IntroductionModule 1 of 6
The story behind the numbers
Owners, lenders, investors and even job seekers use financial statements to understand a business. Once you know how to read them, a page of numbers starts to answer real questions.
The three main statements each answer a different question:
| Statement | Question it answers | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Income statement | Did the business make a profit? | A period of time, such as a year |
| Balance sheet | What does it own and owe? | A single date |
| Cash flow statement | Where did the cash come from, and where did it go? | A period of time |