Fundamentals Articles
Cash Is King and Free Cash Flow Wears the Crown
March 2026 by Brian Haughey
Free cash flow is not just an accounting exercise but is central to valuation.
March 2026 by Brian Haughey
Free cash flow is not just an accounting exercise but is central to valuation.
How the Components of A+ Grades Help You Analyze Stocks
March 2026 by Charles Rotblut
Combining the criteria behind multiple grades provides more robust analysis than relying on a single factor.
March 2026 by Charles Rotblut
Combining the criteria behind multiple grades provides more robust analysis than relying on a single factor.
Stock Yields: Turning Numbers Into a Strategy
September 2025 by Cynthia McLaughlin
While stock yields are often associated with dividends, they can take multiple forms, such as earnings yield or shareholder yield.
September 2025 by Cynthia McLaughlin
While stock yields are often associated with dividends, they can take multiple forms, such as earnings yield or shareholder yield.
16 Red Flags to Watch for in a Company’s Financial Statements
May 2025 by Charles Rotblut
Use our handy financial health checklist to spot potential problems in a stock before they cause you to incur a large loss.
May 2025 by Charles Rotblut
Use our handy financial health checklist to spot potential problems in a stock before they cause you to incur a large loss.
Money in, Money out: What the Cash Flow Statement Reveals
September 2024 by Charles Rotblut
How the cash flow statement tells you whether a company is realizing cash (copacetic) or burning through it (unsustainable).
September 2024 by Charles Rotblut
How the cash flow statement tells you whether a company is realizing cash (copacetic) or burning through it (unsustainable).
Balance Sheet Basics: Demystifying What a Company Owns & Owes
July 2024 by Jack Gilleland
Studying assets, liabilities and equity can give individual investors an advantage in judging whether a company might be a strong or weak portfolio addition.
July 2024 by Jack Gilleland
Studying assets, liabilities and equity can give individual investors an advantage in judging whether a company might be a strong or weak portfolio addition.
Getting to the Bottom Line: How to Read the Income Statement
May 2024 by Jack Gilleland
While it reports on profitability over a period of time, a firm’s income statement also offers valuable insights on internal operations.
May 2024 by Jack Gilleland
While it reports on profitability over a period of time, a firm’s income statement also offers valuable insights on internal operations.
Beyond the Numbers: Getting Started With Financial Statements
March 2024 by Jack Gilleland
Setting the stage for our new AAII Journal series by introducing basic concepts for mastering company analysis.
March 2024 by Jack Gilleland
Setting the stage for our new AAII Journal series by introducing basic concepts for mastering company analysis.
Valuing a Stock Using Dividends
November 2023 by Brian Haughey
The dividend discount model offers an intuitive method to calculate the intrinsic value of a dividend-paying stock.
November 2023 by Brian Haughey
The dividend discount model offers an intuitive method to calculate the intrinsic value of a dividend-paying stock.
Identifying Profitable Companies by High Levels of ROE
June 2023 by Matt Markowski
Screening for return on equity is a powerful tool for discovering companies that are profitable, efficient and use their balance sheet effectively.
June 2023 by Matt Markowski
Screening for return on equity is a powerful tool for discovering companies that are profitable, efficient and use their balance sheet effectively.
Ratios for Determining a Company’s Strengths and Weaknesses
June 2023 by Cynthia McLaughlin
Financial ratios can elevate investor knowledge and create a more detailed picture about a company’s stability, competitive position and profitability.
June 2023 by Cynthia McLaughlin
Financial ratios can elevate investor knowledge and create a more detailed picture about a company’s stability, competitive position and profitability.
Incorporating the Price-Earnings Ratio Into Your Screening and Analysis
September 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
The price-earnings ratio is widely used as a valuation metric because of its simplicity. It embodies the market’s expectation of future company performance and relates it to actual, recent company performance.
September 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
The price-earnings ratio is widely used as a valuation metric because of its simplicity. It embodies the market’s expectation of future company performance and relates it to actual, recent company performance.
Online Exclusive: What Is EBITDA? Calculation and Examples
April 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
EBITDA can be used to analyze and compare profitability among companies and industries, as it eliminates the effects of financing and accounting decisions.
April 2021 by Matthew Bajkowski
EBITDA can be used to analyze and compare profitability among companies and industries, as it eliminates the effects of financing and accounting decisions.
How to Calculate Your Portfolio's Return
August 2008 by Jenna Brashear
Discover two methods you can use to calculate your portfolio’s return, which is the gain or loss realized over a period of time.
August 2008 by Jenna Brashear
Discover two methods you can use to calculate your portfolio’s return, which is the gain or loss realized over a period of time.
The Top 10 Economic Indicators: What to Watch and Why
August 2003 by Jenna Brashear
Learn about the U.S.’ top 10 economic indicators and why analyzing them can help highlight the nation’s financial health.
August 2003 by Jenna Brashear
Learn about the U.S.’ top 10 economic indicators and why analyzing them can help highlight the nation’s financial health.
EBT, EBIT, EBITDA: Will the Real Earnings Figure Please Stand Up?
August 2002 by John Bajkowski
All of the various earnings measures have their value, especially when applied consistently across a given industry. But they must still be examined in the context of all three corporate financial statements.
August 2002 by John Bajkowski
All of the various earnings measures have their value, especially when applied consistently across a given industry. But they must still be examined in the context of all three corporate financial statements.