Compustat Financial Statement Data Articulation: A Simplified Approach

Casey, Gao, Kirschenheiter, Li, and Pandit (2016) present a modified model of financial statement articulation using the Financial Statement Balancing Model (FSBM) from Compustat. We simplify their approach by classifying variables as either (1) line-item accounts (e.g., inventory) or (2) calculable amounts (e.g., total assets). We illustrate how this classification allows Compustat users to efficiently resolve nulls to increase sample size and data quality in empirical analyses. We expand on Casey et al. (2016) by presenting top-level and sublevel models that maintain data integrity and articulation, providing users flexibility based on their needs. Finally, to highlight the versatility of Compustat’s data, we present several ways to present the cash flow statement, roll-forward to estimate cash flow statements when unavailable (prior to 1988), and owners’ equity statement roll-forward. JEL Classifications: C81; M41; M48.