The Interpretations of Financial Statements (Currently Unavailable)

Author: Steven Bragg

CPE Credit:  11 hours for CPAs

This course describes the structure of the financial statements, notes a number of tools for extracting information from the statements, and provides a wealth of additional insights into the reasons for the presence of or changes in certain numbers within the statements.

Publication Date: March 2015

Topics Covered

  • Overview of Financial Statements
  • Interpretation of Cash and Investments
  • Interpretation of Receivables
  • Interpretation of Inventory
  • Interpretation of Fixed Assets
  • Interpretation of Other Assets
  • Interpretation of Current Liabilities
  • Interpretation of Debt
  • Interpretation of Equity
  • Interpretation of Sales
  • Interpretation of the Cost of Sales and Gross Margin
  • Interpretation of Operating Expenses
  • Interpretation of Other Income, Taxes, and Profits
  • Interpretation of Cash Flows
  • Other Analysis Topics
  • Additional Public Company Information

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the accrual basis of accounting concept and how it functions, as well as the accounting equation concept.
  • Note the business situations indicated by different cash levels and cash designations.
  • Cite the uses of the contribution margin and days sales outstanding measurements, as well as the situations in which they can be misleading.
  • Note the industry situations in which an investment in inventory is considered to be more or less critical, as well as the reasons for different inventory turnover levels.
  • Cite the calculations used for the different depreciation methods, and the effects on profitability of the various depreciation rules.
  • State the contents of the prepaid expenses line item, as well as the situations that can change this balance. Also note the circumstances under which goodwill is considered to be impaired.
  • Identify the business conditions that can alter the balances in the current liabilities line items.
  • Identify the circumstances causing a change in debt classification, as well as the situations in which the debt level can be considered minor.
  • Note the effects of debt-to-equity conversions on measurements, as well as the contents of the book value and tangible book value measurements.
  • Recognize the situations causing reliable sales, as well as the types of investors attracted to rapid sales growth.
  • Identify the contents of the cost of goods sold, and the methods used to improve the gross margin percentage.
  • Define the contents of operating expenses, and the business situations that can cause these line items to change.
  • Recognize the situations in which net operating losses may be generated, and the techniques used to improve the net profit margin and earnings per share.
  • Note the contents of the different classifications within the statement of cash flows.
  • Identify the types of audit examinations, the uses to which the margin of safety can be put, and the contents of the dividend analysis formulas.
  • Note the required contents of the different sections of the Form 10-K.

Level
Overview

Instructional Method
Self-Study

NASBA Field of Study
Finance (11 hours)

Program Prerequisites
None

Advance Preparation
None

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