how do they make a quarter
DEFINITION of 'Quarter - Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4'. A three-month period on a financial calendar that acts as a basis for the reporting of earnings and the paying of dividends. A quarter refers to one-fourth of a year and is typically expressed as Q.. The four quarters that make up the year are: January, February and March (Q1); April, May and June (Q2); July, August and September (Q3); and October, November and December (Q4). A quarter is often shown with its relevant year, as in Q1 2015 or Q1/15, which represents the first quarter of the year 2015.