<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-17-001618.txt : 20170110
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-17-001618.hdr.sgml : 20170110
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170110070043
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-17-001618
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20170106
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170110
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20170110

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ARGAN INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000100591
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CONSTRUCTION SPECIAL TRADE CONTRACTORS [1700]
		IRS NUMBER:				131947195
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0131

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE CHURCH STREET SUITE 201
		CITY:			ROCKVILLE
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			20850
		BUSINESS PHONE:		301 315-0027

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE CHURCH STREET SUITE 201
		CITY:			ROCKVILLE
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			20850

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PUROFLOW INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ULTRA DYNAMICS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19830522

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Deily Richard H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001358787

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31756
		FILM NUMBER:		17519172

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ARGAN, INC.
		STREET 2:		ONE CHURCH STREET, SUITE 201
		CITY:			ROCKVILLE
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			20850

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	DEILY HANK
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20060410
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-01-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100591</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARGAN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AGX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001358787</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Deily Richard H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ARGAN, INC., ONE CHURCH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STREET, SUITE 201</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROCKVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20850</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2650</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.47</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2650</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2650</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.0075</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option to purchase Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.85</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2017-04-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-04-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On January 6, 2017, the Reporting Person exercised his stock option received pursuant to an agreement dated April 2, 2012 to purchase 2,650 shares of the Issuer's common stock at a price of $16.47 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On January 6, 2017, the Reporting Person sold 2,650 shares of the Issuer's common stock on the open market at a price of $72.0075 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As of the date of this Filing, the Reporting Person does not own any share of common stock of the Issuer other than options to purchase a total of 10,000 shares of common stock at the price of $33.85 per share with the date exercisable of 04/13/2017 and expiration date of 04/13/2026. (Note: In the Form 4's previously filed by the Reporting Person on April 15, 2016, July 14, 2016, September 19, 2016 and October 4, 2016, there included an inadvertent typo regarding the expiration date of the options as 04/13/2027.)</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Richard H. Deily</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-01-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
