all listed companies must publish their financial data.

Mastering the timing of Q1 earnings releases might seem like a minor detail, but it actually has a significant impact on trading decisions. Stock prices often fluctuate wildly during earnings season. Knowing the investor conference schedule in advance allows you to better plan your entry and exit points. Instead of passively waiting for market swings, it's better to take the initiative—note down these key dates so you can truly seize the opportunity during earnings season.