How to Read and Interpret Financial Statements : A Guide to Understanding What the Numbers Mean to You

The ability to understand financial statements is an essential skill for success today. This comprehensive course teaches students how to read and analyze the reports that are fundamental to gauging the health of any business. It explains how to interpret balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flows— and consider the numbers in the context of external economic conditions. Students will learn to: • Grasp the basic concepts and principles of financial accounting and reporting • View key financial statements—the balance sheet, the income statement, and the statement of cash flows—from the perspective of senior management • Uncover essential data by applying the right type of analysis—ratio, vertical, or horizontal—to the right statement • Understand recent changes in legislation, rules, and standards of practice that affect accounting and finance • Follow the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and track its impact on the auditing process and the financial statement value chain • Review industry statistics, competitive considerations, and other nonfinancial information to achieve a deeper understanding of a company's financial statements Now completely revised and updated, the second edition of How to Read and Interpret Financial Statements includes a section on the Statement of Comprehensive Income, expanded coverage of off-balance-sheet financing, a glossary of important terms, and updated information on the difference between marketable securities and investments and the impact of changes in fair value on a company's financial statements. In each chapter, exhibits, examples, and exercises reinforce lessons and give readers the chance to apply new concepts and practice new skills.