A profit and loss (P&L) statement is a financial statement that summarises the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred by a company for a specified period, usually a quarter or fiscal year. An organisation’s ability to generate profit by increasing revenue, reducing costs or both can be gleaned from these records. They are usually presented on a cash basis or accrual basis.
P&L statements are one of three financial statements every public company issues quarterly and annually, and balance sheets and cash flow statements. A business plan’s profit and loss statement is often the most popular one since it shows the amount of profit or loss generated by the company.
As the cash flow statement, the P&L or income statement shows changes in accounts over a period of some time. The balance sheet highlights what the company owns and owes at a specific point in time. A company can record revenues and expenses before cash changes hands.
See also: All about WDV
Importance of the Profit and Loss Statements
It is important to complete P&L statements because many businesses are required to by law or their association membership. A company’s P&L statement can also help the management team (including its board of directors) understand the business’s net income, which can be helpful for making decisions.
Should all companies be required to prepare P&L Statements?
It is a new requirement for all companies to include cash flow in addition to the balance sheet and profit & loss. As per AS 3 of Accounting standards issued by the ICAI, previously only listed companies under clause no. 32 listing agreements had to prepare cash flow statements.
Sole Traders & Partnership Firms: Format for Profit & Loss Account
For sole traders and partnership firms, there is no specific format for a Profit & Loss Account. This can be prepared in any format. However, separate the gross profits and net profits. These entities usually consider a ‘T shaped form’ for preparing a P&L account. T-shaped P&L accounts include two sides – debits and credits. Before preparing the Profit & Loss Statement, the trading account must be prepared.
What is the proforma for a Trading and Profit & Loss Account?
| Particulars | Amount | Particulars | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| To Opening Stock | xyz | By Sales | xyz |
| To Purchases | xyz | By Closing Stock | xyz |
| To Direct Expenses | xyz | ||
| To Gross Profit C/F | xyz | ||
| xyz | xyz | ||
| To Operating Expenses | xyz | By Gross Profit B/F | xyz |
| To Operating Profit | xyz | ||
| xyz | xyz | ||
| To Non-operating expenses | xyz | By Operating Profit | xyz |
| To Exceptional Items | xyz | By Other Income | xyz |
| To Finance Cost | xyz | ||
| To Depreciation | xyz | ||
| To Net Profit Before Tax | xyz | ||
| xyz | xyz |
Format of Profit & Loss Account for Companies
By Schedule III of the Companies Act, 2013, companies must prepare a profit and loss statement.
The format described in Schedule III – Statement Of Profit & Loss can be found below
Name of the Company_________
Statement of Profit and Loss for the financial year ended_________
| Particulars | Note No. | Amount for the current reporting period (in Rs) | Amount for the previous reporting period (in Rs) |
| Income | |||
| a) Income from Operations | xyz | xyz | |
| b) Other Income | xyz | xyz | |
| Total Income | xyz | xyz | |
| Expenses | xyz | xyz | |
| a) Cost of materials consumed | xyz | xyz | |
| b) Purchases of Stock-in-Trade | xyz | xyz | |
| c) Changes in inventories of finished goods, Stock-in -Trade and work-in-progress | xyz | xyz | |
| d) Employee benefits expense | xyz | xyz | |
| e) Finance costs | xyz | xyz | |
| f) Depreciation and amortisation expenses | xyz | xyz | |
| g) Other expenses | xyz | xyz | |
| Total Expenses | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit/(loss) before exceptional items and tax | xyz | xyz | |
| Exceptional Items | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit/ (loss) before tax | xyz | xyz | |
| Taxes: | xyz | xyz | |
| Current tax | xyz | xyz | |
| Deferred tax | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit (Loss) for the period from continuing operations | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit/(loss) from discontinued operations | xyz | xyz | |
| Tax expenses of discontinued operations | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit/(loss) from Discontinued operations (after tax) | xyz | xyz | |
| Profit/(loss) for the period | xyz | xyz |
Can an e-form of profit and loss accounts be sent to the registrar?
A company must submit e-Form 23ACA to the Registrar in order to file a Profit & Loss Account. The form must be accompanied by a copy of the audited Profit & Loss Statement.
To submit the e-form, a CA or CMA or CS who practices full-time must digitally sign it, certifying that the information entered in 23ACA is accurate, and attaching the audited Profit & Loss Account.
