Quarter (Fiscal)

A three-month period used for financial reporting and earnings cycles. Most public companies follow calendar quarters (Q1: Jan-Mar, Q2: Apr-Jun, Q3: Jul-Sep, Q4: Oct-Dec), though some use a fiscal year that starts in a different month. Earnings season, when the majority of companies report quarterly results, is among the most active periods for stock traders, with large price gaps common on the morning after a report.