Welcome to  the StockCentral Ratio Analyzer workshop!

Before we dive in, I'd like to invite you to take a look at the Ratio Analyzer.  After 4 pm EST, drop back by here and take a look again at the Ratio Analyzer.  Do you notice anything new?

Also, before we really get started, a little history lesson is appropriate.  The Ratio Analyzer is an online tool that has been inspired (perhaps even borrowed!) from work by Bob Adams.  Bob has created some Excel spreadsheets that also provide analysis of a company's financial strengths and weaknesses.  For those interested, Bob's spreadsheets can be downloaded from his website, also known as Bobsite.

The StockCentral Ratio Analyzer is a web version of Bob's Excel spreadsheet that is also integrated with StockCentral's data service.  So, all that you have to do is visit the Ratio Analyzer page, type in the ticker symbol of a company, hit the "Enter" key and view the results.  You can also print the results if you'd like to keep them!

This would be a good time to take a look at the Ratio Analyzer.  Note that you'll see the results for Microsoft by default.  Feel free to type in the ticker symbol for your favorite company.

If you'd like to print the report, just click the "Print this page" link in the left column.  If this is the first time you are printing a Ratio Analyzer page, I'd recommend that you first use your browser's Print Preview function to adjust the "zoom" to make sure that the report fits the page defined by your printer.

Other things to notice in the left column are the Online Help and the printable User Guide.

So ... enjoy playing with the Ratio Analyzer.  If you have questions, this is a great time to ask them.  The next best time to ask questions is ... any time!

I'll be back this evening with our first discussion about interpreting the Ratio Analyzer results.  I've also got a little surprise for you, so take a good look at the Ratio Analyzer now, so that you can figure out the surprise later!

> Do you notice anything new?

Wow, Joe! There is a drop-down for quarter-ending that wasn't there before ... at least that's what I think it is.

Bakul

The user guide will also be a great reference point to all. With 102 pages there is  a lot to get started on.

>The user guide will also be a great reference point to all.

We hope so, and welcome feedback for improvements.

>With 102 pages there is  a lot to get started on.

Only the first 20 or so are directly applicable to the RA, the rest is the Financial Terms glossary.  I wonder if we should remove some of the terms not directly applicable to financial statements?  Alternatively we could provide a link to the full StockCentral glossary, available in the Learning Library.  Thoughts on that?  Thanks!

dave

How about on definitions like Acid Ratio, put the definition with that word and Quick Ratio for cross reference. You could note "see Quick Ratio" also but it would be nice not to have to navigate to other terms that mean the same thing.

Joe/Dave,

> You can then look at the trends from FY to FY or from quarter to quarter ...

It would be nice to view the trends on a trailing 4-quarter basis as well ... numbers and trending graphs.

Bakul

Joe and team...

I tend to look for instruction when 'the fit moves me', and the topic is appropo to my investing-education journey (trust me - very rarely linearly).  Tripped over this board/thread/attachments and AM BLOWN AWAY!!

You are all sooooo amazing and sooooooo generous of time and knowledge/skills....

Mille Grazie!!

faith

Welcome, Faith!

Please don't be a stranger in these parts.   And, here's hoping the tremors don't keep you awake at night!

   And, here's hoping the tremors don't keep you awake at night!

You are talking about earthquakes? Right?

Danny ... Danny ... Danny ...