Various Financial Analysis Tools to Analyze Financial Statements

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS TOOLS

          In order to understand financial statements one has to use financial analysis tools such as ratio analysis, trend analysis, break even analysis and many more. Each and every analysis is carried out for a different purpose which will interpret the financial statements. Each of the analysis tool has its own importance, advantage and limitations. Today let us try to explore and understand various financial analysis tools

§  RATIO ANALYSIS:

It is the most popular analysis carried out for understanding financial statements. It helps to analyze how two variables are affecting and influencing each other.   In helps may comparison between two firms. It not only helps to speaks about financial position but at the same time it also indicates the cause for the financial position to a large extent. It also helps to indicate the change in the trend and helps to prepare future planning. Apart from having all these merits ratio analysis has few demerits like the ratios can only be reliable if the data is accurate, it can only be linked out only to two figures of same financial statement, sometimes ratios can mislead us. To know more about the Ratio Analysis and different types of ratios Click Here

§  TREND ANALYSIS:

It is the comparison of past financial data to know the future trends. It tells about the how company has performed in the past and what was the financial position by comparing to previous years. To know more Click Here

§  COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS:

It is a financial statement of business which gives the financial position of a business to provide prospective consideration of various elements of financial positions. I helps to carry out a comparative study of two or more financial statements or financial items of a financial statement. It will help us to know which is trends.

§  COMMON SIZE FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS:

It is a comparative statement that gives only neutral percent or ratio or financial states without given rupee value is called Common Size Statement. It mainly includes common size income statement and balance sheet. A common size income statement is a statement where net sales is taken as 100% and all other items of income statement or expenses as a percentage of net sales.A Common Size Balance Sheet is a statement in which the total of asset or total of liabilities and capital is taken as 100%.

§  FUND FLOW ANALYSIS:

It is the analysis of funds in the business or firm for a specific period of time. It main intention is to tell about how the funds are flowing in the business. It also helps to overcome the shortcomings of Cash flow statement. To know more about Fund Flow Statement Click Here

§  CASH FLOW ANALYSIS:

It is the analysis of cash inflow and cash outflow in a business over a specific period of time. It begins with opening cash balance and then all the cash related incomes and expenses transactions are entered and closing balance is obtained. The main idea behind its preparation is to know the cash flow for a period of time.  To Know more about Cash Flow Analysis Click Here. To know about Cash Flow Statement Click Here

§  BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS:

It is a technique which is used by production and management accountants to determine the break-even point so as to know when the it reaches zero profit and loss by comparing sales revenue, sales volume, sales value with fixed and variable costs. It helps to know the firm how long will it take to reach the break-even point so that the firm can make the necessary arrangements and effective planning and future estimations.

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