How do you analyze a company's income statement?

@josie_rohan 

To analyze a company's income statement, you can follow these steps:

1. Check the revenue or sales: Review the total revenue generated by the company during the specified period. Assess if it has increased or decreased compared to previous periods and consider any trends.
2. Examine the cost of goods sold (COGS): Analyze the COGS to understand how efficiently the company is utilizing its resources to produce goods or services. Assess if there are any changes or fluctuations in the COGS as a percentage of revenue.
3. Calculate the gross profit margin: Divide the gross profit (revenue minus COGS) by revenue to determine the gross profit margin. Review if the margin is consistent or changing and compare it to industry benchmarks to assess competitiveness.
4. Analyze operating expenses: Evaluate the company's operating expenses such as marketing, payroll, rent, utilities, etc. Assess if there are any significant changes in these expenses compared to previous periods and determine if they are well-controlled or increasing excessively.
5. Assess operating profit: Calculate operating profit by deducting operating expenses from gross profit. This will help evaluate the company's ability to generate profits from its core operations.
6. Evaluate non-operating income and expenses: Review non-operating items such as interest income, interest expense, gains/losses on investments, etc. Consider their impact on the company's overall profitability.
7. Review net profit or net income: Analyze the final net income or net profit after accounting for all expenses, taxes, and exceptional items. Determine if it has increased or decreased compared to previous periods and assess the overall profitability of the company.
8. Compare income statement with previous periods: Compare the current income statement with previous periods to identify trends, patterns, and changes. Look for any significant differences that could indicate positive or negative developments.
9. Compare income statement with industry peers: Benchmark the company's income statement against its industry peers to evaluate its performance relative to competitors. This provides insights into the company's competitive position and helps identify areas for improvement.
10. Consider non-financial factors: While analyzing the income statement, it is important to consider non-financial factors such as the company's market position, competitive advantages, corporate strategies, and industry outlook to gain a holistic understanding of its performance.

By systematically analyzing the income statement, you can evaluate a company's financial health, profitability, efficiency, and trends, helping you make informed investment or business decisions.