Annual Reports of the World's Biggest Companies
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Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions. If you've got any other questions that are not in this list, please feel free to contact us, we will always be happy to answer you.

What is an Annual Report?

The annual report is a publication that is distributed by publicly trade companies to their shareholders. Most annual reports are very similar in the different types of information contained. Some of the common sections are: Letter from the chairman (or CEO) to the shareholders; Financial Highlights; Balance Sheets; Profit and Loss Statements; New Business; Year in Review; Projections; Outstanding Shares of Stock and Complete list of Board Members.

Because this information is audited and required by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), Annual Reports are an excellent way to familiarize your self with a company before you invest.

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What are the advantages of online Annual Reports?

• Save time and money: you get up to 1000 annual reports at your fingertips.You don't wait to receive reports in the mail and you don't have to pay anything to get the right information.
• Easy to Use: You just have to complete the search form and you will get the annual report you want in a few seconds!- all reports are in HTML or PDF forms, so that you can choose- there are no access fees or per page costs.

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How do I search for the Annual Report I want?

AReport.com offers you 2 types of search:

• Normal search: you just have to enter the Company Name or the Company Ticker. If you are not sure about the name or the ticker, you can also get the alphabetical list of the companies.
• Advanced search: You have the choice to search:
  • by Industry Type: The different types of industry, and 4 specific categories for the E-50 companies (at the bottom of the list).
  • by Geographic Region: Geographic regions from where companies are listed in AReport.com.
  • by Country: Countries from where companies are listed in AReport.com. Do not combine with Geographic Region for these are 2 alternatives search criteriums.
  • by Rank: Select a range of rank or only a minimum or a maximum to compare companies.
  • by Stock Market: Stock markets where companies are exchanged.
  • by Order: A criterium to order the answers to your request.
  • by Revenues: Select a range of revenues or only a minimum or a maximum to compare companies.
  • by Index: World 500:
  • the 500 first companies of the world by revenues.
  • USA 1000: the 1000 first companies of the USA by revenues.
  • E-50: 50 representative US companies of the new economy.

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How should I read an Annual Report?

As an Investor, your purpose to read an annual report may be to assess: profitability, survivability, growth, stability, dividends (if any), learn of problems, risks and other factors which may affect your investment in that company. Reviewing a company yearly is the minimum diligence required.

An annual report should not be read like a normal book:

• There is no single authorship.
• No plot.
• No requirement to read cover to cover.
• No beginning, no end.

There are nine identifiable sections in most Annual Reports. Not all reports will have all the sections or the same type and level of information. Here are the sections and what to look for in each:

• Chairman of the Board Letter covers changing conditions, goals to achieve or achieved or missed, actions taken or not to be taken.
• Sales and Marketing covers what the company sells, how, where and when.
• Management Discussion and Analysis.
• CPA Opinion Letter written by the CPA firm as an opinion on the company's financials. The important thing to look for here is what the qualifications are.
• Financial Statements check sales, profits, R&D spending, inventory and debt levels over time. Read the footnotes to ferret out other information.
• Subsidiaries, Brands and Addresses.
• Stock Price History General trend of price over time.

Be careful, not all Annual Reports are what they appear.

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What is an e-company and how did AReport.com compile the list of 50?

An e-company is a new technology company (net software and service, net hardware, net communications ).

The 50 e-companies list is the list of the 50 most representative e-companies. The first 17 ones are the "real" e-companies such as Amazon.com, which will be replaced quickly by other more famous ones and so on...

The other 33 companies are not the so-called "real" e-companies but they are in the other sectors of the new technologies.

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What other services does AReport.com offer?

AReport.com offers 3 types of services:

• Services for companies: if you want to add a report or to publish your report.
• AReport.com can provide you compilations of Annual Reports, just click here for further details.
• AReport.com can provide your members or your company direct acces to hundred's of annual reports, click here for further details.

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Who do I contact if I have more questions?

Contact us, we will be glad to answer you.

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