Q4

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Time

Q4
Stands forFourth quarter
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

Q4 stands for Fourth quarter, a time abbreviation also used in business.

October through December in a calendar year, the final quarter and, for retailers, the most important, because it contains Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday shopping season.

Example: Retailers often earn a large share of their annual profit in Q4.

Usage notes

For the US federal government Q4 is July to September, ending the fiscal year on September 30 and prompting a familiar rush of "use it or lose it" spending. Companies report Q4 together with full-year results, often in January and February. In sports, Q4 is the final period of an American football or basketball game.

More time abbreviations

  • mya – Million years ago
  • ns – Nanosecond
  • p.m. – Post meridiem (after midday)
  • Q1 – First quarter
  • Q2 – Second quarter
  • Q3 – Third quarter
  • QoQ – Quarter over quarter
  • QTD – Quarter to date
  • qtr – Quarter
  • s – Second
  • sec – Second
  • T – Time designator (ISO 8601)

See all 51 time abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.