The data items in the Zacks databases can be time-series items (have multiple periods). Period 1 in the Zacks databases is created as soon as the accounting period that it describes is complete. For example, on January 2, a firm with a December 31 fiscal year end will have period 1 earnings with a date of 12/31. In this case, Period 1 for this item will be N/A until the company releases its earnings several weeks later.
By default, when you specify an item for the screen or a report, the Research Wizard will select the first non-N/A value (called period Recent). This could be data from the previous accounting period. In addition, the time period in the screening and reporting menu is presented as calendarized selection.
To align all items by the same period, you may want to use the specific period designations for your screens and reports such as: #1, #2, #3, etc. To add multiple periods, you can also use choices Today (meaning period #1), and Today-N Periods (select number of periods to go back).
Example using Quarterly Items: On September 29, 2000, DBCM i28, Actual EPS Q before NRI, will have the calendarized completed quarterly periods specified as 06/2000, 03/2000; 12/1999, etc. Selecting the first calendarized period (06/2000) will pull companies with fiscal quarters ending on or before June (however, this data will not necessarily be from period #1, as explained next).
If companies have fiscal quarters that ended in July and August, that would be the period #1; however, selecting period 6/2000 will show April Quarter end data (or period #2), for April, July, and October FYE companies and will show May Quarter end data (or period #2), for companies with May, August, and November FY end months.
You can specify your screen or report choice as #1, #2, #3, etc., to align data by the same period. To add multiple periods, you can also use option Today (meaning period #1), and Today-nQ Periods (specify number of quarterly periods to go back).
Example using Annual Items: On October 4, 2000, DBCM item 80, Annual Sales, will have the first calendarized choice as 1999. Selecting the first calendarized option 1999 will select period #2 data for companies with the FY ending between January 2000 - September 2000. To view the period #1 for those companies, use option Today. For companies with FY ending in October-December, the calendarized option 1999 will select period #1 data, since their FY have not ended as of the beginning of October.
You can specify your screen or report choice as #1, #2, #3, etc. to align data by the same period. To add multiple periods, you can also use choices Today, and Today- nY Periods (specify number of annual periods to go back).
In addition, companies that have their FY ended by October 2000, but have not reported their data yet, will have #1 as N/A.
The time period specifications are summarized in this table:
Period Explanation Recent
Specifies the period with the first non-N/A value of the item.
Today
The first available data period (can also be specified as #1). Note that the data in this period may be N/A.
#1 (select period number)
Use the number "#" sign and a period number to select a specific period of data. Data periods are labeled from most recent to least recent, so Period 1 is the most recent date.
MM/YYYY
(for quarterly frequency items)
Example: 03/2000, 06/2000, 09/2000, 12/2000
Indicates calendarized quarterly periods.
MM/YYYY
(for monthly frequency items)
Example: 08/2000, 07/2000, 06/2000, 01/2000
Indicates calendarized monthly periods.
YYYY
(for annual frequency items)
Example: 1999, 1998, 1997
Indicates calendarized annual periods.