Get the Last Fiscal Year End with MarketXLS

The "last_fiscal_year_end" function in MarketXLS retrieves the date of a company's most recently completed fiscal year. This information is particularly useful for fundamental analysis, where knowing the exact fiscal timeline helps in comparing company performance, calculating annualized stats, and aligning your financial models with the correct reporting period. By using "last_fiscal_year_end," you can quickly access this critical date directly in your Excel spreadsheet without needing to manually look it up.

Why Use This Function?

• Easy Reference: Instantly compare and align data across multiple companies by retrieving each firm's latest fiscal year-end without manual research.
• Financial Modeling: Streamline annual metric calculations by linking automatically updated fiscal end dates into your spreadsheet.
• Portfolio Analysis: Quickly verify which company's fiscal results you’re analyzing to stay consistent with your performance reviews.
• Automated Data Retrieval: Eliminates the need for repetitive data entry; simply reference the function in any cell.
• Reliable Updates: If data is being refreshed at the moment of your call, you might see "Refreshing." Once updated, the correct date is automatically returned.

How to Use in Excel

=last_fiscal_year_end("Symbol")

1. Select a cell in your worksheet where you want the date of the last fiscal year end to appear.
2. Type the function followed by the ticker symbol in quotes (e.g. "AAPL" for Apple).
3. Press Enter. MarketXLS will fetch the relevant data from the backend and display the result.
4. If the data is cached, results typically appear instantaneously. If the data is currently updating, you may see "Refreshing" until it’s ready.

Parameters Explained

• "Symbol" can be either typed in quotes as text or referenced from a cell.
• If there is an issue with license validation or connectivity, the function may return "NA" or a special internal message.

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. =last_fiscal_year_end("AAPL")
   • Retrieves Apple’s most recent fiscal year-end date.
2. =last_fiscal_year_end("MSFT")
   • Fetches Microsoft’s year-end date for quick reference.
3. =last_fiscal_year_end(A2)
   • Where cell A2 contains a ticker (e.g., "TSLA"). This approach lets you quickly drag the formula for multiple symbols.

Advanced Scenarios

1. Combine with Other Excel Functions:
   • =IF(last_fiscal_year_end("IBM")="NA","Symbol not found",last_fiscal_year_end("IBM"))
     This formula checks if the function returned no data ("NA"). If so, it alerts that the symbol is not found.
2. Portfolio Dashboard Integration:
   • Use last_fiscal_year_end to automatically update your portfolio’s “Fiscal Year End” column for dozens of stocks, then compare performance right after each company’s final reporting period.
3. Reference Larger Models:
   • Link the retrieved date in more complex cash flow or forecast models for consistent year-over-year analysis.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

• What happens if I see "NA" in the cell?
  • "NA" indicates that the function could not retrieve data for the symbol. This could mean the ticker is incorrect, the license is not valid, or there was a connectivity issue.
• Why am I seeing "Refreshing"?
  • While MarketXLS updates data in the background, you may briefly see "Refreshing" before the final date displays. Simply wait for the refresh to complete.
• Does it work with international symbols?
  • MarketXLS attempts to provide data for many markets, but availability may vary. If data for a particular international symbol is not available, the function may return "NA."
• How often is the data updated?
  • MarketXLS handles data updates periodically and utilizes internal caching to speed up retrieval. After each refresh, the function fetches the most recent information.

By leveraging "last_fiscal_year_end," you can effortlessly maintain up-to-date fundamental data in your Excel workbook, simplifying analysis and helping you make more informed investment decisions.