Ask Matt: How can I get analyst reports?

Q: How can I get analyst reports on stocks?

A: If you're a stock picker, you can use as much help as you can get. Analyst reports can be a useful way to better understand companies and stocks so you can decide if you should invest in them. But getting these reports can be tricky.

Research reports from the major investment firms are typically only given to large investors who have business relations with those firms. If you're not a client of the investment firms, you might not have ready access to the reports being produced by their analysts. That puts individual investors who pick stocks at a bit of an informational disadvantage because documents can contain useful information about a stock's valuation or about the competitive standing or business forecasts of a firm.

There ways to get some, but not all, of these reports short of opening accounts at the brokerage firms. If you're just looking out for analyst reports that affect stocks, you might not actually need the reports. Some Wall Street firms provide their analysis to the media after they're given to clients. If a stock makes a big move on information in a report, you will likely find news reports summarizing the key points of the report.

Also, most major online discount brokerage firms, including TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab, provide access to some reports to their clients at no cost. You may not find the report from the brokerage firm you were looking for, but there are usually a number of research providers, so you can usually get the insights you're looking for.

Paste BN markets reporter Matt Krantz answers a different reader question every weekday. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at mkrantz@usatoday.com or on Twitter @mattkrantz.