Book excerpt: Up-to-date information on using financial statement analysis to successfully assess company performance, from the seasoned experts at the CFA Institute Designed to help investment professionals and students effectively evaluate financial statements in today's international and volatile markets, amid an uncertain global economic climate, International Financial Statement Analysis, Second Edition compiles unparalleled wisdom from the CFA in one comprehensive volume. Written by a distinguished team of authors and experienced contributors, the book provides complete coverage of the key financial field of statement analysis. Fully updated with new standards and methods for a post crisis world, this Second Edition covers the mechanics of the accounting process; the foundation for financial reporting; the differences and similarities in income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements around the world; examines the implications for securities valuation of any financial statement element or transaction, and shows how different financial statement analysis techniques can provide valuable clues into a company's operations and risk characteristics. Financial statement analysis allows for realistic valuations of investment, lending, or merger and acquisition opportunities Essential reading for financial analysts, investment analysts, portfolio managers, asset allocators, graduate students, and others interested in this important field of finance Includes key coverage of income tax accounting and reporting, the difficulty of measuring the value of employee compensation, and the impact of foreign exchange rates on the financial statements of multinational corporations Financial statement analysis gives investment professionals important insights into the true financial condition of a company, and International Financial Statement Analysis, Second Edition puts the full knowledge of the CFA at your fingertips.