Q4—also known as quarter-four or the fourth quarter—is the last quarter of the financial year for both corporations and other organizations. Many companies’ Q4 dates follow the calendar year, start🎃ing on Oct. 1 and ending on Dec🧸. 31.

Q4 Dates

Many public companies, such as Meta, follow the business 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:calendar year. However, other companies have financial years that end on odd dates. The financial year for Nike ends on May 31. Considering this differing financial schedule, its fourth quarter begins on March 1.

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Nonprofit organizations tend to have non-calendar fiscal years, due to programming and fundraisers. Some have adjusted fourth quarters that start July 1 and end on Sept. 30. A majority of donations to nonprofits are received on 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Giving Tuesday, the largest single day for charity donations, and general end-of-year giving campaigns. Adjusting their calendar year and Q1 to start Oct. 1 allows nonprofits to kick off their 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:fiscal year and better plan their expenses.

Quarterly Reports

The fiscal quarter and the fiscal year are the two main accounting periods for companies.  All companies with publicly traded securities are required to file U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Form 10-K on an annual basis and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Form 10-Q quarterly. These annual and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:quarterly reports include varying levels of detail.

Quarterly financial results accompanied by presentations delivered by company management. Firms provide 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:forecasts for future financial ⛦result﷽s during these presentations, which are often followed by conference calls where🧸 analysts and investors pose questions to a company’s management about performance. Q4 reports are typically published alongside the company’s annual report.

How Financials Affect Investors

Investors see the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:market’s reaction to f�𒁃�inancial reports. Sometimes a company beats estimates, and share prices increase. Perhaps the financials are disappointing and shares fall in value. Key financial accounting metrics are closely followed by 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:research firms. These firms may also 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:publish estimates of future financial results, inclu🐻ding revenue, earnings, expenses, and cash.

The estimates made by these research firms are tracked by financial publications, which average them to arrive at 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:consensus estimates. Firms 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:that surpass estimates are said to have “beaten the Street,” while firms that report figures that are in line with estimates are said to have “met Street estimates.” Firms that report figures lower than estimates are said to have “missed Street estimates.”

The Bottom Line

Q4 is the last quarter of the financial year for corporations and organizations such as nonp🧜rofits. Many companies’ Q4 dates follow the calendar year, starting on Oct. 1 and ending on Dec. 31. Q4 is also known as quarter-four or th💯e fourth quarter.