"Financial ratios illustrate relationships between different aspects of a business's operations. They involve the comparison of elements from a balance sheet or income statement, and are crafted with particular points of focus in mind. Financial ratios can provide business owners and managers with a valuable tool to measure their progress against predetermined internal goals, a certain competitor, or the overall industry. In addition, tracking various ratios over time is a powerful way to identify trends as they develop. Ratios are also used by bankers, investors, and business analysts to assess various attributes of a company's financial strength or operating results."
- Encyclopedia of Small Business
Ed. Laurie Collier Hillstrom and Kevin Hillstrom. Vol. 1. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2002. p502-505.
Access Company Dossier
1. From the Nexis/Uni home page, slide to the top of the page.
2. Click on the down arrow by Menu. Select: Company Dossier
4. From the Jump to choices, select the Ratio Analysis link.
In order to see up to three years of ratios:
After selecting Ratio Analysis, scroll down a few screens.
This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Tip: Can't find a ratio?
Hundreds of ratios exist to describe all nuances of a company's activity. Databases usually only feature a couple dozen of the most popular ratios. You may need to manually calculate a ratio if you don't see it in the ratio list provided by a database.
Try the following books:
Business Ratios and Formulas by
A complete appraisal of analytical tools available to managers to assess performance Required reading for anyone starting, running, or growing a business, Business Ratios and Formulas, Third Edition puts answers at the fingertips of business managers, with nearly 250 operational criteria and clear, easy-to-understand explanations that can be used right away. The Third Edition includes twenty new measurements. Approximately 20 new measurements Offers a comprehensive resource of nearly 250 operational criteria An Appendix including a dictionary of accounting and finance terms A thorough list of every ratio and formula, and how to compile and interpret that information Also by Steven M. Bragg: Fast Close: A Guide to Closing the Books Quickly, Second Edition An ideal tool for measuring corporate performance, this authoritative resource allows you to pick and choose the tools you need to best assess your organization's performance.
Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios by
In its 32nd year, this comprehensive and authoritative tool provides comparative financial data and benchmarks, including 50 performance indicators, for 179 Standard Industrial Classifications based on the latest IRS data for more than 3.7 million U.S. corporations, as well as ten-year trends for 13 key indicators for each SIC.