Reading an 8-K

An 8-K is the SEC form companies file to disclose material events between quarterly reports. It's often where catalyst news officially breaks, with the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1.

Items worth knowing

• Item 1.01 — entry into a material agreement (partnerships, licensing deals).
• Item 3.02 — unregistered sale of equity (a PIPE / private placement = financing).
• Item 5.02 — departure or appointment of executives/directors.
• Item 8.01 — other material events (often the catalyst press release).

How we use it

8-K item codes let us flag financing and partnership events automatically, and the attached releases are the ground-truth text behind a catalyst.