1.14 Financial Statements

Statement of Owner’s Equity (Retained Earnings)

Let’s create the statement of owner’s equity for Cheesy Chuck’s for the month of June. Since Cheesy Chuck’s is a brand-new business, there is no beginning balance of Owner’s Equity. The first items to account for are the increases in value/equity, which are investments by owners and net income. As you look at the accounting information you were provided, you recognize the amount invested by the owner, Chuck, was $12,500. Next, we account for the increase in value as a result of net income, which was determined in the income statement to be $5,800. Next, we determine if there were any activities that decreased the value of the business. More specifically, we are accounting for the value of distributions to the owners and net loss, if any.

It is important to note that an organization will have either net income or net loss for the period, but not both. Also, small businesses in particular may have periods where there are no investments by, or distributions to, the owner(s). For the month of June, Chuck withdrew $1,450 from the business. This is a good time to recall the terminology used by accountants based on the legal structure of the particular business. Since the account was titled “Drawings by Owner” and because Chuck is the only owner, we can assume this is a sole proprietorship. If the business was structured as a corporation, this activity would be called something like “Dividends Paid to Owners.”

At this stage, remember that since we are working with a sole proprietorship to help simplify the examples, we have addressed the owner’s value in the firm as capital or owner’s equity. However, later we switch the structure of the business to a corporation, and instead of owner’s equity, we begin using such account titles as common stock and retained earnings to represent the owner’s interests. The corporate treatment is more complicated, because corporations may have a few owners up to potentially thousands of owners (stockholders). The details of accounting for the interests of corporations are covered in a subsequent chapter.

So how much did the value of Cheesy Chuck’s change during the month of June? You are correct if you answered $16,850. Since this is a brand-new store, the beginning value of the business is zero. During the month, the owner invested $12,500 and the business had profitable operations (net income) of $5,800. Also, during the month the owner withdrew $1,450, resulting in a net change (and ending balance) to owner’s equity of $16,850. Shown in a formula:

Beginning Balance + Investments by Owners ± Net Income (Net Loss) – Distributions, or

\[\$0+\$12,500+\$5,800-\$1,450=\$16,850\]

Figure 1.23 shows what the statement of owner’s equity for Cheesy Chuck’s Classic Corn would look like.

Notice the following about the statement of owner’s equity for Cheesy Chuck’s:

• The format is similar to the format of the income statement (three lines for the heading, three columns).
• The statement follows a chronological order, starting with the first day of the month, accounting for the changes that occurred throughout the month, and ending with the final day of the month.

The statement uses the final number from the financial statement previously completed. In this case, the statement of owner’s equity uses the net income (or net loss) amount from the income statement (Net Income, $5,800).

Balance Sheet

Let’s create a balance sheet for Cheesy Chuck’s for June 30. To begin, we look at the accounting records and determine what assets the business owns and the value of each. Cheesy Chuck’s has two assets: Cash ($6,200) and Equipment ($12,500). Adding the amount of assets gives a total asset value of $18,700. As discussed previously, the equipment that was recently purchased will be depreciated in the future, beginning with the next accounting period.

Next, we determine the amount of money that Cheesy Chuck’s owes (liabilities). There are also two liabilities for Cheesy Chuck’s. The first account listed in the records is Accounts Payable for $650. Accounts Payable is the amount that Cheesy Chuck’s must pay in the future to vendors (also called suppliers) for the ingredients to make the gourmet popcorn. The other liability is Wages Payable for $1,200. This is the amount that Cheesy Chuck’s must pay in the future to employees for work that has been performed. Adding the two amounts gives us total liabilities of $1,850. (Here’s a hint as you develop your understanding of accounting: Liabilities often include the word “payable.” So, when you see “payable” in the account title, know these are amounts owed in the future—liabilities.)

Finally, we determine the amount of equity the owner, Cheesy Chuck, has in the business. The amount of owner’s equity was determined on the statement of owner’s equity in the previous step ($16,850). Can you think of another way to confirm the amount of owner’s equity? Recall that equity is also called net assets (assets minus liabilities). If you take the total assets of Cheesy Chuck’s of $18,700 and subtract the total liabilities of $1,850, you get owner’s equity of $16,850. Using the basic accounting equation, the balance sheet for Cheesy Chuck’s as of June 30 is shown in Figure 1.24.