Glossary
Balance Sheet
A balance sheet is a snapshot of a business at one moment in time. It lists what the company owns (assets), what it owes (liabilities) and the owners' remaining stake (equity). The three always tie together, because every asset is funded either by debt or by equity. Canadian incorporated businesses produce one at each year-end as part of a complete set of financial statements. Lenders and investors read it to judge solvency, leverage and how much short-term cushion the business is carrying.
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