An audit is an inspection of a company's accounting records, usually done by an independent certified public accountant. Audits are performed in an effort to determine whether a business is ...

Joseph Nguyen is a contributing author at Investopedia and a research analyst with experience at a securities brokerage firm. Charlene Rhinehart is a CPA , CFE, chair of an Illinois CPA Society ...

Charlene Rhinehart is a CPA , CFE, chair of an Illinois CPA Society committee, and has a degree in accounting and finance from DePaul University. As the name implies, a balance sheet should reveal ...

A balance sheet is a financial statement that provides a broad overview of a given firm's assets, liabilities and shareholders' equity. This important document gives management and other interested ...

When you want to know a company’s financial health, it helps to look at its balance sheet. But if you’ve never seen a balance sheet before or don’t know how to read one, all you’ll see is a collection ...

Nearly every financial crisis can be traced back to a foundation of weak balance sheets that cracked under the pressure of excessive debt. Companies, households, and governments load up on debt during ...

Balance sheets consist of assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity, revealing financial health. Shareholders' equity equals assets minus liabilities and reflects theoretical investor value if a ...