Interpreting Company Reports and Accounts - Softcover

Holmes, Geoffrey; Sugden, Mr Alan; Gee, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0273695460 ISBN 13: 9780273695462

Publisher: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall, 2004

Synopsis

Called “The Analysts’ Bible” by the Investors ChronicleInterpreting Company Accounts and Reports guides the reader through the complexities of company accounts to show them how to spot undue risk taking and “cosmetic accounting”.

Packed with interesting real world examples and accounts its highly practical approach clearly demonstrates how to assess the financial and trading position of a company from year to year and look for clues on the quality of management.  Previous editions have predicted the collapse of Polly Peck and the Robert Maxwell’s empire.

Suitable for advanced undergraduate and MBA courses.  It is also relevant for professionals taking the IIMR, stock exchange and accountancy exams as well as practitioners such as institutional analysts, brokers and any private investors.

About this title

Review:

Press Comments

"

That it is known as ‘ The Analysts Bible’ says much about this book. It shows how to crunch the numbers and what to look for buried in the notes to the accounts and suggests how to read the director’s reports for the signs of business turning sour."

                                                                                         Investors Chronicle

" The book is wholly successful in its aim of providing a guide for ‘anybody with a reasonably enquiring mind’ on how to take to pieces a set of company reports."

                                                                                              Financial Times

"An interesting guideline on how to interpret the usual broad and platitudinous statements made by many company chairmen is to be found in this excellent book."

                                                                 Jim Slater Investment Made Easy

From the Back Cover:

Interpreting Company Reports  and Accounts  9th Edition
Geoffrey Holmes, Alan Sugden, Paul Gee 

" That it is known as ‘ The Analysts Bible’ says much about this book. It shows how to crunch the numbers and what to look for buried in the notes to the accounts and suggests how to read reports for the signs of business turning sour."

‘‘We still love it’’ 2004

Investors Chronicle

 

" The book is wholly successful in its aim of providing a guide for ‘anybody with a reasonably enquiring mind’ on how to take to pieces a set of company reports."

Financial Times

 

“If I wanted to give my mother a book to help her make sense of company accounts I could hardly think of a better book. For business people or potential investors ... I would say this book is ideal.”

Michael Thompson: University of Ulster

 

Interpreting Company Reports and Accounts guides the reader through the conventions and complexities of company accounts, explaining how to assess the financial and trading position of a company from year to year, how to spot undue risk taking and ‘‘cosmetic accounting’’ and where to look for clues on the quality of management. 

Packed with interesting real world examples, this is a highly practical book which shows readers how to analyse company reports and accounts, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The analysis is illustrated with over 200 extracts/examples from published accounts, ranging from BP and DIAGEO down to smaller companies on AIM.

 

Key Features

 

·         Key points from company accounts are highlighted and explained throughout the book.

·         Chapter 31: Putting it all Togethertakes readers step-by-step through the reports, accounts and press cuttings of an interesting AIM company.

·         The authors comment as well as inform - previous editions highlighted the serious weaknesses of both Polly Peck and Maxwell Communications Corporation well ahead of their collapse.

·         Very well written, engages students and brings the subject to life.

 New Features

·         A chapter detailing the differences between International and UK accounting standards, and how the ASB plans to close the gap.
·         New chapter on ‘Accounting Practices – Cause for Concern?’
·         A critique on Corporate Governance.

 Interpreting Company Reports and Accountsis suitable for intermediate/advanced undergraduate accounting and finance courses and for MBA courses.  The book is recommended reading for several professional examinations and will also be relevant to practitioners.

 

Geoffrey Holmes FCA, FTII was, for more than twenty years, the highly regarded and much respected Editor of Accountancy, the Journal of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Alan Sugden is a Sloan Fellow of the London Business School and a retired director of Schroder Investment Management. He spent nearly 20 years in the City as an Analyst and fund manager, running the £100 million Schroder Recovery Fund for several years.

Paul Gee BA (Econ) FCA is Technical Director of Bristol based accountants Solomon Hare, and lectures widely in the UK on financial reporting.

 

About this edition

• Publisher: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0273695460
• ISBN 13: 9780273695462
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 328