Obtain the annual reports of five well known companies. You can vist the web site for this bookor the SEC EDGAR database which includes the financial reports of well know companies.
1.) after selecting five companies, examine their income statements to search for the following items:
a. income from continuing operations
b. discontinued operations
c. extraordinary gaines and loses
d. cumulative effects of accounting changes
e. net income or net loss
f. earnings per share data
2.) study the companies balance sheet to see:
a. What classes of stock each company has issued.
b. which item carries a larger balance- the common stock account, or paid-in capital in excess of par
c. What percentage of each companys total stockholders equity is made up of retained earnings.
d. whether the company has treasury stock, if so how many shares and how much is the cost?
3.) Examine each companys statement of stockholders equity for evidence of :
a. cash dividends
b. stock dividends
c. Treasury stock purchases and sales