Profit and Loss
Profit and Loss (P&L) Statement A P&L statement, often referred to as the income statement, is a financial statement that summarizes the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred during a specific period of time, usually a fiscal year or quarter.

What financial statement communicates expenses?

The income statement (also referred to as the profit and loss (P&L) statement) provides an overview of flows of sales, expenses, and net income during the reporting period. The income statement equation is sales minus expenses and adjustments equals net income.

Why are financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP?

Both the company’s management and the independent accountants must certify that the financial statements and the related notes to the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. GAAP is exceedingly useful because it attempts to standardize and regulate accounting definitions, assumptions, and methods.

Why are financial statements prepared under the full disclosure principle?

When the financial statements are prepared it is not clear whether the company will be able to defend itself or whether it might lose the lawsuit. As a result of these conditions and because of the full disclosure principle the lawsuit will be described in the notes to the financial statements.

Why are footnotes attached to a financial statement?

Full Disclosure Principle If certain information is important to an investor or lender using the financial statements, that information should be disclosed within the statement or in the notes to the statement. It is because of this basic accounting principle that numerous pages of “footnotes” are often attached to financial statements.

Who is required to audit a public company’s financial statements?

Further, if a company’s stock is publicly traded, federal law requires the company’s financial statements be audited by independent public accountants. Both the company’s management and the independent accountants must certify that the financial statements and the related notes to the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP.