What is a linked quarter?

In finance, a linked quarter refers to the financial performance of a company compared to the previous or following quarters. It is used to assess the current performance of a company compared to its recent past or expected future performance. By comparing linked quarters, investors and analysts can gain insights into the direction and sustainability of a company's financial trends and changes over time. This comparison can help in evaluating a company's growth, revenue trends, profitability, cost structure, and other financial metrics on a sequential basis.