What is Smart Beta? Smart beta refers to investment in portfolios, being a combination of both passive and active investing. The smart beta approach is an arguably perfect intersection between traditional value investing and the efficient market hypothesis. A smart beta portfolio is efficient because it tracks with an underlying index and is optimized using…
What is a Credit Research Analyst? A credit research analyst is responsible for researching an individual’s (or company’s) credit history and financial information to help determine how creditworthy they are. The analyst must look deeply into the personal and financial background of every credit applicant to help the lender determine if the applicant is worth…
What is a Bank Teller? Most understand what a bank teller is and the job that the person does. A bank teller handles the day-to-day financial transactions for customers. They may include money transfers, money orders, deposits and withdrawals, and checking transactions. A bank teller must demonstrate a well-rounded understanding of the bank he or…
What is the Balance Sheet? The balance sheet is one of the three fundamental financial statements and is key to both financial modeling and accounting. The balance sheet displays the company’s total assets and how the assets are financed, either through either debt or equity. It can also be referred to as a statement of net…
What are Retained Earnings? Retained Earnings (RE) are the accumulated portion of a business’s profits that are not distributed as dividends to shareholders but instead are reserved for reinvestment back into the business. Normally, these funds are used for working capital and fixed asset purchases (capital expenditures) or allotted for paying off debt obligations. Retained…
What is the Income Statement? The Income Statement is one of a company’s core financial statements that shows their profit and loss over a period of time. The profit or loss is determined by taking all revenues and subtracting all expenses from both operating and non-operating activities. The income statement is one of three statements used…
What is the Profit and Loss Statement (P&L)? A profit and loss statement (P&L), or income statement or statement of operations, is a financial report that provides a summary of a company’s revenues, expenses, and profits/losses over a given period of time. The P&L statement shows a company’s ability to generate sales, manage expenses, and create…
What is the Statement of Cash Flows? The statement of cash flows (also referred to as the cash flow statement) is one of the three key financial statements. The cash flow statement reports the cash generated and spent during a specific period of time (e.g., a month, quarter, or year). The statement of cash flows…
What is Gross Annual Income? Annual income is the total value of income earned during a fiscal year. Gross annual income refers to all earnings before any deductions are made, and net annual income refers to the amount that remains after all deductions are made. The concept applies to both individuals and businesses in preparing…
