Over time, many business owners develop a sixth sense: They learn how to “read” a financial statement by computing financial ratios and comparing them to the company’s results over time and against those of competitors. Here are some key performance indicators (KPIs) that can help...
Independent auditors provide many benefits to business owners and management: They can help uncover errors in your financials, identify material weaknesses in your internal controls, and increase the level of confidence lenders and other stakeholders have in your financial reporting. But many companies are unclear about...
Work-in-progress (WIP) is a major inventory account for manufacturers, media and film companies, construction contractors, and other entities that enter into long-term contracts. WIP reports help management gauge the profit on each long-term project. To maximize profitability, it’s essential to regularly monitor these reports. What should...
Diversity in a company’s board of directors and its management team helps enhance corporate value. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) already requires limited disclosures on boardroom diversity and has plans to expand these disclosures in the future — but diversity isn’t just for public...
CPAs don’t just offer assurance services on historical financial results. They can also prepare prospective financial statements that predict how the company will perform in the future. This list of questions can help you make more meaningful assumptions for your forecasts and projections. 1. How far...
How long will you take to collect the outstanding receivables that are reported on your balance sheet? Many companies take weeks or even months to collect invoices from customers. Fortunately, there are ways to convert them into cash now. Line of credit A line of credit can...
Today’s businesses face unprecedented uncertainty — from geopolitical risks and cyberthreats to tax and regulatory reforms. So, management’s historical means of addressing uncertainty in accounting estimates may not pass muster in the coming audit season. Accounting for uncertainty Some financial statement items are relatively cut-and-dried. But others...
A new accounting standard goes into effect starting in 2018 for churches, charities and other not-for-profit entities. Here’s a summary of the major changes. Net asset classifications The existing rules require nonprofit organizations to classify their net assets as either unrestricted, temporarily restricted or permanently restricted. But...
Businesses can’t eliminate risk, but they can manage it to maximize the entity’s economic return. A new framework aims to help business owners and managers more effectively integrate enterprise risk management (ERM) practices into their overall business strategies. 5-part approach On September 6, the Committee of Sponsoring...
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) recently issued some targeted improvements to its guidance that could encourage more companies to engage in hedging arrangements to minimize volatility in their financial statements. Here’s a close-up on how businesses can hedge price fluctuations and why businesses and...