International Companies

Financial Reports

Foreign companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges are required to file annual reports with the Securities and Echange commision (SEC). Foreign company annual reports are found in the SEC's EDGAR database and in the database Edgar Online I-Metrix.

All other international companies with a public lisitng in their home country are required to file reports with their local stock exchange or securities regulatory body. Find these reports on the company's website, the website of the country's security regulator, or in the databases, ThomsonOne or Mergent Online.

SEC Reporting Requirements

Foreign companies listed on exchanges in the United State must comply with reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange commission (SEC).  All companies must file an annual report, Form 20F, within six months of the company's fiscal year end.

Initial public offerings are filed on Form F1, a registration statement and prospectus.

The SEC publishes a list of International Registered and Reporting Companies

For more information about the SEC's rules for foreign issuers, read Accessing the U.S. Capital Markets:A Brief Overview for Foreign Private Issuers.

Global Securities Regulators

American Depository Receipts

"The stocks of most foreign companies that trade in the U.S. markets are traded as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). U.S. depositary banks issue these stocks. Each ADR represents one or more shares of foreign stock or a fraction of a share." (SEC)

Read "An Introduction to Depository Receipts" at the Investopedia website.

Analyst Reports

Financial analysts examine the financial performance of public companies and industry sectors for the investor community. Their reports identify strategic industry issues and provide financial forecasts. Their reports often include segment data not found elsewhere.