Irish companies file financial statements with the CRO as part of their annual return. These statements show the company's assets, liabilities, revenue (if full accounts), and profit or loss. Here is how to find, read, and interpret them. Use our Irish company financial statements search pageto find the correct company first.
Where to Find Financial Statements
Financial statements are attached to the B1 annual return filed with the CRO. You can access them:
- Businesses.ie: Search for a company on Businesses.ie to see financial data including revenue, profit/loss, total assets, and total liabilities where available
- CORE (core.cro.ie): Download the full PDF filing for €3.50 per document
Full Accounts vs. Abridged Accounts
The level of detail you can see depends on what the company filed:
| Item | Full Accounts | Abridged Accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Balance sheet | Yes | Yes |
| Profit & loss account | Yes | No |
| Revenue/turnover | Yes | No |
| Cash flow statement | Yes | No |
| Directors' report | Full | Summary only |
Most small Irish companies file abridged accounts, which means you can see assets and liabilities but not revenue or profit. Learn more about abridged accounts and who can file them.
Key Figures to Look At
Balance Sheet
- Total assets: Everything the company owns — cash, property, equipment, receivables
- Total liabilities: Everything the company owes — loans, creditors, tax liabilities
- Net assets (equity): Assets minus liabilities. A negative figure means the company owes more than it owns — a serious warning sign
- Cash and cash equivalents: How much liquid cash the company holds
Profit & Loss (Full Accounts Only)
- Revenue/turnover: Total sales income before costs
- Cost of sales: Direct costs of delivering goods or services
- Gross profit: Revenue minus cost of sales
- Operating profit: Gross profit minus overheads (rent, wages, etc.)
- Profit/loss after tax: The bottom line — what the company actually earned or lost
For deeper interpretation, read our guides to turnover, revenue and profit, shareholders' funds and equity, and employee numbers in filed accounts.
Red Flags in Financial Statements
- Negative net assets: The company may be technically insolvent
- Declining revenue year-on-year: Could indicate loss of customers or market share
- Large director loans: Money owed by directors to the company (or vice versa) — common in small companies but can be problematic
- Creditors exceeding debtors significantly: The company may struggle to pay its bills
- No auditor: Companies claiming audit exemption have less external scrutiny
- Late filing: Late accounts suggest poor management or an attempt to delay disclosure
How to Compare Companies
Use Businesses.ie to search for competitors in the same industry or county. Compare total assets, liabilities, and (where available) revenue figures across companies to assess relative size and financial health. The browse by county feature helps find companies in the same region.
Summary
Financial statements are filed with the B1 annual return. Full accounts show revenue and profit; abridged accounts show only the balance sheet. Key figures to check: total assets, total liabilities, net assets, and (if available) revenue trends. Negative net assets and late filing are significant red flags. Search on Businesses.ie to access financial data, or order an Irish company report to bring available financial, officer and filing information together in one PDF. Before offering payment terms, use the financial-health and credit checklist to turn those figures into proportionate controls.