Glossary
Research glossary
Short answers to the questions investors ask before they look for a tool: 10-Ks, a thesis, filing changes, portfolio monitoring and a pre-market brief.
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- Question
- What do these words mean?
- Term
- Research glossary
- Who it is for
- An individual investor who has the problem and not yet the product name
- What it helps with
- A direct definition, then a link to the part of Ecomerate that relates
Direct answer
These pages answer the question first. Ecomerate is mentioned only after the definition, with the limits stated: US-listed stocks and ETFs, iMessage, research rather than advice.
What is a 10-K?
A Form 10-K is the annual report a US public company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It describes the business, the year's audited financial statements, and the risks the company sets out. It is a primary source. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell the stock.
What is an investment thesis?
An investment thesis is your own written reason for owning a stock. It says what you believe is true, what would prove you wrong, and what you are watching. It is not a broker rating, a price target, or advice from the company.
How do you tell when a filing changed?
You tell that a filing changed by reading the new document against the previous one. A headline is not the comparison. Start with the risk factors, management's discussion and the financial statements, then open the passage on EDGAR.
What is portfolio monitoring?
Portfolio monitoring is watching the securities you already own. It is filings, earnings, news and prices on that book, not a search for new ideas. The point is to notice a change in something you hold.
What is a pre-market brief?
A pre-market brief is a short note before the US regular session opens. It covers what is already moving, or about to matter, in the holdings you follow. It is a routine, not a forecast and not a list of trades.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 10-K?
The annual report a US public company files with the SEC. See the glossary page for how it differs from a 10-Q and an 8-K.
What is an investment thesis?
Your written reason for owning a stock: the claim, the evidence, and what would change your mind.
What is portfolio monitoring?
Watching the securities you already own for filings, earnings, news and prices.
What is a pre-market brief?
A short note before the US regular session about the holdings you follow.