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Accounting

Designed for Accounting majors and students enrolled in Accounting classes.

Ticker Symbols

On the stock exchanges, companies use ticker symbols to differentiate their company from others with similar names.  These symbols are mostly comprised of a combination of letters and numbers and are unique to a specific company.  You can use ticker symbols to find information on a specific stock or company, including financial reports, and purchase or trade stocks.

In the New York Stock Exchange, ticker symbols for popular companies include (but aren't limited to):

  • PepsiCo, Inc.: PEP
  • Target Corporation: TGT
  • Ann Inc (Parent co. for LOFT & Ann Taylor).: ANN

A number of tools - free and proprietary - exist to help you identify a company's ticker symbol and stock information, including the following:

Financial Statements

Publicly-traded companies must file financial statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the body that oversees all US stock exchanges.  Un-audited statements are filed quarterly and audited statements are filed annually.  These SEC filings are the basis of the financial statements found in our databases, providing identical numbers as those found on a company's website or at the SEC:

Securities and Exchange Commission

Publicly traded companies are required by the SEC to file financial statements; unlike those found in annual reports, these statements are standardized in both content and format. A complete set of any company's financial reports can be found at the US Securities & Exchange Commission website. These filings include:

  • Annual Report (10-K)
  • Quarterly Report (10-Q)
  • A myriad of other forms containing all types of financial data

To find the auditor's opinion:

  • Visit the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov)
  • On the home page, click "Search EDGAR for Company Filings"
  • Enter your company's name or its ticker symbol
  • Choose your company from the list of companies (if applicable). Be sure you're selecting the parent company and not a subsidiary.
  • Of the forms listed for your company, select the most recent 10-K. Click "Documents" (not Interactive Data).
  • Within the Document Format Files, click on the .htm link that corresponds with the 10-K.
  • Find the Table of Contents.
  • Select the section "Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm"
  • This is the auditor's opinion. Note: if management responds to the auditor's letter, that response will follow the opinion.

Company Information