Annual Report
This is the yearly statement which must, by law, be sent to the shareholders of a company by its directors.
It will include details of the company's activities and financial position as prescribed by the various Companies Acts.
Sometimes it's glossy and provides a useful overview of whether the company may be a good investment for the future. Often, the really exciting or crucial information can be buried away in the notes.
Quite often, the first shareholders learn of how much directors are paid and how many executive share options they have is when they pick up the annual report. A
And ...the reports are free. The 'poor company' has to shoulder the cost burden.