Analysing Financial Statements for Non-Specialists

by Jim O'Hare

Overview

All business organizations produce financial statements, and the information communicated (or hidden) in these is relevant to a wide range of users. After a number of recent financial scandals from banks to supermarkets, the need to fully understand financial statements has never been so imperative, and the topic itself so pertinent.

With updated examples to reflect the current business environment, including new material on the ethical considerations, and a wider array of business examples, from retail to services and banks, O’Hare continues to demist financial statements for non-specialists. In this new and refreshed edition, he once again covers the topic in an accessible way and assumes no prior training or study in accounting.

Offering a range of extra resources, including end of chapter questions, topics for further discussion and brimming with real-world examples, this concise new edition provides a comprehensive resource that will be welcomed by lecturers and instructors charged with delivering classes on financial statements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317247012
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/26/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	146
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Jim O'Hare is an Associate Professor at the University of Leicester, UK. His research interests are in the usefulness of company financial statements and their use in making economic decisions.

Table of Contents

1. Why is Analyzing Financial Statements Necessary?

2. What Information is provided in Company Financial Statements?

3. Analyzing Profitability

4. Analyzing Liquidity

5. Analyzing Financial Gearing

6. Analyzing Shareholder Interests

7. Predicting Corporate Failure

8. Using other Information in Company Annual Reports

9. Corporate Governance

10. Business Valuations

11. What do Financial Statements not tell the Users?

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

'This book is an excellent introduction to the important area of company accounts and understanding their health and viability. It gives a concise, yet thorough, exposition of the issues in a way which requires little prior knowledge of the subject. It also makes a number of important points about what cannot be learnt from these accounts.'

Stephen G. Hall, Head of Department and Professor of Economics, University of Leicester, UK

'This is a clear, concise and readable book which is useful for anyone who wants to get an insight into how financial statement information is used for decision-making. Real company examples help the reader relate the concepts with practice.'

Osman Yukselturk, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance, University of the West of England, UK

'This book unravels the mysteries of financial statements in a clear, concise and very informative way. It provides the reader with an excellent interpretation of profitability, liquidity and gearing ratios and therefore a better understanding of the financial position and performance of companies.'

Philip Frost, Accountancy Lecturer with The Mercia Group Ltd

Editorial Reviews

'Analysing Financial Statements provides a clearly-written overview of the uses and interpretation of accounting information. It will be useful to novices seeking a basic understanding, but also those with a background in accounting who need a refresher.' - Douglas Lamdin, Professor of Economics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA

'This book provides an excellent introduction to the analysis of financial statements. Its clear and concise focus on analysis and interpretation makes it an invaluable resource for non-specialists who need to know how to use financial statements to support decision making.' - Simon Finley, Associate Dean and Senior Teaching Fellow in Accounting, Aston University, UK

'A first-rate, compact introduction to company accounts and how to evaluate published financial statements. Delivered in manageable chapters, it guides non-financially sophisticated readers through practical techniques used to interpret information to give an insight into the performance and financial position of a company. Illustrative examples, activities and discussion topics make this book an ideal text for academic courses requiring no prior knowledge of accounting.' - Lynne Howey, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Accounting, University of Leicester, UK

'This is an excellent book for those who are interested in the analysis of financial statements. The book is concise but covers all important aspects of financial analysis.' - Radha Shiwakoti, Senior Lecturer in Accounting, Brunel University London, UK.

From the Publisher