footnote disclosure

Definition

Additional information buried in the tiny print at the end of financial statements, where companies hide things they're legally required to disclose but hope nobody reads. It's where the interesting stuff actually lives.

Example Usage

The headline earnings looked great until you read footnote disclosure 17 explaining the massive off-balance-sheet liability.

Origin

Required by accounting standards to provide context and detail beyond the main financial statements

Fun Fact

Lehman Brothers' infamous 'Repo 105' transactions were technically disclosed in footnotes, proving that legal disclosure and meaningful transparency are different things.

Source: Financial reporting standards and accounting principles

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