A signed letter from the auditor of a company, included in the annual report, that state whether or not the finan- cial statements fairly present the results of operations and the financial position of the company. An annual audit is required by the Exchange and Securities Commission for firms selling stock to the public. The audit report has consistent words and can state an opinion on the quality of the numbers on the financial state- ments, or it can be indicate that the auditor is unable to give an opinion for some reason