Understanding Financial Statements [Paperback]

Lyn M. Fraser (Author), Aileen Ormiston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130277827 | ISBN-13: 978-0130277824 | Publication Date: January 15, 2001 | Edition: 6

This classic volume presents the conceptual background and analytical tools necessary to understand and interpret financial statements. The emphasis throughout is on the evaluation of financial statements and their usefulness for business decision-making—rather than on how the financial statements are constructed. Straightforward, understandable, and accessible--regardless of readers' background--it orients them toward what they will actually encounter in practice. By emphasizing how to solve unstructured problems and how to use accounting information for decision-making, it helps them learn how to think and reason through complex, real-world situations. Includes mini-cases using the financial statements of actual companies. The Balance Sheet; The Income Statement and Statement of Stockholders' Equity; Statement of Cash Flows; The Analysis of Financial Statements; A Guide to Earnings Quality; The Analysis of Segmental Data; Understanding Bank Financial Statements. For investors and others who make decisions based on the analysis of financial statements.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"My student feedback indicates a sincere appreciation for this text. The freshman marketing major (with no accounting background) found it very easy to read. At the same time, the senior accounting major found it drew material together in a way that he thoroughly enjoyed using it!"-Corolyn E. Clark, Saint Joseph's University "Chapter 5 (The Analysis of Financial Statements) is very well written and organized. It would work well in a beginning Finance class or in a Financial Accounting class."-Richard Brunell, Concordia University "A very detailed discussion on the topic of understanding financial statements."-Ted M. Hammett, Southwestern Oklahoma State University "The greatest strength of this text is it s readability. The writing style is superb. The examples are well chose, explanations are clear."-Solomon S. Smith, Langston University "I use the text in a managerial finance course because it provides an excellent review of accounting, and a concise treatment of financial statement analysis. ...Fraser provides my students with the tools they need."-Eric L. Blazer, Millersville University "The authors display a particularly effective writing style that is interesting and easy to follow."-Charles Fazzi, Robert Morris College

From the Publisher

Easily accessible -- regardless of the student's background -- this classic text presents the conceptual background and analytical tools necessary to understand and interpret financial statements. The emphasis throughout is on the evaluation of financial statements and their usefulness for business decision-making -- rather than on how the financial statements are constructed. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education; 6 edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130277827
• ISBN-13: 978-0130277824
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Financial Statements, January 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Understanding Financial Statements (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book for those who are new to the world of corporate finance and do not have a working knowledge of the language of finance. The definitions are clear and the examples are easy to understand. The book is thorough in its coverage of balance sheet, income statements, statements of retained earnings, and cash flow, and explains how to uncover hidden problems in review of a firm's financial statements. This is a great book for students and those who want to have the mysteries of the financial report revealed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll keep this close to your side for years to come..., February 8, 2006

By 

FredCritic (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Financial Statements (7th Edition) (Paperback)

I purchased the fifth edition of this book back in 1997 and still have it. I work through it, from start to finish, every three months in order to keep myself fresh and thoroughly knowledgeable about income statements, balance sheets, and cash flows. The exercises are challenging enough to require you to do a little extra research and thinking on your own, i.e., not everything in the questions can be answered by consulting the book. IMPORTANT NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF THIS BOOK: You will have difficulty thoroughly understanding this material unless you have at least a year of financial accounting coursework under your belt. Although I already had 8 accounting courses under my belt by the time I purchased this book, it helped me understand financials like I had never understood them before. A very useful text for those interested in the analysis of, particularly, the income statement and the balance sheet.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Explanations? There are none., January 31, 2011

By 

SaraMaye - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Financial Statements (9th Edition) (Paperback)

This book may be readable, but as for any type of understanding with the case questions at the end of the chapters, forget it. I purchased this book because I had to, and I have yet to understand what they expect right away. I've had to e-mail my professor almost every time because the book doesn't explain what it's really looking for. There's no way I would even touch this book to learn about accounting if I didn't have to. My professor even admits it's not a very good text.