Understanding Horizontal Analysis

Understanding Horizontal Analysis, What is Horizontal Analysis

3 min read

Understanding Horizontal Analysis, What is Horizontal AnalysisHorizontal Analysis provides businesses a method to examine financial statement entries by looking at the documents’ number for a specific accounting time frame compared to the same length of a historical period for the same accounting line item.

Breaking the Process Down

It’s a way to measure trends and variances by looking at the current year’s values versus the reference year. This helps an analyst figure out if the values increase or decrease. It’s either done on an absolute value or a percentage change basis. The analysis provides a company’s growth and financial position against competitors.

This method is different compared to vertical analysis because vertical analysis looks at a single reporting period and measures the proportional relationship between items, compared to horizontal analysis evaluating multiple periods and multiple ratios for a more comprehensive approach.

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) require uniform and standardized financial statements for adequate financial statement analysis. This entails consistent accounting practices and fundamental principles being employed annually. Comparability constraints mandates that the business’ financial statements are in a form that permits analysts to evaluate them against other competitors in the same field. This is where horizontal analysis comes into play, creating consistency.  

This analysis determines what impacts a company’s growth over time. For cyclical or seasonal companies, it lets analysts get a handle on what’s normal and what’s not. It also permits identification of variances in different product/business segments and how to project a company’s future performance.

Along with the three financial statements (balance sheet, cash flow statement, and income statement) providing working outcomes, it can similarly identify issues and strengths by looking at certain metrics like profit margins or the rate of inventory changing hands.  

If a company reports higher earnings per share due to increases in revenue or lowers its figures of the COGS (cost of goods sold), analysts looking at the interest coverage ratio or cash flow-to-debt ratio, for example, can use horizontal analysis to gauge if a business has enough liquidity for continued operations.

Real World Example of Horizontal Analysis

Let’s say Company X had revenue of $100 million in the previous year and accounts receivable of $200 million during the “base year.” This is compared to revenue of $300 million in the present year and accounts receivable of $600 million. Based on these numbers, the calculations are as follows:

Revenue Comparison

[($300 million – $100 million)/$100 million)] x 100 = 200 percent

Accounts Receivable

[($600 million – $300 million)/$300 million)] x 100 = 100 percent

When it comes to interpreting horizontal analysis, the process needs context to ensure it’s used appropriately. The most prominent consideration is understanding what contributed to the base year’s numbers and the current year’s numbers. Did the company sell off a segment that increased profitability, or did they face massive lawsuits or spend excessive amounts of capex to ensure their viability and competitiveness in the upcoming years?

The calculation is straightforward, but being able to delve into what happened – and why – is the role of the business owner and investor to determine the true health of the business.

Advancing Broadband, Tribal Land Mortgages and Affordable Single-Owner Housing Opportunities

Tribal Land Mortgages

3 min read

 Tribal Land MortgagesS.98: Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025 – This bipartisan bill instructs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a vetting process for service provider applicants applying for federal funding assistance for broadband deployment in high-cost areas, including rural communities. Sponsored by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Jan. 15, 2025, the bill passed in the Senate on June 26, 2025, and in the House on April 20, 2025. It was signed into law by the president on May 11, 2026.

S.723: Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025 – Introduced by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) on Feb. 25, 2025, this bill requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to complete the processing of all residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines. It passed in the Senate on Dec. 11, 2025, in the House on March 4, and was enacted on May 4.       

A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress (SJ Res 185) – Well past the 60-day deadline for a president to legally engage in military hostilities abroad without congressional authorization, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced his resolution on April 27. The resolution would remove U.S. military troops from Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. On May 19, the resolution narrowly passed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, now moving to the Senate floor for debate and a full vote. The resolution faces an uphill battle in the House. However, even if the joint resolution cleared the Senate and the House, it is expected to be vetoed by the president and would require a two-thirds supermajority by both the Senate and the House to override the veto – which is unlikely at this point.  

21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (HR 6644) – This bipartisan, White House-endorsed bill addresses housing affordability by placing ownership restrictions on large institutional investors and expanding available financing for homebuyers. One provision would prohibit institutional investors/private equity firms that own more than 350 single-family homes from purchasing additional single-family homes – unless they are sold to individual homeowners after seven years. The act would impose a penalty of up to $1 million per violation or three times the purchase price of the property, whichever is greater. Other provisions waive regulations on community banks to help expand local lending. The bill was introduced by Rep. French Hill (R-AR) on Dec. 11, 2025. It passed in the House on Feb. 9, in the Senate with changes on March 12, and in the House again with changes on May 20. The bill is currently under consideration in the Senate for the second time.

 

The IRS Could Owe You Money Thanks to a Pandemic-Era Court Ruling

IRS Could Owe You Money, COVID Court Ruling

4 min read

IRS Could Owe You Money, COVID Court RulingHere’s something that flew under the radar for most people: a court decision from late last year could put money back in your pocket if you got hit with IRS penalties during COVID. But you need to act fast! For some taxpayers, the deadline to file a claim is July 10.

What This Case Is Actually About

Remember when COVID was declared a federal disaster? That designation wasn’t just symbolic. It triggered real protections under the tax code, specifically Section 7508A, which lets the IRS push back deadlines and waive penalties when taxpayers are caught up in a disaster. We’re talking about failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties here, and those fees can add up to almost 50 percent of what you already owe, which is brutal!

The Kwong v. United States decision came down from the Court of Federal Claims in November 2025, and it changed the game. The court said the nationwide COVID emergency created a mandatory postponement running from Jan. 20, 2020, through July 10, 2023. Everything that came due in that window should have been bumped to July 11, 2023. In other words, a lot of people may have been penalized when they shouldn’t have been.

This Got Real on April 30

The case had been percolating quietly until the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) made some noise about it on April 30. That’s when things got interesting. According to the NTA, tens of millions of taxpayers could be eligible for refunds. Not just on the penalties themselves, but on the interest that piled up on top of those penalties.

The NTA isn’t being shy about this either. The office has pushed hard for the IRS to apply relief broadly instead of making people jump through hoops. They want systemic fixes, not case-by-case battles. And they’ve asked Congress to make sure procedural red tape doesn’t rob people of money they are owed.

There’s another wrinkle worth knowing about. Some refunds issued during 2020 through 2023 may have shortchanged taxpayers on interest because the IRS treated their returns as late. If Kwong holds up, you might be able to claim that missing interest, too.

Expats Had It Especially Rough

If you were living overseas when the pandemic hit, you know the chaos was next level. Borders slammed shut with no warning. People got stranded in countries they were just passing through. Others couldn’t get back to the places they’d been living for years.

Good luck reaching your accountant when consulates are closed, mail isn’t moving, and you’re dealing with a 12-hour time zone difference. Some folks couldn’t access their bank accounts. Others couldn’t get basic documents. And plenty of people were simply stuck, unable to go anywhere, when their filing deadlines rolled around.

Slapping penalties on taxpayers who were dealing with all of that? It misses the point entirely. The disaster relief rules exist for exactly these situations. The NTA has been clear: fair treatment means recognizing what people were actually going through.

You Need to File a Protective Claim

Here’s the practical part. If you want to preserve your right to get this money back, you have to file something called a protective claim. Think of it as a placeholder that keeps your options open while the legal dust settles.

For many people, the deadline is July 10, 2026, though it depends on the tax year involved. Don’t wait until the last minute to figure this out.

The good news is the paperwork isn’t complicated. You can use IRS Form 843 or just file an amended return. You need to list the tax years you’re claiming and note that your refund depends on how the Kwong case plays out. You don’t have to calculate the exact dollar amount right now. The whole point is just to get yourself on record before time runs out.

A Few Limitations to Know About

This relief is specifically about federal income taxes under the Internal Revenue Code. If you’re worried about Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) penalties, that’s a different animal. FBARs fall under the Bank Secrecy Act, so Kwong doesn’t automatically help there. That said, you might still have a reasonable cause argument based on the same COVID disruptions.

State taxes? Every state did its own thing. Most offered some pandemic extensions, but those programs were separate and usually more limited than what we’re talking about here.

Conclusion

If there’s any chance this applies to you, file that protective claim now. Especially if you were overseas during the pandemic years. Once that deadline passes, the door closes for good.

