13F vs. 13D, 13G and Form 4: Which SEC Filing Shows What, and How Fast
Form 13F is a quarterly snapshot of a large manager’s whole US-listed portfolio; Schedules 13D and 13G report stakes above 5% in a single company; and Form 4 reports trades by a company’s own insiders within two business days. If you want speed, 13D and Form 4 are far faster than a 13F.
| Filing | Who files | What it covers | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 13F | Institutional managers with $100M+ in 13(f) securities | All reportable long positions at quarter-end | 45 days after each quarter |
| Schedule 13D | Investors above 5% of a class with control intent (e.g., activists) | One company; plans and purpose of the stake | 5 business days (initial); amendments 2 business days |
| Schedule 13G | Investors above 5% without control intent (passive or qualified institutions) | One company; short form | Accelerated since Sept 30, 2024; varies by filer type |
| Form 4 | Company insiders: officers, directors, 10%+ owners | Their own trades in the company’s securities | 2 business days after the trade |
Swipe the table to see all columns.
Form 13F: the broad but slow snapshot
Use a 13F when you want to see everything a large manager held in US-listed securities on a given quarter-end. Its weaknesses are delay and gaps: no shorts, no cash, no trade dates. Full explanation in What is Form 13F? and What 13F filings don’t show.
Schedule 13D: the activist signal
An investor who acquires more than 5% of a company’s voting class with an intent to influence or control it files a Schedule 13D. In October 2023 the SEC shortened the initial deadline from 10 days to five business days and required amendments within two business days. A 13D also describes the investor’s purpose — for example, seeking board seats or a sale of the company — which makes it one of the most informative filings for following activists.
Schedule 13G: the passive 5% holder
Investors above 5% without control intent — passive investors, qualified institutional investors such as large asset managers, and certain exempt investors — use the shorter Schedule 13G. The same 2023 amendments accelerated 13G deadlines, with compliance required from September 30, 2024; the exact deadline depends on the type of filer.
Form 4: insiders buying and selling
Officers, directors and holders of more than 10% of a company file Form 4 within two business days of a transaction, including the number of shares and the price. Insider purchases in the open market are a different signal from fund holdings: they are made by people inside the company, with their own money, and they are reported almost in real time. On Clear13F stock pages, insider trades are always shown in a separate section from 13F holdings.
Which one should you check?
- “What does this fund own?” → its latest 13F (see the superinvestor directory).
- “Is an activist building a stake?” → Schedule 13D filings for the company.
- “Are executives buying their own stock?” → Form 4 filings.
- “Who are the big passive holders?” → Schedule 13G filings and 13Fs.
All four are free on SEC EDGAR; our EDGAR search guide shows how to find them.
Sources: SEC press release 2023-219 (Schedule 13D/13G amendments); Investor.gov, Insider transactions and Forms 3, 4 and 5; SEC Form 13F FAQ. Accessed November 6, 2026. Educational content, not investment advice.