Use the CIK for SEC identity
The SEC publishes company submissions by a zero-padded ten-digit Central Index Key. A CIK belongs to the filer record used by EDGAR.
CIK is the right source identifier for matching SEC company and filing data. Keep the leading zeros when sending or displaying it.
Treat the ticker as an alias
A ticker is useful for search, but it is not permanent company identity. Tickers and exchange associations can change, and an association is not proof of an active listing.
Use the ticker to find the company. Store the stable company ID after the match.
Keep filing identity separate
The SEC accession number identifies one filing. Form, filing date, acceptance time, amendment state, report period, and canonical SEC links remain separate fields.
Search for a company
Search accepts a company name, ticker, or CIK. The response returns the stable company ID used by the identity and filings routes. Public access is not open yet.
curl --request GET \
--url "https://api.narwhalapi.com/v1/companies?query=AAPL&limit=20" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer $NARWHAL_API_KEY"Sources and references
- SEC EDGAR application programming interfaces
- SEC webmaster frequently asked questions
- Narwhal SEC filing methodology
Published . Last reviewed .