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Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating securities markets and protecting investors.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The SEC is the primary regulator of U.S. securities markets, established in 1934 in the aftermath of the 1929 stock market crash.
Core mission
- Protect investors: Ensure fair, honest markets
- Maintain fair markets: Prevent fraud and manipulation
- Facilitate capital formation: Help companies raise money efficiently
What the SEC regulates
- Stock exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq)
- Broker-dealers and investment advisors
- Mutual funds and ETFs
- Corporate disclosures (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K filings)
- Insider trading and market manipulation
Key filings investors should know
- 10-K: Annual comprehensive report
- 10-Q: Quarterly financial update
- 8-K: Material event disclosure
- 13-F: Quarterly holdings disclosure by institutional investors
- Schedule 13D: Disclosure when someone acquires 5%+ of a company
EDGAR
The SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (EDGAR) provides free access to all public company filings at sec.gov.
Key Takeaways
- Context matters when interpreting any financial metric.
- Combine multiple data points for informed decisions.
- Continue learning to build investment knowledge.
Quick Reference
Category
Regulatory
Difficulty
Beginner
Reading Time
1 min
Related Terms
FINRA
A self-regulatory organization overseeing U.S. broker-dealer...
Insider Trading
Buying or selling securities based on material, non-public i...
Fiduciary Duty
A legal obligation to act in the best interest of another pa...
Accredited Investor
An individual or entity that meets SEC financial thresholds...
Learn More
Where You'll See This
This concept appears throughout stock detail pages and financial data.