This guide walks you through making your first SEC EDGAR query, from setup to analyzing real financial data.

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Before You Begin

Make sure you have:
  • SEC EDGAR MCP installed and configured
  • Your SEC_EDGAR_USER_AGENT environment variable set
  • An MCP client connected to SEC EDGAR MCP

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Step 1: Test the Connection

Start with a simple query to verify everything is working:
In your AI assistant, type:
What is Apple's CIK number?
Expected response:
Apple's CIK number is 0000320193

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Step 2: Get Company Information

Now let’s get more detailed company information: 
Show me Apple's recent filing history
The assistant will:
  1. Use get_cik_by_ticker to get Apple’s CIK
  2. Call get_submissions to retrieve filing history
  3. Present a summary of recent filings
You should see information about:
  • Recent 10-K (annual reports)
  • 10-Q (quarterly reports)
  • 8-K (current reports)
  • Other SEC filings

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Step 3: Retrieve a Specific Filing

Let’s get Apple’s latest annual report: 
Get me Apple's most recent 10-K filing and show me the business description
The assistant will use multiple tools in sequence:
  1. get_cik_by_ticker - Get CIK
  2. get_recent_filings_smart - Find latest 10-K
  3. get_filing_txt_sections - Extract business section

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Step 4: Analyze Financial Data

Now for some financial analysis: 
What was Apple's revenue for the last 4 quarters?
The assistant will use get_specific_concept_values to retrieve quarterly revenue data and present it in an easy-to-read format.

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Step 5: Compare Financial Metrics

Let’s do a year-over-year comparison: 
Compare Apple's net income between 2023 and 2024
This will trigger the compare_concept_periods tool to show:
  • 2023 net income
  • 2024 net income
  • Percentage change
  • Analysis of the trend

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Complete Example Workflow

Here’s a complete analysis workflow you can try:
1

Company Overview

Give me an overview of Microsoft including their business segments
2

Financial Performance

Show me Microsoft's revenue and profit margins for the last year
3

Segment Analysis

Break down Microsoft's revenue by business segment
4

Recent News

What recent 8-K filings has Microsoft made?

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Understanding Tool Responses

When the assistant uses SEC EDGAR MCP tools, you’ll see structured data like:

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Company Data Example

{
  "name": "Apple Inc.",
  "cik": "0000320193",
  "tickers": ["AAPL"],
  "sic": "3571",
  "sicDescription": "Electronic Computers"
}

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Financial Data Example

{
  "concept": "RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax",
  "values": [
    {
      "value": 119575000000,
      "period": {
        "endDate": "2024-09-30",
        "months": 3
      },
      "form": "10-Q"
    }
  ]
}

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Common Queries to Try

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Troubleshooting Your First Query

If your queries aren’t working, check these common issues:

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Query Not Returning Data

  1. Check the ticker symbol: Ensure you’re using the correct NYSE/NASDAQ ticker
  2. Verify the company is public: Private companies don’t file with SEC
  3. Check the filing type: Not all companies file all form types

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Rate Limiting

If you see rate limit errors:
  • Wait 10 seconds between requests
  • Reduce the number of concurrent queries
  • Check your SEC_EDGAR_USER_AGENT is properly set

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No Financial Data

Some companies may not report standard XBRL concepts:
  • Try different concept names
  • Check if the company uses custom concepts
  • Look at the actual filing to verify data exists

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Tips for Effective Queries

1

Be Specific

Instead of “Show me Apple’s financials”, try: “Show me Apple’s quarterly revenue for the last year”
2

Use Time Frames

Specify periods for better results: “Get Tesla’s Q3 2024 earnings” vs “Get Tesla’s earnings”
3

Combine Analyses

Ask for multiple related items: “Compare Apple and Samsung’s revenue and show me their profit margins”
4

Iterate and Refine

Start broad, then drill down:
  1. “Show me Microsoft’s segments”
  2. “Give me more detail on the Azure segment”
  3. “How fast is Azure growing year-over-year?”

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What’s Next?

Now that you’ve made your first queries:

Explore Examples

See advanced usage examples

Tool Reference

Learn about all available tools
Created and maintained by Stefano Amorelli. Built together with the community.