IR-2026-70: IRS releases new look-back interest calculator for long-term contracts

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IRS Newswire

May 29, 2026

Issue Number:    IR-2026-70

Inside This Issue


IRS releases new look-back interest calculator for long-term contracts

IR-2026-70, May 29, 2026 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of a new calculator to help businesses working on large, multi-year construction or manufacturing projects more easily figure interest related to those contracts.

“The IRS is focused on improving and enhancing how we serve taxpayers,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “We are transforming the IRS into a digital-first agency that provides the best possible experience for taxpayers, and tools like this calculator are an important step in that effort.”

The Excel-based Percentage-of-Completion Method (PCM) Look-Back Interest Calculator supports calculations required for Form 8697, Interest Computation Under the Look-Back Method for Completed Long-Term Contracts.

Tax professionals including certified public accountants, enrolled agents, and other tax preparers working with long-term construction and manufacturing contracts may find the calculator useful when computing look-back interest. Practitioners should review the calculator output carefully, consider each taxpayer’s specific circumstances, and ensure compliance.

The look-back interest is determined using a three-step process:

  1. Hypothetically reallocating income to prior years based on actual revenues and costs
  2. Computing the hypothetical overpayment or underpayment of tax, and

  3. Calculating interest on the underpayment or overpayment of tax.

The calculator is designed to assist with the interest computation step by providing a structured framework to perform the computations.

However, the IRS emphasizes that using the calculator does not guarantee compliance with the law and does not replace authoritative guidance, as the tool does not address all fact patterns or complexities associated with look-back interest calculations. Taxpayers should therefore ensure the calculations agree with applicable authorities, including I.R.C. Section 460 and Treasury Regulations Section 1.460-6.

Taxpayers and practitioners may submit feedback about the calculator, by emailing Stakeholder Liaison and including “Look-Back Interest Workbook Feedback” in the subject line.

More information including detailed instructions for completing Form 8697 is available on IRS.gov.


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IR-2026-70: IRS releases new look-back interest calculator for long-term contracts

IR-2026-69: Treasury, IRS issue Section 892 proposed regulations to provide grandfathering protection and transitional relief to sovereign investors

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IRS Newswire

May 29, 2026

Issue Number:  IR-2026-69

Inside This Issue


Treasury, IRS issue Section 892 proposed regulations to provide grandfathering protection and transitional relief to sovereign investors

IR-2026-69, May 29, 2026

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today issued additional guidance addressing the applicability dates of recent proposed regulations under Section 892 of the Internal Revenue Code, which exempts foreign governments, including sovereign wealth funds, from tax on certain income derived from passive U.S. investments. This additional guidance provides grandfathering protection and transitional relief to foreign governments investing in the United States.

“President Trump’s economic policies continue to attract trillions of dollars in investment into the United States. Treasury and the IRS conducted thorough reviews of taxpayer and stakeholder comments on proposed technical U.S. tax rules, which informed the release of additional guidance to provide certainty on the treatment of current investments and transitional relief to sovereign investors,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “As final regulations continue to develop, we will evaluate feedback to ensure that they strengthen the American economy, uphold established market practices, and maintain a stable environment for existing and future sovereign wealth fund investment.”

“In response to comments on the recent proposed regulations, the IRS heard the concerns of many taxpayers and decided to provide transitional relief,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “With these changes, the IRS aims to preserve established market practices, drive domestic economic growth and support current and future sovereign wealth fund investment in the United States.”

Modification to the 2025 proposed regulations

On Dec. 15, 2025, Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations under Section 892, clarifying when an acquisition of debt by a foreign government is commercial activity and when a foreign government has effective control of an entity engaged in commercial activities, in which cases the exemption does not apply.

After taking stakeholder comments into consideration, Treasury and the IRS introduce a two-part approach in today’s guidance providing both grandfathering protection and transitional relief to sovereign investors before these proposed rules become final:

  • Grandfathering rule: it proposes new applicability dates to ensure that existing foreign government interests would not be subject to the final regulations.
  • Transition period: a foreign government has at least 90 days after the publication date or until the start of the first taxable year after the publication date to transition to the final regulations.

Treasury and the IRS continue to consider comments from interested parties on all aspects of the proposed regulations. Instructions for submitting comments are included in today’s guidance.


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IR-2026-69: Treasury, IRS issue Section 892 proposed regulations to provide grandfathering protection and transitional relief to sovereign investors