Guide

8-K alerts by email

Companies file a Form 8-K to report events such as a new material agreement, quarterly results or a change of officers. Filing Ahoy emails you when a company you follow files one, with each item named and numbered and a link to the filing on sec.gov.

What an 8-K is

Form 8-K is the SEC's current report. A company files one when any of the events listed in the form's items happens. Each event has an item number, such as 5.02 for a change of directors or officers, and one 8-K can report several items.

The four business day rule

General Instruction B.1 of Form 8-K says: "Unless otherwise specified, a report is to be filed or furnished within four business days after occurrence of the event." If the event happens on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday when the SEC is closed, the four business days start on the next business day.

The same instruction lists exceptions. A report under Item 7.01 (Regulation FD Disclosure) follows the deadline in Rule 100(a) of Regulation FD. A report under Item 5.08 is due within four business days after the company determines the expected meeting date, and one under Item 1.05 within four business days after it determines it has had a material cybersecurity incident.

Common items

• 1.01Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
• 2.02Results of Operations and Financial Condition
• 5.02Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
• 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits

What the alert shows

Form 8-K from Example Corp, Items 5.02, 9.01

Example Corp filed a Form 8-K on Oct 21, 2026 reporting departure or appointment of officers or directors, or officer pay arrangements (Item 5.02) and financial statements and exhibits (Item 9.01).

We read the item numbers from the filing itself and give each a short label next to its number. An 8-K that only adds financial statements or exhibits (Item 9.01 alone) says so, so it reads as minor next to one that reports an event. We do not read or summarize the press release or the rest of the text, so open the filing for the details.

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Not investment advice. Filing Ahoy reports what was filed; it does not tell you what to buy or sell. Filing Ahoy is not affiliated with the SEC.

Sources

Every rule on this page comes from these sec.gov pages, read on October 25, 2026.

• Form 8-K and its General Instructions (PDF)
  https://www.sec.gov/files/form8-k.pdf