The income statement summarizes the totals of revenues and expenses, calculating net gain or loss for a period. The balance sheet shows the current calculated or estimated values of a company’s assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity. This statement does not summarize a period like the income statement but rather provides a snapshot of a company’s current financial position. The statement of cash flows contains all sources and uses of a firm’s cash supply during a period and explains liquidity of a business.

Using values from these statements, a reader can calculate certain financial ratios that help compare and contrast companies. The ability to correctly create and interpret these statements is vital for an accounting professional because succeeding in the industry requires communication through these means. This vocabulary may take years of education and/or training to perfect, as there are many small nuances in financial statement terminology. Failure to comprehend the common acronyms found in these statements can significantly hinder one’s ability to make sense of the financial statements and confidently assess a company’s future potential. These include, but are not limited to: