n The SEC launched a Web-based tool called Financial Explorer to help
investors analyze the financial results of public companies. The tool,
which uses XBRL, allows investors to automatically generate financial
ratios, graphs, and charts depicting important information from
financial statements. Users can also compare information including
earnings, expenses, cash flows, assets and liabilities across competing
public companies. The source code for the software is available to the
public for free so that users and software developers can update and
enhance the software. In addition to Financial Explorer, the SEC
currently offers investors two other online viewers—the Executive
Compensation viewer and the Interactive Financial Report viewer. To
access the tools, visit www.sec.gov/spotlight/xbrl/xbrlwebapp.shtml
.
XBRL
