Preview

Basic Financial Statements

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
806 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Basic Financial Statements
BasRunning head: BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Basic Financial Statements

Robert A. Weir

Basic Financial Statements

There are four financial statements that business’ use to reference the financial data of a company. These statements are the balance sheet, the income sheet, the statement of retained earning and the statement of cash flows. These four statements show a variety of information that pertains to the financial situation of a company during a specific accounting period. Managers and executives must be knowledgeable about the financial statements of their company and know where their company stands financially.

The Balance Sheet The balance sheet is a report that shows the overall financial position of a company during a specific accounting period. The balance sheet contains four main components. The name of the company and the time period the report covers is the first item on the balance sheet. The name of the company is always listed in capital letters and a unit of measure should be available in this portion. Next on the report are a listing of total assets including cash, inventory, accounts receivable and all assets the company possess. Liabilities are listed next showing accounts payable, notes payable and all liabilities the company has. Last is a list of stockholder’s equity. This information gives any amount invested into the company by investors and any earnings being retained.

The Income Sheet The income sheet is a report used to show the income of a company and whether it is operating at a profit or loss through a given period of time. The income sheet has four main components. Again, the first item is the name of the company and the time period that the report covers and units of measure for the report. The next information shows all revenues brought in to the company which is followed by all expenses. Both of these parts are broken down to detail the types of revenues and expenses. Last



References: The Four Basic Financial Statements: An Overview. (2009). Retrieved from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073324833/student_view0/ebook/chapter1/chbody1/the_f our_basic_financial_statements__an_overview.htm

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    A Financial Statement can be defined as, “Summary report that shows how a firm has used the funds entrusted to it by its stockholders (shareholders) and lenders, and what is its current financial position” (Business Dictionary, 2011). The Financial information is required for various users to make an informed Decision. “The purpose of financial information is to provide inputs for decision making” (Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, 2009, Para 1, p. 6). There are four different parts covered in a Financial Statement; those are Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Retained Earnings Statement, and Statement of Cash flow. The assignment will elaborate the purpose of each statement and differentiate its utility for different…

    • 749 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Next, the purpose of the balance sheet is to report the financial integrity of a company. The amount of assets, liabilities, and stockholders equity are thoroughly expressed on the balance sheet. Assets are economic resources that the company has at its digression. Liabilities and stockholders’ equity are streams of financing or financial claims against the…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    ACC 561 Week 1 paper

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    There are four major financial statements that investors, creditors, accountants, CEO’s, and the like study when looking at the financial health of a business. They are income statements, retained earnings statements, balance sheets, and statement of cash flow. Each financial statement has a unique use and purpose in business, which will be explained throughout the following assignment.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Week 4 the Lemonade Stand

    • 2664 Words
    • 11 Pages

    The Balance Sheet is another type of financial statement used by a company to see a snapshot of the company's financial position at a particular point in time. It lists the value of the company's assets followed by its liabilities. A balance sheet can be summed up by a simple equation:…

    • 2664 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    xacc week 1

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The four simple financial statements provide a rundown of the monetary activities of a business or corporation. They can be prepared at any point in time and can apply to any time span. All four statements are needed to determine the company growth and profitably. Investor and creditors will use all four statements to determine if the company is a sound investment.…

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    B120 Tma03

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A balance sheet is a summary of the value of all assets, liabilities and Ownership equity for an organisation on a specific date.…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    * A balance sheet is summary of a company's financial condition at a specific point in time, including assets, liabilities and net worth. It allows the company to know what they have been paying for or what they owe out to people. An income statement is a report that tracks a company’s revenues, gross profits, operating income, and net worth. All businesses need to have revenue in order to establish a good foundation to have their business up and running. A retained earnings statement is the portion of net income not paid out to investors in the business as dividends. If the company earns a profit they have to decide whether or not to invest it or keep it as theirs and distribute it evenly throughout the others in the company. Statement of cash flows provides information about an entity's cash receipts and cash payments during a period. Cash flow statements classify cash receipts and payments according to whether they stem from operating, investing, or financing activities. Assets are any item or items of economic value owned by an individual or corporation, especially that which could be converted to cash. A liability is an obligation that legally binds an individual or company to settle a debt. Comparative statements are financial statements for different periods that allow the comparison of figures to illustrate trends in a company’s performance. Stockholder’s equity is the part of the balance sheet that represents the capital received from investors in exchange for stock donated capital and retained…

    • 264 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Basics of Accounting

    • 655 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Along with the statement of cash flows and income statement, the balance sheet is one of the three most important documents used by investors to understand the financial condition of a company. Structurally, the balance sheet is relatively simple in concept. Every company's balance sheet is comprised of three elements:…

    • 655 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Financial statements play a significant role in each and every type of business. The financial statements provide a wealth of information to auditors, creditors, investors, suppliers and other important venues that need access to this type of information. This paper will discuss four different types of financial statements and how they are utilized by vendors, creditors and others. The four financial statements that will be reviewed are the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statements and statement of retained earnings.…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Financial Statements

    • 1690 Words
    • 7 Pages

    InstructionsIdentify the effect, if any, that each of the following transactions would have upon cash and net income. The first transaction has been completed as an example.…

    • 1690 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Accountants, business owners, investors, creditors and employees use four basic financial statements of an organization to determine the financial well-being and future earnings potential of that organization. Financial statements are a key tool in seeing and understanding the past, present and future condition of an organization. What are these financial statements and what do they mean to the reader? Do the financial statements mean something completely different to an investor, creditor, and employee?…

    • 991 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    4. The income statement shows the financial position of a business on a specific date.…

    • 2935 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Financial Statements

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages

    It is TRUE that GAAP is the term used to indicate the whole body of FASB literature.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The balance sheet tells that the company’s receivables have declined within a year, which means that customers are paying their invoices. The company’s short-term investments have declined, as well as their short-term debt. The balance sheet is important because it shows how fast or slow assets can be converted to capital, it shows the solvency of the company, it also shows the amount of capital retained in the company. A business decision that can be made using the balance sheet is if it would be wise to take out a business loan and for how long. The balance sheet can also help a company decide if it is best to liquidate any assets to pay off some business debts.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    You have explained the four financial statements in a way readers could easily understand. I agree with you that all four statements are important to a business because it shows company’s detailed financial performance and status. In addition, other investors and creditors use these statements to determine if a company earns good profit.…

    • 55 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays