4-4-5 Calendar
2026 4-4-5 retail calendar
Retail accounting calendar for FY2026 using the 4-4-5 week pattern. Each quarter has two 4-week periods and one 5-week period.
How the 4-4-5 calendar works
The 4-4-5 calendar divides the fiscal year into 4 quarters, each with 3 periods. The pattern within each quarter is 4 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks — giving 13 weeks per quarter and 52 weeks per year. This is commonly used in retail and manufacturing for financial reporting and inventory planning.
This calendar starts on the first Sunday of February, which is the most common starting point for retail fiscal years. Some companies start in different months or on different days of the week.
Fiscal year
FY2026
Periods
12
Total weeks
52
Total days
364
| Period | Quarter | Start Date | End Date | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Q1 | Feb 2, 2025 | Mar 1, 2025 | 4 |
| P2 | Q1 | Mar 2, 2025 | Mar 29, 2025 | 4 |
| P3 | Q1 | Mar 30, 2025 | May 3, 2025 | 5 |
| Q1 Total | 13 | |||
| P4 | Q2 | May 4, 2025 | May 31, 2025 | 4 |
| P5 | Q2 | Jun 1, 2025 | Jun 28, 2025 | 4 |
| P6 | Q2 | Jun 29, 2025 | Aug 2, 2025 | 5 |
| Q2 Total | 13 | |||
| P7 | Q3 | Aug 3, 2025 | Aug 30, 2025 | 4 |
| P8 | Q3 | Aug 31, 2025 | Sep 27, 2025 | 4 |
| P9 | Q3 | Sep 28, 2025 | Nov 1, 2025 | 5 |
| Q3 Total | 13 | |||
| P10 | Q4 | Nov 2, 2025 | Nov 29, 2025 | 4 |
| P11 | Q4 | Nov 30, 2025 | Dec 27, 2025 | 4 |
| P12 | Q4 | Dec 28, 2025 | Jan 31, 2026 | 5 |
| Q4 Total | 13 | |||
| FY2026 Total | 52 | |||
Retail and accounting use cases
- Same-period comparisons: Compare sales for P1 this year vs. P1 last year — both are exactly 4 weeks, so the comparison is fair.
- Inventory planning: 5-week periods typically align with high-sales months. Use them to plan stock levels.
- Payroll alignment: Some companies align pay periods with 4-4-5 periods for cleaner reporting.
- Budget cadence: Quarterly reviews map cleanly to 13-week blocks, making budget vs. actual comparisons straightforward.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a 4-4-5 calendar?
- A 4-4-5 calendar is a retail accounting calendar that divides the year into 4 quarters, each with two 4-week periods and one 5-week period (13 weeks per quarter, 52 weeks per year). It makes same-period comparisons easy because each period is always the same length.
- Why does the 4-4-5 calendar start in February?
- Many retailers start their fiscal year in February because January is a post-holiday clearance month. Starting fresh in February gives a clean break. However, the start month varies by company — some start in March, July or October.
- What happens in a 53-week year?
- Every 5–6 years, a 53rd week falls into the fiscal year. The extra week is typically added to the last period of Q4, making it a 6-week period. This keeps the fiscal year aligned with the calendar.