Glossary · Reading the business
In short
This is a formal summary of a business's financial performance and position over a fiscal year, usually including a Profit and Loss Statement and a Balance Sheet. You care because these are critical documents for understanding the business's historical profitability and financial health.
You'll review several years of annual financial statements during due diligence to analyze revenue trends, operating expenses, and asset/liability structure. Always compare these statements to tax returns and bank statements to verify accuracy and identify discrepancies.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
Pressure-test the numbers before you make an offer
Send us the asking price and the seller's cash flow — we'll show whether the deal services SBA debt and where the add-backs are likely to hold up.
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