Pro Forma Financial Statements
Pro forma financial statements are a process of formally displaying financial projections for a given period of time and in a consistent layout. The word pro forma is derived from the Latin term which means “as a matter of form”. Most businesses make use of pro forma financial statements in the executive process for planning and control as well as for reportage to owners, investors, and creditors. A pro forma financial statement is utilized as the foundation stone while comparing and analyzing information in order to give a feel to the management, investment analysts, and credit officers about the nature of the business’s fiscal organization under different conditions. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) both ask that standard formats be used when presenting or forming these types of statements.