Financial Statement Analysis: A Practitioner's Guide, 3rd Edition

Praise for Financial Statement Analysis A Practitioner's Guide Third Edition "This is an illuminating and insightful tour of financial statements, how they can be used to inform, how they can be used to mislead, and how they can be used to analyze the financial health of a company." -Professor Jay O. Light Harvard Business School "Financial Statement Analysis should be required reading for anyone who puts a dime to work in the securities markets or recommends that others do the same." -Jack L. Rivkin Executive Vice President (retired) Citigroup Investments "Fridson and Alvarez provide a valuable practical guide for understanding, interpreting, and critically assessing financial reports put out by firms. Their discussion of profits-'quality of earnings'-is particularly insightful given the recent spate of reporting problems encountered by firms. I highly recommend their book to anyone interested in getting behind the numbers as a means of predicting future profits and stock prices." -Paul Brown Chair-Department of Accounting Leonard N. Stern School of Business, NYU "Let this book assist in financial awareness and transparency and higher standards of reporting, and accountability to all stakeholders." -Patricia A. Small Treasurer Emeritus, University of California Partner, KCM Investment Advisors "This book is a polished gem covering the analysis of financial statements. It is thorough, skeptical and extremely practical in its review." -Daniel J. Fuss Vice Chairman Loomis, Sayles & Company, LP Praise for Financial Statement Analysis A Practitioner's Guide Third Edition University Edition "This is an illuminating and insightful tour of financial statements, how they can be used to inform, how they can be used to mislead, and how they can be used to analyze the financial health of a company." -Professor Jay O. Light Harvard Business School "Financial Statement Analysis should be required reading for anyone who puts a dime to work in the securities markets or recommends that others do the same." -Jack L. Rivkin Executive Vice President (retired) Citigroup Investments "Fridson and Alvarez provide a valuable practical guide for understanding, interpreting, and critically assessing financial reports put out by firms. Their discussion of profits-æquality of earnings'-is particularly insightful given the recent spate of reporting problems encountered by firms. I highly recommend their book to anyone interested in getting behind the numbers as a means of predicting future profits and stock prices." -Paul Brown Chair-Department of Accounting Leonard N. Stern School of Business, NYU "Let this book assist in financial awareness and transparency and higher standards of reporting, and accountability to all stakeholders." -Patricia A. Small Treasurer Emeritus, University of California Partner, KCM Investment Advisors "This book is a polished gem covering the analysis of financial statements. It is thorough, skeptical, and extremely practical in its review." -Daniel J. Fuss Vice Chairman Loomis, Sayles & Company, LP The goal of financial statement analysis is to shed light on the true financial condition of a company so realistic valuations can be determined for investment, lending, or merger and acquisition purposes. This important process has become increasingly complex over the years as corporate financial statements have become more difficult to decipher. But with Financial Statement Analysis, Third Edition, you'll learn how to handle the practical challenges that are part of this business. In Financial Statement Analysis, Third Edition, leading investment authority Martin Fridson returns with NYU Professor Fernando Alvarez to provide the analytical framework you need to scrutinize financial statements, whether you're evaluating a company's stock price or determining valuations for a merger or acquisition. This fully revised and up-to-date Third Edition offers detailed, fresh information that will allow you to evaluate financial statements in today's volatile markets and uncertain economy. Filled with real-life examples and expert advice, this comprehensive guide will motivate you to undertake genuine, goal-oriented analysis instead of simply going through the motions of calculating standard financial statement analysis. Pick up Financial Statement Analysis, Third Edition and you will acquire all the insight and professional know-how you need to find the facts behind the fiction of most corporate financial statements. This is without doubt the best book on financial statements I've ever read. Every chapter of the book is a joy to read and clarifies a lot of advanced accounting ideas. However Chapter 8 "Applications and Limitations of EBITDA" I particularly enjoyed. As a value oriented investor I prefer Free Cash Flow (rather than net income) as a measure of a companies true earnings. Almost every accounting definition of FCF, praises the figure for how it demystifies net income. And yet most of these places define FCF as simply Net Income + Depreciation. It is obvious simply adding back depreciation doesn't get rid of all GAAP manipulation. This book is the first to thoroughly explain how changes in working capital must be monitored, since the bloating of working capital etc is a warning of GAAP chicanery. (As the authors recommend, you do need an average level of accounting knowledge to follow this book. Absolute beginners will need to learn the basics first.) A compact guide to evaluating financial statements and uncovering the realities behind the numbers. This edition has been updated with new information and examples which reflect today's financial actualities Financial statement analysis is an essential skill in a variety of occupations including investment management, corporate finance, commercial lending, and the extension of credit.