A 10-K is a comprehensive report filed annually by a publicly-traded company about its financial performance and is required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) . The report is far more detailed than the annual report to shareholders and includes information such as company history, organizational structure, executive compensation, equity, subsidiaries, and audited financial statements, among other information. The SEC requires this report to keep investors aware of a companys financial condition and to allow them to have enough information before they buy or sell shares in the corporation, or before investing in the firm’s corporate bonds. The 10-K is a useful tool for investors to make important decisions about their investments. The 10-K form is important for regulatory reasons, as it offers a way to compare one company with a competitor using the same set of metrics.