Financial Statements: A Beginner's Guide

Financial statements are the reports businesses prepare which are designed to provide an overview of how well a company has done over a set period or at a certain point in time.


These financial statements typically include information about revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and equity.


Financial Statements are essential in modern business as they provide information about the business' financial condition and allow owners to make more informed financial decisions.


Every time a company issues a quarterly or annual report, they should give you a clearer understanding of how the company is doing.

The financial statements should reveal the different sources of income and expenses, which will help the owners and management team ensure that the business is going in the right direction.


The financial statements break down the data into easy-to-understand sections that will allow anyone to see what's happening with the company.


If you're new to financial statements, this article will help you get started!


Financial statements are an important part of any business, and should be reviewed by owners or managers on a regular basis.

For the beginner, understanding the basics of financial statements can seem daunting.


They can be confusing at first glance because they use many terms unfamiliar to the novice.


However, explaining what each section is for and what you should look out for when reviewing them will make it easier.


The Balance Sheet


This statement evaluates the enterprise's assets, liabilities, and equity. It provides a snapshot of the company's financial health.


A balance sheet is one of the three primary financial statements that evaluates an enterprise's assets, liabilities and equity.

The balance sheet is a snapshot in time and shows what the company owns and owes. It does not reflect future flows of income for expenses, nor does it give any indication as to the profitability or sustainability of the company.

The balance sheet also takes into account intangible items such as goodwill or patents, as long as the intangible asset wasn't internally created.


What is an Asset


In business, assets can be defined as a piece of property, goods, equipment, or money that is owned by a company.


In accounting, assets are shown on the balance sheet. Assets are grouped into three categories: current assets, fixed assets, and intangible assets.


Current assets include cash in hand and bank deposits that can be easily exchanged for cash in the near future.

Examples of current assets would be accounts receivable, inventory, prepaid insurance, and other short-term investments.


Fixed assets represent long-lasting capital expenditures made by companies. These may include buildings, machinery, vehicles, furniture, computers, etc.


 Intangible assets include trademarks, copyrights, customer relationships, and other non-physical properties that have value to the firm but do not physically exist.


These types of assets are often referred to as goodwill because they represent an asset with no physical existence.


What is a Liability


A liability is an obligation that has not been paid, discharged, or settled. It might be owed by a business to another party or an individual's personal debts.


Liabilities are of two types: current liabilities and long-term liabilities.


Current liabilities are any debt that is due within one year while long-term liabilities are any debt with a maturity date longer than one year.


Examples of current liabilities include accounts payable, taxes due, payroll obligations, etc. These items must be paid within 12 months from when they become due.


If these payments cannot be made in full during this time period then interest will accrue on them at a rate determined by the signed agreement.


Examples of long-term liabilities include bonds or loans issued for more than one year.

The principal amount owed to bondholders may not have been fully repaid yet but it has an agreed upon term which determines how much interest can be charged.


What is Owner's Equity


Equity refers to what is left for the ownership after all other obligations have been met. This includes any cash and investments that are owned by the company.


Owner's equity is calculated by subtracting all company liabilities from all assets.


In other words, owner's equity consists of the net assets of a business. It represents the value of its tangible and intangible property minus its debts. In addition, it also contains the owners' share in the firm.


The Income Statement


Financial statements are a tool used for reporting the financial condition and performance of an organization.

An income statement is one of those reports that helps investors to determine whether or not the company is earning enough profit to pay its expenses, as well as its debt.


This report shows how much a company earned in revenues and what it spent in expenses during a designated time frame.

At the end of the time frame, this report will show how much net income was generated by these transactions.


This information can be useful when comparing companies with similar products and services.

It's important to note that all businesses have different revenue streams; therefore, they may generate more or less profits than other firms.


Put simply, the income statement reports the profit or loss generated by the company over a given period of time.


Gross Revenue


Gross Revenue is defined as total sales before any expenses have been taken into accounts.

In other words, gross revenue represents the amount of money received from customers before any deductions are made.


Gross Profit


Gross Profit is calculated by subtracting cost of goods sold from gross revenue.


Gross profit can be further broken down into the difference between operating costs and revenues.

This figure shows how much cash was left after paying for raw materials, labor, rent, etc.


Net Profit (or Net Income)


The term “net profit” or “net income” is a term used by many people but often misunderstood.

The net profit of a company is one of the most important numbers for an investor to look at when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold shares in a company.


Net profit measures the earnings of an entity after subtracting its costs and expenses from its total revenue.


Net Profit is the total revenue of a company minus all operating and non-operating costs such as depreciation, interest on debt, taxes, insurance, etc.


Net profits represent the net income that remains to pay dividends or buy back shares.

The higher the percentage of net profit over sales, the more profitable the business will be.


The Statement of Cash Flows


Cash flow statements are one of the three main financial statements and is used to show how much cash came in and flowed out of a company or organization over a particular period of time.


The Statement of Cash Flows reports the amount of cash that a company has, received, and spent during the reporting period.

This statement details how cash flows in and out of the company over a given period of time.


The Statement of Cash Flows can help investors decide if a company needs additional financing to meet its estimated future obligations.


It also helps them understand whether there is enough money available for debt service payments on outstanding loans.

The statement shows where all the funds have gone within the business.


Free Cash Flow


Free cash flow is defined as net income less capital expenditures or depreciation plus interest expense minus dividends paid.

Free cash flow is used by companies to pay down their debts and fund new investments.

It's important because it tells you what your company will be able to do with its earnings after paying off existing liabilities.


In Conclusion: Why Financial Statements Are Vital to the Success of Your Business


Financial statements are one of the most important pieces of information that a business possesses.


A company's statement provides an overview of their financial status including how much money they have on hand, the debt they owe, and the profit margins on their products.


Knowing these pieces of data can help provide context for decisions such as whether to reinvest in your business, diversify your product offerings, or start an entirely new venture.


Long-term success of any business is based on the financial health of the company.


Financial Statements are used to understand the past, present, and future of your company with a detailed look at your financials.


These statements will allow you to monitor your cash flow, debt payments, profit margins, spending habits, net worth, and more.


In conclusion, financial statements are important for all businesses, because they give the business owner a snapshot of the company's income and expenses.


They also tell you whether or not your business is making money. Furthermore, financial statements show how much cash the company has to use for future business needs.


If you want to know more about your business, then go ahead and analyze your financial statements!

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Learn more about how Noon can help you take control of your finances.

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