An annual report is a document which a company presents at its Annual General Meeting for approval by its shareholders. The report is made up of reports and of financial statements, including the following: The term company may refer to a seperate legal entity, as in English law, or may simply refer to a business, as is the common use in the United States. ... An Annual General Meeting, commonly abbreviated as AGM, also known as the annual meeting, is a meeting that official bodies and associations involving the public are often required by law (In what country?) to hold. ... A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation), that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ...

• Chairman's report
• CEO's report
• Auditor's report on the financial statements
• Auditor's report on corporate governance

• Balance sheet
• Statement of changes in equity
• Income statement
• Cash flow statement
• Notes to the financial statements

• Mission statement
• Accounting policies
• Corporate governance statement of compliance
• Statement of directors' responsibilities
• Invitation to the company's AGM

Other information deemed relevant to stakeholders may also be included, such as a report on operations for manufacturing firms. In the case of larger companies, it is usually a sleek, colorful, high gloss publication. In relation to a company, a director is an officer of the company charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. ... A Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or Chief Executive, is the highest-ranking corporate officer, administrator, corporate administrator, executive, or executive officer, in charge of total management of a corporation, company, organization or agency. ... The Auditors report is a formal opinion, or disclaimer thereof, issued by either an internal auditor or an independent external auditor as a result of an internal or external audit or evaluation performed on a legal entity (called an “auditee”). The report is subsequently provided to a “user” (such... Audit can refer to: Telecommunication audit Financial audit Performance audit Completion of a course of study for which no assessment is completed or grade awarded; especially audit is awarded to those who have elected not to receive a letter grade for a course in which letter grades typically awarded. ... In formal bookkeeping and accounting, a balance sheet is a statement of the book value of a business or other organization or person at a particular date, at the end of a period such as a fiscal year, as distinct from an income statement, also known as a profit and... Income statements for companies indicate how Net Revenue (money received from the sale of products and services before expenses are taken out, also known as the top line) is transformed into Net Income (the result after all revenues and expenses have been accounted for, also known as the bottom line... People and groups interested in cash flow statements include: Accounting personnel, who need to know whether the organization will be able to cover payroll and other immediate expenses Potential lenders/creditors, who want a clear picture of a companys ability to repay Potential investors who need to judge whether... The Notes to Financial Statements are additional notes and information added to the end of the financial statement to supplement the reader with more information. ... Mission Statement is a description of an entitys purpose to exist. ... Corporate governance is the set of processes, customs, policies, laws and institutions affecting the way a corporation is directed, administered or controlled. ...

The details provided in the report are of use to investors in gaining an understanding of the company's financial position and future direction. The report is usually compiled in compliance with IFRSs and/or the domestic GAAP, as well as domestic legislation (e.g. the SOX in the U.S.). International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) along with International Accounting Standards (IAS) are a set of accounting standards. ... Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is the standard framework of guidelines for financial accounting. ... Before the signing ceremony of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, President George W. Bush meets with Senator Paul Sarbanes, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and other dignitaries in the Blue Room at the White House on July 30, 2002. ...

In the United States, a more-detailed version of the report, called a Form 10-K, is submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A Form 10-K is an annual report required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) each year that is a comprehensive summary of a companys performance. ... The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, commonly referred to as the SEC, is the United States governing body which has primary responsibility for overseeing the regulation of the securities industry. ...

External links

• www.LACP.com Host of one of the largest annual report competitions: more than 1,900 entries in 2006.
• AnnualReports.com Provider of online annual reports to individual and institutional investors (no registration required).
• Annual Report Service Database holding annual reports for a large number of corporations listed in the United States (registration required)
• GetTheReport Database holding annual reports for the Dow-Jones and a number of European stock exchanges (site in German)
• Annual reports of all Dutch listed companies
• Score Find company annual reports in UK business libraries
• Annual reports of Dutch companies, including search engine and XBRL examples
• Annual reports for all US comapnies as well as quarterlies can be found here as well as explanations of rules
• Annual Report Compliance Service