An 8-K filing is a report that public companies must file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to announce major events that shareholders should know about. The purpose of the 8-K form is to communicate with investors any information that affects their handling of shares. Companies have four business days to file an 8-K for most specified items. An 8-K is required to announce significant events relevant to shareholders, including 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. The contents of 8-K filings are straightforward, as they aim to provide facts and context to help investors make informed decisions following the occurrence of a material event. An 8-K filing only has two parts: the name and description of the material event and any exhibits (resources) that are relevant, such as a financial statement, data table, etc. . Companies typically provide a number of 8-Ks throughout the year, whenever significant corporate events take place that trigger a disclosure. The public can find 8-Ks on the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (EDGAR) database.