The Balance Sheet Essay

A balance sheet is a statement of the assets and liabilities of a business going into depth of what the balance of income period.

A balance sheet gives an overall picture of a company's financial situation by showing the total assets of a business, including liabilities plus equity. Current assets can include cash, accounts receivable, inventory and prepayments for insurance. The balance sheet is used by investors to get an idea of what the shareholders have invested, including

* A balance sheet is snapshot of the financials for that organization (with assets on the left and liabilities on the right side) for that particular date that was requested

financial statements” (Waxman, 2013, p. xiii). It is the purpose of this paper to discuss some of

The balance sheet (BS) is significant to a business due to its ability to provide a “snapshot” of a company’s assets and liabilities at any given time. This financial document is a cursory representation of a business’s health. The use of comparative BS whether it be yearly, quarterly, or monthly provides the interested parties a tool to observe trends that are positive, negative, or neutral to a company’s financial health (Finkler, Jones, and Koyner,2013) .

The balance sheet is considered a point in time statement because it elaborates on the current position of the organization. Based on the balance sheet, the organization is able to make an educated decision to know if it’s the best time to pursue additional business. The balance sheet is usually reviewed by a creditor when searching for new opportunities. Basically, the creditor determines the company’s position by subtracting the company 's liabilities from the assets. Liabilities are the debts and obligations a facility, regardless of the magnitude of the business. Once the liabilities have been subtracted from the assets, a stakeholder 's equity is determined.

Among the tools required for every business to survive and thrive, the ability to maintain a regular self-examination holds an indispensable place. The size of the business in question is almost of no consequence, only the potential complexity of the self-examination changes. A prime tool for such self-examinations is the family of related financial reporting that has become nearly universal in western businesses: the income statement, the balance sheet, and the statement of cash flows. This trio of reports enables management and owners to carefully examine the holdings and liabilities of their business so they may make

Separately, the balance sheet reports a company’s financial position while the income statement reports a company’s fiscal year profits and losses. The balance sheet measures a company’s financial position by reporting its assets, liabilities, and owner’s (shareholder’s) equity. The income statement measures a company’s financial performance by reporting its revenues, expenses, and net income/loss. When combined, they serve two vital purposes: (1) expand the accounting equation and (2) enable analysis using ratios to determine industry position or potential material misstatements. The increase or decrease in owner’s (shareholder’s) equity on the balance sheet is a direct result of the net

The Balance Sheet is another type of financial statement used by a company to see a snapshot of the company's financial position at a particular point in time. It lists the value of the company's assets followed by its liabilities. A balance sheet can be summed up by a simple equation:

The balance sheet is one of the major and critical financial statements that show the financial position of the company. The balance sheets tell the user of the

The accounting system we use today started in Venice in renaissance period over 520 years ago. The trade business increased hugely during this time and all the financial recordings had to be written down to help people see how their business is doing. During that time in 1494 the first book about was published in accounting by Luca Paciolli and was called “The Collected Knowledge of Arithmetic, Geometry, Proportion and Proportionality”. He was called “The father of Accounting” and most of his described principles have been used up until this day.

“Financial statements provide information about a company’s financial health. Managers use them to strategize and identify areas that require their intervention. Shareholders use them to ensure their capital is well managed. Outside investors use them to identify opportunities. Lenders and suppliers use them to assess the creditworthiness of businesses they plan to deal with. The government uses them for tax-collection and regulation purposes” (Baruch College, 2008). In this assignment, one will create a simple income statement and balance sheet for Costa Company. This format is often used during the preparation phase of the financial statements because it provides a good overview.

The “financial statements are formal reports providing information on a company's financial position, cash inflows and outflows, and the results of operations” (Hermanson, p.22). There are four main components that make up a financial statement. The four parts are, balance sheet, income statements, cash flow and, statement of owner’s equity. The balance sheets role is to define the company’s assets liabilities and revenue of the business. The income statement shows the income within the company. Cash flow reviews the position of the company by cash payments and receipts. Lastly, the statement of owner’s equity shows the amount of earnings, stock and other capitals of people in the company. (Hermanson, p.34-35).

The balance sheet of a company reflects exactly what a company owns and what it owes to others, making it a very important thing to be considered for stock investment.

Balance sheets and income statements are a snapshot of a company’s stability and financial situation. Combined the statements show the income, expenses, and stockholder’s equity in the company. These statements are often analyzed by financial institutions when a company comes to them needing a loan. Stockholders and other investors also look at these statements to make sure their investment will return a profit for them. This paper will look at four different companies and their balance sheets and income statements. The companies are Eastman Chemical Company, Covenant Transportation