Where do balance sheet indicators in North Data come from, when are current annual accounts available in the API, and why can annual accounts sometimes appear to be missing?

What is the source of balance sheet indicators?

Balance sheet indicators such as Revenue, Equity, Pension Provisions, and other financial metrics in North Data are derived exclusively from published annual accounts.

For Germany, this primarily means:

• Bundesanzeiger / Unternehmensregister (source=Eb)
  Coverage from around 2007, in some cases from 2005, with daily updates

Additionally, for listed companies:

• stock market data (source=Stockf)
  monthly updates

Important to note:

• Only published financial data is processed.
• Unpublished annual accounts are not included in North Data financials, even if they may exist in the Unternehmensregister.
• If multiple published financial sources are available, they may be provided in parallel, for example:
  • individual financial statements
  • consolidated financial statements
  • stock market data

How is this data labeled in the API?

The following fields in the API help classify the data:

• financials.consolidated → indicates whether the data is consolidated or non-consolidated
• financials.estimate → distinguishes reported values from estimated values

When are current annual accounts available in the API?

The availability of current annual accounts depends primarily on the statutory filing deadlines.

In Germany, the general rule is:

• annual accounts must usually be filed and published within up to 12 months after the end of the financial year

Example:

• financial year 2024 → publication usually takes place during 2025

As soon as the data is published in the Bundesanzeiger or Unternehmensregister, it is generally incorporated into the North Data API on a daily basis.

Why can it appear that no annual accounts have been filed?

In Germany, there is generally always at least a filing obligation for corporations such as a GmbH, AG, or UG. Under commercial law, the obligation to submit annual accounts applies regardless of the company’s size class.

However, the size class affects:

• how much must be disclosed
• and whether the accounts are published or only deposited

This is why, in practice, it can still look as if no annual accounts were filed.

Common reasons why nothing appears to be visible

1. The filing deadline has not yet expired

Companies may have up to 12 months after the balance sheet date to file their annual accounts. Until then, no filing may be visible yet.

2. Late filing or non-compliance

A company may simply not have filed yet, even though it is required to do so. In such cases, regulatory enforcement proceedings may follow.

3. Micro-entities

For some very small corporations, the annual accounts may only be deposited, not fully published. In practice, this can mean that the register shows only a notice of filing, but not the underlying documents themselves.

4. Technical or register-related issues

Delays, incorrect assignments, transmission problems, or other register-related issues can affect whether filings are visible or correctly linked.

5. Special cases

Situations such as:

• liquidation
• new incorporation
• short financial year
• or other exceptional corporate events

can affect whether annual accounts are available, when they appear, and how they are displayed.

Summary

• Balance sheet indicators are derived from published annual accounts
• In Germany, the main sources are Bundesanzeiger and Unternehmensregister
• For listed companies, stock market data may also be included
• Unpublished annual accounts are not processed
• Newly published annual accounts are generally added to the API daily
• Companies may still appear to have “no annual accounts” for practical reasons, including filing deadlines, late filing, limited disclosure for micro-entities, technical issues, or special corporate situations