| name | sec-annual-comparison |
| description | Compare key metrics and disclosures between annual 10-K filings using the Octagon Claude plugin. Use when analyzing year-over-year changes in financials, risk factors, business descriptions, and strategic priorities across fiscal years. |
SEC Annual Comparison
Compare key metrics and risk factors between current and previous year 10-K filings for public companies using the Octagon Claude plugin.
Prerequisites
Ensure the Octagon Claude plugin is installed and configured in Claude Code before invoking this skill.
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 the Octagon Claude plugin
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-claude-plugin",
"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
| Category | Key Metrics |
|---|
| Revenue | Total revenue, growth rate, segment breakdown |
| Profitability | Gross profit, operating income, net income |
| Margins | Gross margin, operating margin, net margin |
| Balance Sheet | Assets, liabilities, equity, cash, debt |
| Cash Flow | Operating, investing, financing, free cash flow |
| Per Share | EPS, book value, dividends |
Operational Metrics
| Category | Key Metrics |
|---|
| Customers | Count, retention, concentration |
| Employees | Headcount, productivity |
| Geographic | Revenue by region, asset location |
| Segments | Business unit performance |
Risk Factors
| Category | What to Compare |
|---|
| Business | Competitive, operational, strategic |
| Financial | Liquidity, debt, currency |
| Regulatory | Compliance, legal |
| Market | Economic, industry |
| Technology | Innovation, disruption |
Strategic Elements
| Category | What to Compare |
|---|
| Mission | Corporate purpose |
| Strategy | Growth initiatives |
| Investments | R&D, CapEx, M&A |
| Markets | Geographic, product expansion |
Year-over-Year Analysis
Financial Trend Assessment
| Metric | Positive Trend | Negative Trend |
|---|
| Revenue | Growing, accelerating | Declining, slowing |
| Margins | Expanding | Contracting |
| Earnings | Increasing | Decreasing |
| Cash Flow | Strengthening | Weakening |
| Debt | Declining | Increasing |
Key Ratios to Track
| Ratio | Calculation | What It Shows |
|---|
| Revenue Growth | (Current - Prior) / Prior | Top-line momentum |
| Gross Margin | Gross Profit / Revenue | Pricing power, costs |
| Operating Margin | Operating Income / Revenue | Operational efficiency |
| Net Margin | Net Income / Revenue | Bottom-line profitability |
| ROE | Net Income / Equity | Shareholder returns |
| Debt/Equity | Total Debt / Equity | Financial leverage |
Change Analysis
| Change Type | Significance |
|---|
| >20% improvement | Major positive development |
| 5-20% improvement | Solid progress |
| ±5% | Stable/flat |
| 5-20% decline | Concerning deterioration |
| >20% decline | Material negative change |
Risk Factor Comparison
Types of Changes
| Change | What It Means |
|---|
| New risk added | Emerging concern |
| Risk removed | Issue resolved or de-emphasized |
| Language expanded | Increased concern |
| Language reduced | Diminished concern |
| Position changed | Priority shift |
| Specificity added | Crystallizing risk |
Priority Assessment
| Position | Prior Year | Current Year | Interpretation |
|---|
| Top 5 | Top 5 | Top 5 | Persistent priority |
| Lower | Lower | Top 5 | Elevated concern |
| Top 5 | Top 5 | Lower | Reduced priority |
| None | None | Added | New risk |
| Present | Present | Removed | Resolved |
Business Description Changes
What to Track
| Section | Changes to Note |
|---|
| Products | New offerings, discontinued products |
| Markets | Geographic expansion, exits |
| Customers | Target market shifts |
| Competition | New competitors, changed positioning |
| Strategy | New initiatives, changed priorities |
| Technology | Platform changes, R&D focus |
Strategic Shifts
| Indicator | Examples |
|---|
| New emphasis | Repeated new terms |
| Removed emphasis | Topics no longer discussed |
| Changed language | Different framing |
| Quantification | New metrics disclosed |
| Commitment | Specific targets stated |
Segment Performance Comparison
Revenue Analysis
| Segment | Prior Year | Current Year | Growth | Mix Change |
|---|
| Segment A | $X | $Y | Z% | +/- pp |
| Segment B | $X | $Y | Z% | +/- pp |
Segment Health Indicators
| Indicator | Positive | Negative |
|---|
| Growth | Accelerating | Decelerating |
| Margin | Improving | Declining |
| Share of Total | Increasing (if healthy) | Declining |
| Investment | Increasing | Divesting |
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
| Signal | What Changed |
|---|
| Growth acceleration | New product, market |
| Margin expansion | Scale, efficiency |
| Cash flow improvement | Working capital, CapEx |
| Risk emergence | New competitive threat |
| Strategic pivot | Changed direction |
Analysis Tips
-
Start with financials: Numbers provide objective comparison base.
-
Read both MD&As: Management commentary reveals context.
-
Track risk factor order: Position indicates priority.
-
Note new disclosures: First-time mentions often significant.
-
Compare segment detail: Business unit changes reveal strategy.
-
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
