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Financial Statement Differentiation

Raven Vaughn

Accounting 561

November 7, 2011
George Bray

Financial Statement Differentiation

This paper briefly introduces the four types of documents in a financial statement, the information they contain, and their importance to investors, managers, and creditors.
Financial Statements Four documents make up a complete financial statement: income statement, statement of retained earnings, balance sheet, and statement of cash flow (Kimmel, 2011).
Income Statement An income statement details the company’s revenues and expenses for a specified time (month, quarter, or year). The items found on this statement are revenues, expenses (salaries, supplies, rent/mortgage, insurance, interest, depreciation), and either net income or net loss. A net loss will show here if the company is spending more than it makes, and visa versa. Investors use the income statement to calculate financial ratios to show the rate of return and viability of the business (Sanco, 2011). Managers use this document to evaluate where the money is going.
Statement of Retained Earnings Each financial statement ties into the next, for instance: the retained earnings statement requires the net income from the income statement. Retained earnings are calculated using the amount of dividends paid and the investment income generated. This statement reflects changes in ownership, retained earning balances, and covers the same date range as the income statement. This document is valuable information for investors and managers alike. Investors use this document to determine how well the company is making use of retained earnings. Managers can use this document to determine if it would be better for the company to pay out dividends or reinvest the money in the company.

Balance Sheet The balance sheet is current as of a

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