How to Read a Financial Report : Wringing Vital Signs Out of the Numbers (How to Read a Financial Report)

Rating:
Summary: excelllent intro
Review: As a teacher of business management, I have found the one component of training that often frustrates most students is understanding and preparing a cash flow statement, profit and loss statement and a balance sheet. This book is written in a manner which certainly simplifies the understanding of the statements, but it would definitely be a plus if the reader had some prior knowledge of basic accounting principles.

Financial statements are, for some, a challenge and one they can easily master with an understanding of basic accounting. For others with no prior knowledge of accounting, financial statements can be a nightmare. While this book will HELP TO SIMPLIFY the matter, without some previous experience the book may be quite confusing. First of all, one should at least be familiar with general accounting terminology. If you are, it will simplify this book enormously and make the learning experience more enjoyable. However, be prepared to sit down and devote your utmost concentration to the book. The subject matter is not one that can be mastered by skimming through the book in an evening or two. For many individuals, understanding financial statements is a course that takes months to completely understand. Some learn the process easily, others never master the challenge no matter how long or hard they try. The degree of success usually depends, in part, on apptitude, commitment and previous knowledge and experience of the reader.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Clarity
Review: As an MBA student and a director of a small business, I doubt I have read a more useful book. Together with his 'Budgeting a la Carte', John Tracy cuts to the heart of company financials in a very clear and readable manner. I never thought I'd sit up and get excited about this subject, but these 2 books really shed light on the nuts and bolts of company finance without being long winded or dull. A 'must read' for anybody trying to get to grips with this subject and any small business owner not trained in accounting. Well done Mr Tracy!

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Summary: its all in the graphics
Review: i have a limited knowledge of accounts, & this book was absolutely brilliant in bringing me up to speed with the basic mechanics, rather than the whys of it all. The lucid manner in which the subject matter is explained hinges on the graphical layout employed allowing you to become involved in the process.
It does not set out to be exhaustive & other books should be used for in depth studies (eg identifying suspicious activities). It is however excellent in accomplishing precisely what it sets out to achieve and brings life to the numbers. All it needs now is a color edition, enabling more complex modelling.

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Summary: One of the most useful presentations of this topic ever.
Review: I have used this book to teach people with absolutely no training in accounting to understand financial statements. It appeals to non-quantitative and quantitative audiences alike. Non-quantitative audiences appreciate the plain language in which the book is written. Quantitative audiences immediately see how financial statements are laid out from a modelling point of view and invariably start coding up spreadsheets. People who need to explain anything related to financial statements should thoroughly read this book to see how clearly this topic can be treated.

Another aspect of this book is the ratio of success-to-effort one gets out of reading this book. Professsor Tracy's experience and time spent thinking about this topic is clearly demonstrated by his ability to explain just enough to allow even the rank beginner to understand financial statements.

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Summary: Simple and to the point
Review: John Tracy does an excellent job of reviewing the basics of reading a financial report. His treatment of how the Balance Sheet, Income, and Cash Flow Statements are related to each other is simple and to the point. He also discusses how various depreciation and inventory methods impact the financial reports. The book is easy to read and well organized. Anyone who is new to financial reports or who wants to brush up on financial reports since their accounting days in college should find this book useful.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: One of the best books on the topic I have ever read! By linking the financial statements together, the author provides a comprehensive understanding of how one affects the other! Buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: excelllent intro
Review: This book is excellent in the following ways :

-succeeds in explaining in a concise (+- 100 pages) and clear way the basic principles of financial statements.
-the special format of the book is excellent in that it shows most examples and related text without having to turn the pages.
-there is enough white space, allowing you to make annotations.

Strongly adviced for anybody owning a company or for management / accounting students.

Rating:
Summary: Well Written Overview of Financial Statements and Accounting
Review: This book is great for anyone ranging from beginner to intermediate knowledge of financial reports. I have taken accounting and finance classes in college. This book tells the same things that 600 page textbooks and hours and hours of lecture can tell you, but it does so in an easy to understand and concise manner.

Most important it explains the relationships clearly between the income statement, balance sheet, and cashflow statement. This book would be great for anyone starting an education in finance or for any investor trying to broaden their knowledge base. If you invest in stocks, you should learn how to read financial statements. This book will give you some much needed knowledge that you can use as you scour for companies to invest in.

This author takes pride in his writing. John A. Tracy is a professor of accounting, but his knack for concise explanations and the clear use of the English language is evident throughout.

Rating:
Summary: Well Written Overview of Financial Statements and Accounting
Review: This book is great for anyone ranging from beginner to intermediate knowledge of financial reports. I have taken accounting and finance classes in college. This book tells the same things that 600 page textbooks and hours and hours of lecture can tell you, but it does so in an easy to understand and concise manner.

Most important it explains the relationships clearly between the income statement, balance sheet, and cashflow statement. This book would be great for anyone starting an education in finance or for any investor trying to broaden their knowledge base. If you invest in stocks, you should learn how to read financial statements. This book will give you some much needed knowledge that you can use as you scour for companies to invest in.

This author takes pride in his writing. John A. Tracy is a professor of accounting, but his knack for concise explanations and the clear use of the English language is evident throughout.