
Some of the more common elements include: Introductions to research dissertations and theses tend to be relatively short compared to the other sections of the text but quite complex in terms of their functional elements. In very short assignments, it is not uncommon for a writer to commence simply by stating the purpose of their writing. Slightly less complex introductions may simply inform the reader: what the topic is, why it is important, and how the writing is organised. provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing.state the purpose of the essay or short paper.define the topic and/or key terms used in the paper.present an issue, problem, or controversy in the field of study.


Most academic writers, however, appear to do one or more of the following in their introductions: The balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement are three of the most significant financial statements used in performance analysis.įinancial performance analysis can focus on different areas.There are many ways to introduce an academic essay or short paper. The aim is to understand the company's business model, the profitability (or loss) of its operations, and how it's spending, investing, and generally using its money-summarizing the company by the numbers, so to speak.Ī financial performance analysis examines the company at a specific period in time-usually, the most recent fiscal quarter or year. Return on equity: net income divided by shareholder equity (a company’s assets minus its debts)įinancial analysis refers to the process of studying and assessing a company’s financial statements-a collection of data and figures organized according to recognized accounting principles.Inventory turnover: how much inventory is sold within a certain period, and how often the entire inventory was sold.Quick ratio: another solvency measure, that calculates the percentage of very liquid current assets (cash, securities, accounts receivables) against total liabilities.Debt-to-equity ratio: a company’s total liabilities divided by its shareholder equity.


They act as tools for both corporate insiders (like management and board members) and outsiders (like research analysts and investors) to analyze how well the company is doing-especially regarding competitors-and identify where strengths and weaknesses lie. Financial performance indicators, also known as key performance indicators (KPIs), are quantifiable measurements used to determine, track, and project the economic well-being of a business.
