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5. The importance of the above two statements

The information contained in these two financial statements becomes more important when it is compared with corresponding information for previous years, for competitors, and for the industry in which the firm operates. A number of financial ratios can also be computed from this information. These ratios provide a picture of the firm’s profitability, its short-term financial position, its activity in the area of accounts receivables and inventory, and its long-term debt financing. Like the information on the firm’s financial statements, the ratios can and should be compared with those of past accounting periods, those of competitors, and those representing the average of industry as a whole.