SEC Annual Comparison

Compare key metrics and risk factors between current and previous year 10-K filings for public companies using the Octagon MCP server.

Prerequisites

Ensure Octagon MCP is configured in your AI agent (Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, etc.). See references/mcp-setup.md for installation instructions.

Workflow

1. Identify Analysis Parameters

Determine the following before querying:

• Ticker: Stock symbol (e.g., AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL)
• Years (optional): Specific fiscal years to compare
• Focus Areas (optional): Financials, risks, segments, strategy

2. Execute Query via Octagon MCP

Use the octagon-agent tool with a natural language prompt:

Compare key metrics and risk factors between <TICKER>'s current and previous year 10-K filings.

MCP Call Format:

{
  "server": "octagon-mcp",
  "toolName": "octagon-agent",
  "arguments": {
    "prompt": "Compare key metrics and risk factors between CRM's current and previous year 10-K filings."
  }
}

3. Expected Output

The agent returns structured year-over-year comparison including:

Financial Metrics:

• Revenue: $31.353B (FY2023) vs $26.492B (FY2022) - 18.59% growth
• Net Income: $208M (FY2023) vs $1.444B (FY2022) - significant decline
• Total Assets: $98.849B vs $95.209B
• Total Liabilities: $41.755B vs $37.076B

Key Changes:

• $1.2B impairment of customer relationships and acquisition assets
• Increased goodwill from acquisitions (Slack, Acumen, Vlocity)
• Debt at $10.682B, covenant compliant

Risk Factors:

• Operational, regulatory, financial, market volatility risks
• Industry competition risks

Data Sources: octagon-financials-agent, octagon-sec-agent

4. Interpret Results

See references/interpreting-results.md for guidance on:

• Understanding year-over-year trends
• Identifying significant changes
• Evaluating risk factor evolution
• Assessing strategic shifts

Example Queries

Full Annual Comparison:

Compare key metrics and risk factors between CRM's current and previous year 10-K filings.

Multi-Year Trend:

Compare AAPL's financial performance across the last 3 fiscal years from 10-K filings.

Risk Factor Evolution:

How have TSLA's risk factors changed between FY2024 and FY2023 10-K filings?

Segment Comparison:

Compare revenue segment breakdown between GOOGL's FY2024 and FY2023 10-K filings.

Strategic Changes:

Compare the business description and strategy sections between MSFT's current and prior year 10-K.

Margin Analysis:

Compare gross margin and operating margin trends between NVDA's FY2024 and FY2023 10-K filings.

Comparison Framework

Financial Metrics

Operational Metrics

Risk Factors

Strategic Elements

Year-over-Year Analysis

Financial Trend Assessment

Key Ratios to Track

Change Analysis

Risk Factor Comparison

Types of Changes

Priority Assessment

Business Description Changes

What to Track

Strategic Shifts

Segment Performance Comparison

Revenue Analysis

Segment Health Indicators

Multi-Year Trend Analysis

3-5 Year Comparison

Track over extended periods:

• Revenue CAGR
• Margin trajectories
• Balance sheet evolution
• Risk factor patterns
• Strategic consistency

Inflection Points

Analysis Tips

1. Start with financials: Numbers provide objective comparison base.

2. Read both MD&As: Management commentary reveals context.

3. Track risk factor order: Position indicates priority.

4. Note new disclosures: First-time mentions often significant.

5. Compare segment detail: Business unit changes reveal strategy.

6. Check footnote changes: Accounting policy shifts matter.

Use Cases

• Investment research: Understand company trajectory
• Due diligence: Track performance evolution
• Competitive analysis: Compare across competitors
• Risk monitoring: Identify emerging concerns
• Earnings analysis: Context for quarterly results