What do you want from them?
a) Profits
b) Dividends
c) Risk / Stability
d) Growth
Reading Annual Reports are like decoding "MonaLisa". It is not a 5 years old kid book.
There are 8 sections in most annual reports. Not all reports will have all the sections or the same type and amount of information. Here are the sections, what you'll find in each, and questions you should ask yourself:
Chairman of the Board Letter: Should cover changing conditions, previous objectives met or missed and upcoming objectives, and actions taken or not to be taken. Is it well written? Read between the lines; what is being apologized for?
Sales and Marketing: Should cover what the company sells, how, where and when. Is it clear where it's making most of its money presently? Is the scope of lines, divisions and operations clear?
10 Year Summary (or less): Is this included? Have revenues and profits increased each year?
Management Discussion: Is it a clear discussion of significant financial trends over the past few years? How candid and accurate is it?
Financial Statements: Check sales, profits, R&D spending, inventory and debt levels over time. Read the footnotes to ferret out other information. (the balance sheets, the cash flow statements, and the income statements), which are discussed in detail in the Financial Statements section.
Subsidiaries, Brands and Addresses: Where is their headquarters? Is it clear what lines, brand names the company has and what their overseas distribution network is?
List of Directors and Officers: How many directors are insiders and how many are outsiders (a good mix is ideal)? Are the directors well-known and respected? Are there an unusual number of directors (5 to 12 is typical)?
Stock Price History: General trend of price over time. Up or down? On which exchange is the company listed? Do they have a history of paying dividends?
