Customer Reviews

The Vest-Pocket Guide to Business Ratios

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Through these ten years since B-school, I have often returned to the old text books to retrieve a forgotten concept or calculation. Each time, I also referred to Tyran's "Vest-Pocket Business Ratios" book..as well as Downes' "Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms". These two books are small..fit easily in the daypack as I head to Starbuck's...and offer quick financial statements and definitions to support concepts. I purchased two copies of Tyran.

At first I thought that I had bought a good book for quick reference but then I discovered how I basically got my money stolen out of my pocket: Pay attention at chapter 1 and chapter 3 and then chapter 4 and so on. The book is basically a repetition of the first two chapters. Eg: each line in the index of Chapter 1 is exactly repeated in Chapter 3 and the same with the other chapters. I wish I had not marked my copy with highlighter so that I could return this book!!

Whether you're studying Corporate Finance or Financial Accounting the Vest-pocket guide provides a useful tool for ratio analysis.

This book is acceptable as a quick reference guide. However, there are a few typos and the wording is a little off in a few ratios. The book has come in handy a few times when I couldn't remember a ratio, but I would not be lost with out it. In other words, it's ok to have but you won't miss it if you don't have it.