Guide to Financial Reporting and Analysis

Rating:
Summary: Financial statements come to life with Comiskey and Mulford!
Review: Have you ever wondered why the accountants' eyes glow when they see a financial statement? They're not wierd (after all), they're just wired differently. This book will change the way you feel about financial statements. I no longer am scared of deferred income taxes, LIFO reserves, restructuring charges, footnotes, and all those irritating financial details which I routinely ignored and hoped did not matter. I'm re-wired for my own good.

Rating:
Summary: Very similar to Financial Warnings, more indepth
Review: This book is very similar to the previous book (Financial Warnings) by both authors. It is more indepth than its previous predesessor. I find the Financial Warnings to be better because it has more examples. (May be since I know the content of the previous book, this is like redundant.) Anyway, I would recommend you to buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Required reading for the serious financial analyst
Review: This book provides the most clear and thorough guide to understanding financial statements I have seen. This is not for the faint of heart; understanding financial reporting at this level requires persistence and a willingness to work through some complex issues. However, at the end of the day Comiskey and Mulford leave diligent readers with the analytical tools to see beyond accounting conventions and grasp the underlying economic reality of a firm's performance.

The value of the book is best illustrated in the numerous examples the authors provide using financial statements and footnotes from public companies. Along the way they deal with some timely issues and Comiskey and Mulford should be applauded for keeping their work relevant by staying current on continuously evolving areas such as accounting for derivatives and issues surrounding technology companies.