preview

Financial Statements Are Used For Track Performance And Explain Differences

Decent Essays

Introduction Financial statements are used to track performance and explain differences in multiple companies (Melicher & Norton, 2013). The information available on these reports is important to have if you run a company, or are researching it for investment purposes. These statements can show where money could have been saved, or used in a different way. They are a useful tool for management to adjust their approach as needed. There are different industries, which results in a variety of assets, liabilities, products, services, and approaches to producing profit (Melicher & Norton). There are large and small companies and financial statements provide a way to research and, or compare them. The following will discuss financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and statement of cash flows.
Income Statement
An income statement shows the profit and expense of a company over a certain amount of time (Melicher & Norton, 2013). It is a required statement that must be produced yearly and provides whether the company made or, lost money (Alvis & Hillstrom, 2006). As an investor it would be important to see how a company does multiple years in a row. Accounting owns the process of developing the income statement; this information is then used by management (Alvis & Hillstrom). Whether you are an investor or work for the company, it is beneficial to understand what the expenses are on an income statement. Cost of goods sold is the expense for

Get Access