Cracking the Books II: TSC Reveals Accounting Feats of Daring

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SERIES INTRO More! Bigger! Faster! Better! For the second year, TSC sharpens its pencils and uncovers iffy accounting that could affect your stocks. Here's the series intro.

Has FASB Failed Us?
Hamstrung by politics, FASB can't seem to resolve the biggest conflicts between investors and the companies they follow.

At Sapient, Blood is Thicker Than Paper
With founders and their families acting as 'affiliates,' the information technology consultant company is just short of having a controlling interest in a Maine start-up.

Reliving Equity Funding, the Cal Ripken of Stock Frauds
In 1972, this was Fortune's choice as fastest-growing financial conglomerate. A year later it collapsed. What happened?

At USWeb, Growth Is in the Eye of the Beholder
By some standards, internal revenue growth doesn't quite match up with published data.

Despite Shift to International Accounting Standards, Transparency Still Evades Hoechst
Even as European firms move toward standardization, analysis can still present a challenge.

Twelve Ways to Avoid Trouble (a Partial List)
Some telltale signs your company may be too aggressive in its accounting.

How Pooling Accounting Could Leave E*Trade All Wet
Acquisitions have boosted the online broker's growth, but soon dealmaking may not be so easy.

Taking a Magnifier to Conseco's Loan-Loss Treatment
Credit-provision methodology at the financial-services firm has some observers scratching their heads.

Gillette's Cash Management Sets Some Observers on Edge
Inventory and receivables data suggest the razor-blade giant could be using its cash far more efficiently.

At Cerner, an Eye-Catching Development on the Balance Sheet
Critics believe that the software concern's capitalization of software-development costs could obscure cash-flow weakness.

Extreme Bean-Counters Take On Fraud
Forensic accounting is the hot new field in which Paul Regan, who has eyed the files of such moneyed celebs as Howard Hughes, is making his name.

Lucent's Growing Fast but Desperate to Keep Up With the Ciscos
Cash-flow data suggest the telecom equipment giant is running out of ways to keep earnings booming.

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