| Foreword | |
| About the Author | |
| About EDGAR Online, Inc | |
| Web Added Value | |
| Introduction | 1 |
| Ch. 1 | You're On Your Own: What Every Investor Needs to Know About the "System" | 7 |
| Ch. 2 | What Do Investors Need to Know About Accounting? | 29 |
| Ch. 3 | Filings and Other Vital Company Communications | 43 |
| Ch. 4 | Balance Sheet, Part One: What Does the Company Own? | 73 |
| Ch. 5 | Balance Sheet, Part Two: How Is the Company Financed? | 107 |
| Ch. 6 | Income Statement, Part One: Analyzing the Top Line | 133 |
| Ch. 7 | Income Statement, Part Two: The Bottom Line | 155 |
| Ch. 8 | Cash Flow Statement: The Lifeblood of the Company | 181 |
| Ch. 9 | Ratio Analysis | 197 |
| Ch. 10 | Proxy Statements | 221 |
| Ch. 11 | Insider Buying and Selling | 235 |
| Ch. 12 | IPOs, Spin-Offs, and Tracking Stocks | 247 |
| Ch. 13 | Rating System | 261 |
| App | Financial Statement Resources | 275 |
| Glossary | 283 |
| Index | 289 |