What is a fiscal quarter?

A fiscal quarter is a 3-month period within a company's fiscal year used for financial reporting and planning. A fiscal year doesn't have to align with the calendar year - many companies and governments use non-January start dates.

Common fiscal year schedules

Organization	Fiscal Year Start	Q1 Period
US Federal Government	October 1	Oct–Dec
Apple / Walmart	October 1	Oct–Dec
Microsoft	July 1	Jul–Sep
Amazon	January 1 (calendar year)	Jan–Mar
UK Government	April 1	Apr–Jun
Australia Government	July 1	Jul–Sep

Why fiscal years differ

Companies choose their fiscal year start to align financial reporting with their operational cycle. US retailers often end their fiscal year on January 31 - after the critical holiday shopping season - so Q4 captures peak revenue. Agricultural businesses align with harvest cycles. Government fiscal years often reflect budget-setting processes in legislatures.

Notable company fiscal years

Company	Fiscal year	Reason
Apple	Oct–Sep	Aligns with product release cycles
Microsoft	Jul–Jun	Established before modern calendar norms
Walmart	Feb–Jan	Captures full holiday shopping season in Q4
US Federal Government	Oct–Sep	Congressional budget timeline
UK Government	Apr–Mar	Historical convention since 1800

Quarterly reporting

US publicly traded companies file 10-Q reports with the SEC within 45 days of each quarter end (extended to 90 days for smaller reporting companies). The annual 10-K report is due within 60 days (large accelerated filers) to 90 days of fiscal year end. Earnings calls are typically held shortly after each filing and are the primary vehicle for communicating financial results to investors.