The short answer
EDGAR is the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system — the public database of filings by companies and individuals subject to US securities law. Every filer is identified by a Central Index Key (CIK).
At a glance
- Term
- SEC EDGAR
- Also known as
- EDGAR · CIK · Central Index Key
- Category
- Registers & filings
- Where it matters
- Company and founder due diligence
SEC EDGAR in practice
EDGAR holds annual and quarterly reports, current reports (8-K), ownership reports, insider transactions, private-offering notices (Form D) and more. Financial statements in periodic reports are tagged in XBRL, which makes figures machine-readable.
A CIK is a permanent identifier for a filer, which makes it a strong anchor for matching a US company across sources.
Why SEC EDGAR matters
- Primary-source financials and disclosures for public companies.
- Form D notices for private raises.
- Ownership (13D/13G) and insider (Forms 3/4/5) records.
SEC EDGAR in MarketPrior
MarketPrior reads EDGAR full-text search and filings, XBRL company facts, Schedules 13D/13G, Forms 3/4/5, Form D and the daily index that drives Form D triggers. A CIK match is one of the identifiers that makes a watch-list hit confirmed.