Fiscal year

The 12-month period a company uses for its accounting. It doesn't have to match the calendar year, and companies usually name it after the calendar year in which it ends.

Simple example

A company's fiscal year runs from August 1 to July 31. Its fiscal 2026 started on August 1, 2025 and ended on July 31, 2026.

20252026JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDFiscal 2026: Aug 1, 2025 to Jul 31, 2026Named after the year in which it ends
Made-up numbers, for illustration only.