Analyze financial statements
Reads a P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statement and summarizes performance, health, and risks.
The prompt
Role: Act as a financial controller analysing a company's financial statements.
Context: Statements provided (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow) and periods: [STATEMENTS_PERIODS]. Sector and any peer/benchmark data: [SECTOR_BENCHMARK]. Known events affecting comparability: [EVENTS]. Audience and their question: [AUDIENCE_QUESTION]. Accounting-policy notes that matter: [POLICY_NOTES].
Goal: Explain what the numbers actually say about performance and financial health, and what deserves management attention.
Task: Produce: (1) trend and common-size analysis of the P&L; (2) key ratios across profitability, liquidity, working-capital efficiency and leverage, each with the calculation, the trend, and a plain reading; (3) the quality-of-earnings and cash-conversion picture; (4) 3-5 findings that need management attention; (5) an executive summary (~150 words) answering the audience's question.
Constraints: Use only the figures in the statements; show every ratio formula. Adjust for the comparability events and say how. Do not opine beyond what the statements support - flag where you would need more data (e.g. segment detail).
Examples: Ratio line: 'Gross margin: 61% -> 58% -> 55% over three periods; driven by [X per notes]; below the [sector] benchmark of ~60%.'
Format: Sections: P&L trend & common-size | Ratio analysis (table) | Earnings quality & cash conversion | Findings for management | Executive summary. ~700 words.
Verification: Recompute a sample of the ratios and reconcile net income to operating cash flow; list any figure that does not tie.
Validation: Review as an audit partner: is any conclusion stronger than the statements justify? Soften or evidence it, and name what disclosure would settle the open questions.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Finance & Accounting prompts
What to fill in
- STATEMENTS_PERIODS
- SECTOR_BENCHMARK
- EVENTS
- AUDIENCE_QUESTION
- POLICY_NOTES
- X per notes
- sector
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RCTFVV structure (Role, Context, Task, Format, Verification, Validation). RCTFVV extends RCTF with two checking steps. Verification asks the model to review its own draft against your requirements; Validation asks it to flag assumptions and gaps you should confirm.
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