What is Financial Statement

Financial statements (or financial reports) are formal records of the financial activities and position of a business, person, or other entity.

Relevant financial information is presented in a structured manner and in a form which is easy to understand. They typically include four basic financial statements accompanied by a management discussion and analysis:

• A balance sheet or statement of financial position, reports on a company's assets, liabilities, and owners equity at a given point in time.
• An income statement—or profit and loss report (P&L report), or statement of comprehensive income, or statement of revenue & expense—reports on a company's income, expenses, and profits over a stated period. A profit and loss statement provides information on the operation of the enterprise. These include sales and the various expenses incurred during the stated period.
• A statement of changes in equity or statement of equity, or statement of retained earnings, reports on the changes in equity of the company over a stated period.
• A cash flow statement reports on a company's cash flow activities, particularly its operating, investing and financing activities over a stated period.
• A comprehensive income statement involves those other comprehensive income items which are not included while determining net income.

What is Included in Financial Reporting?

Financial reporting includes the following: External financial statements (income statement, statement of comprehensive income, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, and statement of stockholders' equity) The notes to the financial statements.