CIK (Central Index Key)
Unique identifier assigned by the SEC to every filer in the EDGAR system.
The Central Index Key (CIK) is a numeric identifier of up to ten digits that the SEC assigns to every filer — companies, investment managers, insiders, funds — at the time of their first submission. Unlike a ticker, the CIK stays stable across name changes or corporate restructurings and is therefore the primary key for any serious EDGAR research.
Examples: Berkshire Hathaway uses CIK 0001067983, Bridgewater Associates 0001350694, Citadel Advisors 0001423053. The CIK appears in every filing URL on SEC.gov, and all 13F crawlers use it as the primary lookup key.
Related terms
Public online archive of the US Securities and Exchange Commission for all mandatory filings by listed companies and investment managers.
9-character security identifier for US and Canadian equities, bonds and options.
Quarterly mandatory disclosure that institutional investment managers file with the SEC, listing their US equity holdings.