The income statement measures performance over some period of time, usually a quarter or a year. The income statement equation is:

   Revenues - Expenses = Income                                                                                                                    [2.2]

The first thing reported on an income statement would usually be revenue and expenses from the firm's principal operations. Subsequent parts include, among other things, financing expenses such as interest paid. Taxes paid are reported separately. The last item is net income (the so-called bottom line). Net income is often expressed on a per-share basis and called earnings per share (EPS).

If you think of the balance sheet as a snapshot, then you can think of the income statement as a video recording covering the period between a before and an after picture. Table 2.2 gives a simplified income statement for U.S. Corporation.

                                                                                                                           Table 2.2