What is the purpose of a balance sheet?

The purpose of a balance sheet is to provide a snapshot of a company's financial position at a specific point in time, detailing its assets, liabilities, and equity. It serves as a critical tool in financial analysis by reflecting what the company owns (assets), what it owes (liabilities), and the residual interest of the owners (equity) in the business. This snapshot allows stakeholders, including management, investors, and creditors, to assess the company's stability, liquidity, and financial health at that specific moment.

Understanding a company's balance sheet is essential for evaluating performance and making informed decisions about future investments, creditworthiness, and operational strategies. The other options relate to different aspects of financial reporting, such as income statements, which focus on profits over time, projections for future planning, or budgeting for marketing expenditures. However, these do not convey the overarching financial condition of the business like a balance sheet does.