How to Read a Profit & Loss Statement like an Expert Analyst
How to Read a Profit & Loss Statement like an Expert Analyst A Profit & Loss (P&L) statement or income statement is an important finance document that consolidates the revenues, expenses, and profits of a company over a given timeframe. For anyone interested in evaluating the financial well-being of a business, thoroughly and accurately reading through a P&L statement is key. Professional evaluators utilize a systematic methodology that involves more than merely reading numbers. That's how to read a Profit & Loss statement like an expert. Grasp the Structure and Major Elements Prior to getting into the figures, familiarize yourself with the structure of the P&L statement. It generally begins with revenues or sales, then the cost of goods sold (COGS), which results in the gross profit. Following that are the operating expenses such as marketing, wages, and rent, followed by operating profit (EBIT). Lastly, it adjusts for non-operating items like interest and...