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Analyzing The Basics Of An Income Statement

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If you are part of the business world, you need to be aware of some of the financial statements companies are required to produce. If you’ve heard people talk about profits and losses, the chances are they are talking about an income statement. For people who haven’t gone through accounting school, these statements can be all Greek to you.

But understanding income statements is vital for anyone who’s involved with the sector. This guide is going to explain the basics of an income statement, help you understand the terminology used in these statements and provide you with tips for analysing income statements.

What is an income statement?

An income statement is an essential part of a company’s financial records. The official definition says an income statement is:

A financial document generated monthly and/or annually that reports the earnings of a company by stating all relevant revenues (or gross income) and expenses in order to calculate net income. Also referred to as a profit and loss statement.

In essence, the income statement looks at the financial performance of an entity over a specific period in time. It providers the entity a summary of the revenue and expenses by looking at operating and non-operating activities.

In most instances, an income statement looks at the net profit or loss of the entity over a fiscal year, but in certain instances, this could also be a quarter or even a month.

In crude terms, an income statement is divided into two sections:

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