Make sure to read the chairperson's letter. You are concerned with that as well as the firm's summary statement and financial highlights. You may want to go through the division or products sections. But don't bother with the financial reports, auditor's opinion, or footnotes at this time. The summary statement.
All annual reports start with a short description of the firm, usually less than one-half of a page.
It states the firm's type of business, products or services, goals, and achievements. The financial highlights. It will usually include stock price, total assets, net income, and earnings for the last two years for comparison. Depending on the type of firm, it may include market share, debt ratio, credit rating, budget for research and development, and full-diluted earnings. The chairperson's letter.