Financial Statements Paper
Desiree Dominguez
Acc/290
10-29-12
Lyle Burkett

Financial Statements Paper Financial statements are key components in revealing the financial health of an organization. A company's financial information can get quite complicated, but business owners and investors should understand the basics of how to read financial statements. Most businesses produce four major financial statements, including the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and statement of shareholders’ equity. Understanding the elements of these statements and how they relate to one another can help you understand a company’s financial position and make good decisions in relation to the organization. Income Statement A firm's revenues, gains, expenses and losses are listed on the income statement. Revenue is money earned from a company’s normal business operations. The expenses on the income statement are the costs associated with earning the revenue. When a company sells one of its assets, it can experience a capital gain or loss. Revenues minus expenses, plus gains minus losses, equal net income or net loss. The dollar amount of net income listed on the income statement is also found on the cash flow statement under the operating activities section. Balance Sheet The balance sheet includes the elements of the accounting equation: assets equal liabilities plus shareholders’ equity. The assets on a balance sheet are classified as either current or fixed assets. Current assets are the most liquid, meaning they easily convert to cash. Fixed assets are long-termed assets. Similar to assets, liabilities are also classified as current or long-term. Current liabilities include money owed to creditors in less than a year. Long-term liabilities are due in one year or later. Shareholders’ equity is the total amount of equity in