What are financial statements?

Financial statements are a set of reports that illustrate a company's financial health. They include information like the company's income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Financial statements can be used to make better financial decisions and track a company's financial performance over time.

The purpose of financial statements

The purpose of financial statements is to give a company's stakeholders an idea of the company's financial health. This information can be used to make decisions about investing in the company, lending money to the company, or doing business with the company. Financial statements can also be used to track a company's financial performance over time.

The types of financial statements

There are four main types of financial statements: balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and statements of shareholders' equity. Balance sheets show a company's assets, liabilities, and equity. Income statements show a company's revenue and expenses. Cash flow statements show a company's cash inflows and outflows. Statements of shareholders' equity show a company's equity.

How to read financial statements

Here are some tips that can help you to better understand financial statements:

• Make sure you know what type of financial statement you're looking at.
• Look at the big picture and identify any trends.
• Focus on the details and look for anything that doesn't make sense.
• Ask questions if you're still confused.

Common mistakes when interpreting financial statements

There are some common mistakes that people make when interpreting financial statements. One mistake is to focus on one number instead of looking at the big picture. Another mistake is to compare apples to oranges by comparing companies that are in different industries. Another is to forget about the time value of money. Finally, it's common for those reading financial statements to indiscriminately trust the statements without questioning them.

How to use financial statements to make better financial decisions

Financial statements can be used to make better financial decisions in several ways. First, they can be used to track a company's financial performance over time. This information can be used to make decisions about whether or not to invest in a company. Second, financial statements can be used to make decisions about lending money to a company. Lenders will use financial statements to assess a company's creditworthiness. Finally, financial statements can be used to make decisions about whether to do business with a company by assessing the company's financial health.