Annual financial statements provide you with quantitative data regarding specific aspects of your company’s financial performance. Financial statements include figures from the prior fiscal year so that you and your finance team can compare performance and financial records over two years. It’s all about benchmarking.
Quantitative data are data represented numerically, including anything that can be counted, measured, or given a numerical value.
To put things differently, companies all need a set of annual financial statements that tell a story of their company’s financial performance at a point in time (Statement of Financial Position) and also over time (Statement of Comprehensive Income) with historic information for comparison purposes.
Annual financial statements thus serve as a valuable way to evaluate the financial health and performance of your business. However, just compiling these statements is not enough to unlock their full potential. To truly maximise the effectiveness of your annual financial statements, it pays to consult a set of financial experts who can help you to make sense of the numbers. After all, without interpretation, they have no story to tell.
Expert analysis goes beyond the surface-level numbers, providing a deeper understanding of the underlying trends, risks, and opportunities hidden within your financial data, ultimately driving informed decision-making and prioritising strategic growth. Further ratio analysis of financial data within industry benchmarks, also delivers valuable insights to the financial report.
Key benefits of leveraging expert analysis for annual financial statements
A better understanding of the numbers: An expert analysis of your financial statements can provide valuable insight that might not be readily apparent. For example, a retail company might analyse its annual financial statements and notice that – while overall revenue has increased – there has been a significant decline in profit margins. Through expert analysis, they might pinpoint where they are overspending, for instance in logistics or production. Armed with this insight, the company can now take targeted action to optimise its cost structure and improve profitability.
Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: Financial statements can allow businesses to pinpoint specific areas of strength and weakness within their operations. For instance, a manufacturing company may find that its gross profit margins are consistently higher for certain product lines compared to others. Analysis will show why this is happening, allowing the company to duplicate the performance elsewhere.
Cost Savings and Efficiency Improvements: Expert analysis can also help businesses identify opportunities for cost savings and efficiency improvements that might otherwise be missed. For example, electricity usage might be high, contributing to operating expenses. By implementing energy-saving initiatives, such as investing in energy-efficient appliances, a business can reduce unnecessary costs and improve profitability in the long run.
How Outsourced CFO can assist:
At Outsourced CFO, we take great pride in assisting various companies in preparing comprehensive financial statements, adhering to full IFRS or IFRS for SMEs, and ensuring they meet the rigorous requirements of leading audit firms. We also provide support on adjustments, audit queries and finalisation of financial statements to enable your team to stay focused on the current financial year’s mission, without being tied down by the previous year’s reporting requirements.
Once your annual financial statements have been compiled and submitted, trust our experienced CFO consultants to provide you with expert analysis of the numbers, arming you with actionable feedback that will positively affect your bottom line.
Are you ready for a deep dive into your annual financial statements, to find out what they are really telling you about your finances? Contact OCFO and let’s dive in. For more information, or to contact our team, please visit www.ocfo.com
