Finance Basics: 3 Basic Financial Statement B

What are 3 Basic Financial Statements? What is the connection between Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement and Profit & Loss Statement?

Basic Financial Statements

There are 3 basic finance documents that describe the financial traffic of the company:

  • Balance Sheet
  • Profit & Loss statement
  • Cash Flow statement

THE FINANCIAL TRIANGLE

Like the three angles of a triangle, the three basic financial statements are integrally linked to each other.

Financial Triangle

If you change any item in one of the financial statements, one or both of the remaining statements must change as well.

THE BALANCE SHEET

A Balance Sheet provides a snapshot of a company's situation at a particular point in time.

The 'snapshot' may be taken:

• at the end of the year (or financial year),

• at the end of every quarter,

• each month

• at any other given moment.

It is useful to compare two balance sheets to see the changes between them.

Balance Sheet

Assets ( left side of the Balance Sheet )

• what a company owns, eg. equipment, cash, money due from customers, inventories.

• represent the company's use of funds, ie. what it has done with the money it has received.

Liabilities ( right side of the Balance Sheet )

• what the company owes, eg. to the shareholders, to the bank and to suppliers.

• show the company's sources of funds, ie. where the money for the business has come from

Balance Sheet

PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT

Shows the results achieved by a company over a period of time.

The Profit & Loss Statement answers the question:

"Did the company make or lose money during this period?"

Profit & Loss Statement

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

Records the movement of money.

It shows the money coming into and going out of a company during the period between two balance sheets

Cash Flow Statement

A BIG PICTURE

A full picture of a company's finances can only be gained from comparing at least two balance sheets and what has happened during the time in between them.

Together, the three statements provide information about a company, each from a different viewpoint.

A Big Picture

Continue reading here: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

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Readers' Questions

  • Negisti
    Which financial statement provides information for a specific point in time?
    1 year ago
  • A balance sheet provides financial information for a specific point in time.
    • Matti
      Which financial statement provides information for a point in time only?
      1 year ago
    • A Balance Sheet.