This is a guide to the legitimate techniques which allow companies to manipulate the figures they publish in their annual report. It shows how businesses are able to beef up their balance sheets and pad out their profit and loss accounts, and describes all the dodges dreamed up by the financial minds in London and New York. Essential reading for shareholders and financial directors alike.

Business scandals are always with us from the South Sea Bubble to Enron and Parmalat. As accounting forms a central element of any business success or failure, the role of accounting is crucial in understanding business scandals. This book aims to explore the role of accounting, particularly creative accounting and fraud, in business scandals. The book is divided into three parts. In Part A the background and context of creative accounting and fraud is explored. Part B looks at a series of international accounting scandals and Part C draws some themes and implications from the country studies.

"In this book Ignacio de la Torre explains the reasons why some companies choose to influence their figures and how they do so, often by bending the rules rather than breaking them - anticipating or increasing income, reducing or delaying the recognition of expenses and shifting away debts or losses. He also shows us how to spot such tricks and correctly interpret financial reports." "Written in a clear and enjoyable style, the wealth of international case studies from companies such as Repsol, L'Oreal, Vivendi, Universal and Vodafone and public bodies such as the Greek government and the European Union, and the subsequent detail of analysis, make this book appealing reading for all professionals of the accounting world as well as those who simply want to know the truth behind the headlines."--BOOK JACKET.

Successful methodology for identifying earnings-related reporting indiscretions Creative Cash Flow Reporting and Analysis capitalizes on current concerns with misleading financial reporting on misleading financial reporting. It identifies the common steps used to yield misleading cash flow amounts, demonstrates how to adjust the cash flow statement for more effective analysis, and how to use adjusted operating cash flow to uncover earnings that have been misreported using aggressive or fraudulent accounting practices. Charles W. Mulford, PhD, CPA (Atlanta, GA), is the coauthor of three books, including the bestselling The Financial Numbers Game: Identifying Creative Accounting Practices. Eugene E. Comiskey, PhD, CPA, CMA (Atlanta, GA), is the coauthor of the bestselling The Financial Numbers Game: Identifying Creative Accounting Practices.

Undertakes a comprehensive examination of the issue of creative accounting. This text reports on, analyzes and evaluates professional announcements and standards in the UK and USA, relating to different issues of accounting. It also gives examples from published accounts in the UK and Europe.

Praise for The Financial Numbers Game "So much for the notion 'those who can, do-those who can't, teach.' Mulford and Comiskey function successfully both as college professors and real-world financial mercenaries. These guys know their balance sheets. The Financial Numbers Game should serve as a survival manual for both serious individual investors and industry pros who study and act upon the interpretation of financial statements. This unique blend of battle-earned scholarship and quality writing is a must-read/must-have reference for serious financial statement analysis." --Bob Acker, Editor/Publisher, The Acker Letter "Wall Street's unforgiving attention to quarterly earnings presents ever increasing pressure on CFOs to manage earnings and expectations. The Financial Numbers Game provides a clear explanation of the ways in which management can stretch, bend, and break accounting rules to reach the desired bottom line. This arms the serious investor or financial analyst with the healthy skepticism required to drive beyond reported results to a clear understanding of a firm's true performance." --Mark Hurley, Managing Director, Training and Development, Global Corporate and Investment Banking, Bank of America "After reading The Financial Numbers Game, I feel as though I've taken a master's level course in financial statement analysis. Mulford and Comiskey's latest book should be required reading for anyone who is serious about fundamentally analyzing stocks." --Harry Domash, San Francisco Chronicle investing columnist and investment newsletter publisher