Financial statements are traditionally prepared for those with some basic business acumen, but what happens if you are not fortunate enough to have such a background? Financial statements are rich with useful information if you know where to look and how to read them. The goal of financial statements is to empower you to make decisions, this is where using ratios and looking for trends will go a long way in making informed decisions.

The following elements will be addressed during the session. • Qualitative aspects of financial statements • Basic financial reporting requirements – minimum required statements • Balance sheet / Income statement / cash flow statement o Goal / what is being communicated o What indicates a healthy / an unhealthy statement o Helpful ratios • Statement of changes in equity o Overall indicator of an entity’s value • Purpose of notes

☒ Investment managers ☒Financial managers ☒Bookkeepers ☒Financial accountants ☒First year SAICA Trainees