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 ...

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 ...

Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Michael Boyle is an experienced financial ...

Few companies thrive and grow without some kind of outside financing. Acquiring assets, launching projects, expanding into new locations or business sectors -- these all take capital, and lots of it.

A balance sheet is a versatile document that offers a snapshot of a company's or individual's finances at a given point in time. Businesses can use balance sheets to develop plans for the future and ...

A strong balance sheet can make all the difference between your investment surviving a market downturn and blowing up in your face. Nearly every financial crisis can be traced back to a foundation of ...

A balance sheet is a company's financial big picture for a particular moment in time. Every financial decision a business makes will eventually land on the balance sheet but understanding how the ...