Recently, while organizing investment data, I found that many beginners are still a bit confused about the timing of financial report releases, especially since the regulations for Taiwan stocks and U.S. stocks differ quite a bit. Today, I’ll help clarify the thinking process.

First, let's talk about Taiwan stocks. Taiwan has very strict regulations regarding financial report announcements; all listed companies must follow a set schedule with little flexibility. Annual reports are usually required to be announced before March 31 (financial holding companies can be extended to April 30). As for large companies like TSMC and MediaTek, starting this year, their annual reports must be filed by March 15. For quarterly reports, the third quarter report deadline is November 14, and each quarter has its own deadline.

An interesting regulation is that Taiwan stocks must announce last month’s revenue before the 10th of each month. This is quite rare globally, and because the figures update quickly, investors often see this as a leading indicator before the quarterly reports.

As for U.S. stocks, the system is different. The U.S. categorizes companies based on size, with accelerated filing requirements for large companies, which must submit Form 10-K (annual report) within 60 days after the fiscal year-end, around early March; mid-sized companies have 75 days; small companies have a 90-day grace period. The third quarter reports are called 10-Q, and similarly, they are graded by company size, with most companies required to file within 40 to 45 days after the fiscal quarter ends.

But here’s an important point to clarify: when we say “a company is about to release its financial report,” we’re usually referring to the time they issue a press release or hold an earnings call, not the deadline for SEC filing. Earnings calls are typically held in advance, and during this period, stock prices can be quite volatile. In the U.S., earnings calls generally start about 15 days after the fiscal quarter ends, often led by banking stocks, followed by the “super earnings week” for tech stocks.

To track this information, Taiwanese investors find it easiest to use the Public Information Observation Station (MOPS), which is the official platform of the Taiwan Stock Exchange. All financial data of listed companies must be disclosed there. Brokerage apps usually also organize earnings call schedules, which is quite convenient.

For U.S. stocks, you can directly check the SEC’s EDGAR database, or use financial news sites like Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq’s official site, Investing.com, SeekingAlpha, which all organize earnings calendars. Many companies’ investor relations websites also pre-announce their earnings release dates—just search for “Company Name + Investor Relations” to find them.

Honestly, keeping track of the timing of financial report releases is quite important for investors. Financial reports are the primary data for assessing a company’s health, and they often directly influence short-term stock price movements. Understanding the schedule allows investors to make more confident decisions when earnings season arrives.