Financial statements are important reports. They show how a business is doing and are very useful internally for a company's stockholders and to its board of directors, its managers and some employees, including labor unions. Externally, they are important to prospective investors, to government agencies responsible for taxing and regulating, to lenders such as banks and credit rating agencies, and to investment analysts and stockbrokers.
Importance of Regularity and Accuracy
All public companies are required to prepare documents showing the company's financial performance at regular periodic intervals. Most companies prepare annual statements; others prepare them semiannually, quarterly or as often ...