The balance sheet under French standards, translated into English
Alongside our guide on profit and loss accounts in English, we want to help English-speaking managing directors to be able to read their company’s accounting documents. So, here’s our list of balance sheet terminology for French accounting standards, translated into English.
ACTIVE BALANCE SHEET
Year N | Year N-1 | ||||
Wording in French | Wording in English | Gross | Depreciation and provision | Net | |
| CAPITAL SOUSCRIT NON APPELE | UNCALLED SUBSCRIBED CAPITAL | ||||
| ACTIF IMMOBILISE | FIXED ASSET | ||||
| Immobilisations incorporelles | Intangible fixed assets | ||||
| frais d’établissement | Incorporation costs | ||||
| Frais de recherche et développement | Research and development costs | ||||
| Concessions, brevets, licences, marques, procédés, logiciels | Concessions, patents, licences, trademarks, processes, software, rights and similar assets | ||||
| Fonds commercial (1) | Goodwill (1) | ||||
| Autres | Other | ||||
| Immobilisations incorporelles en cours | Intangible fixed assets in progress | ||||
| Avances et acomptes | Payments on account | ||||
| Immobilisations corporelles | Tangible fixed assets | ||||
| Terrains | Land | ||||
| Constructions | Construction | ||||
| Agencement des constructions | Infrastructure development | ||||
| Matériel d’outillage | Technical installations, plant and machinery, equipment and fixtures | ||||
| Agencements, installations | Fixtures and fittings for plant and machinery, equipment and fixtures | ||||
| Matériel de transport | Transport equipment | ||||
| Matériel de bureau informatique | Office and computer equipment | ||||
| Mobilier | Furnishings | ||||
| Immobilisations corporelles en cours | Tangible fixed assets in progress | ||||
| Avances d’acomptes | Payments on account on orders for tangible fixed assets | ||||
| Immobilisations financières (2) | Permanent financial investments and related debts receivable (2) | ||||
| Participations | Participating interest | ||||
| Créances rattachées à des participations | Debts receivable related to participating interests | ||||
| Autres titres immobilisés | Other fixed financial assets | ||||
| Prêts-cautions | Loans | ||||
| Autres | Other loans | ||||
TOTAL I | TOTAL I | ||||
| ACTIF CIRCULANT | CURRENT ASSETS | ||||
| STOCK ET EN-COURS | STOCKS AND WORK IN PROGRESS | ||||
| Matières premières | Raw materials (and supplies) | ||||
| En-cours de production | Work in progress | ||||
| Produits intermédiaires et finis | Semi-finished and finished products | ||||
| Marchandises | Stock of goods for resale | ||||
| Avances et acomptes versés sur commandes | Payments on account for orders | ||||
| Créances d’exploitation (3) | Debts receivable (3) | ||||
| Créances clients | Receivables from customers and related accounts | ||||
| Autres | Other | ||||
| Capital souscrit appelé non versé | Subscribed capital – called but unpaid | ||||
| Valeurs mobilières de placement | Investment in securities | ||||
| Actions propres | Own shares | ||||
| Autres titres | Other securities | ||||
| Instruments de trésorerie | Short-term financial instruments | ||||
| Disponibilités | Liquid assets | ||||
| Charges constatées d’avance (3) | Prepayments (3) | ||||
TOTAL II | TOTAL II | ||||
| Charges à répartir sur plusieurs exercices (III) | Deferred charges (III) | ||||
| Primes de remboursement des emprunts (IV) | Loan redemption premiums (IV) | ||||
| Ecarts de conversion actif (V) | Exchange rate gains and losses (V) | ||||
GENERAL AMOUNT (I+II+III+IV+V) | OVERALL TOTAL (I +II + III + IV + V) | ||||
| (1) Dont droit au bail | (1) Of which lease premium | ||||
| (2) Dont à moins d’un an | (2) Of which due within one year (gross) | ||||
| (3) Dont à plus d’un an | (3) Of which due after one year (gross) | ||||
PASSIVE BALANCE SHEET
Wording in French | Wording in English | Year N | Year N-1 |
| CAPITAUX PROPRES | CAPITAL AND RESERVES | ||
| Capital | Capital | ||
| Primes d’émission, de fusion, d’apport | Premiums on shares issued, mergers, contributions… | ||
| Ecart de réévaluation | Revaluation differences | ||
| Ecart d’équivalence | Equity accounting reserve | ||
| RESERVES | RESERVES | ||
| Réserve légale | Legal reserve | ||
| Réserves statutaires | Statutory or contractual reserves | ||
| Réserves réglementées | Tax-regulated reserves | ||
| Autres | Other | ||
| REPORT A NOUVEAU | PROFIT OR LOSS CARRIED FORWARD | ||
| Résultat de l’exercice | Profit or loss for the financial year | ||
| Subventions d’investissement | Investment grants | ||
| Provisions réglementées | Tax-regulated provisions | ||
TOTAL I | TOTAL I | ||
| PROVISIONS POUR RISQUES ET CHARGES | Provisions for risk and charges | ||
| Provisions pour risques | Provisions for risk | ||
| Provisions pour charges | Provisions for charges | ||
TOTAL II | TOTAL II | ||
| DETTES (1) | DEBTS PAYABLE (1) | ||
| DETTES FINANCIERES | FINANCIAL DEBTS | ||
| Emprunts obligataires convertibles | Convertible debenture loans | ||
| Autres emprunts obligataires | Other debenture loans | ||
| Emprunts et dettes auprès d’établissements de crédits (2) | Loans and debts payable to credit institutions (2) | ||
| Emprunts et dettes financières diverses (3) | Loans and sundry financial debts payable (3) | ||
| Avances et acomptes reçues sur commandes en cours | Payments on account received on orders in progress | ||
| DETTES D’EXPLOITATION | OPERATING LIABILITIES | ||
| Dettes fournisseurs et comptes rattachés (f) | Supplier debt and related accounts | ||
| Dettes fiscales et sociales | Tax and social security debts payable | ||
| Autres | Other liabilities | ||
| DETTTES DIVERSES | OTHER LIABILITIES | ||
| Dettes sur immobilisations et comptes rattachés | Debts for fixed assets and related accounts | ||
| Dettes fiscales (impôts sur bénéfices) | Tax debts (income taxes) | ||
| Autres | Other | ||
| Instruments de trésorerie | Financial instruments | ||
| Produits constatés d’avance (1) | Deferred income (1) | ||
TOTAL III | TOTAL III | ||
| Ecarts de conversion passif (IV) | Exchange rate gains and losses (IV) | ||
TOTAL GENERAL (I+II+III+IV) | TOTAL (I+II+III+IV) | ||
| (1) Dont à plus d’un an | (1) Of which due after more than one year | ||
| Dont à moins d’un an | Of which due within one year | ||
| (2) Dont concours bancaires courants et soldes créditeurs de banques | (2) Of which current bank advances and credit balances owing to banks | ||
| (3) Dont emprunts participatifs | (3) Of which participating loans |
When it comes to the profit and loss account, a simple reading alone is not enough to interpret a company’s results.
After analysing the accounts on the balance sheet, it is important to examine the overall structure of the balance sheet and to determine characteristic ratios.
All of this can of course be done by your accountant here at French Business Advice. We can also produce a summary of your company’s financial position in English – just contact us.
