Ratios

Comparisons that carry meaning.

The main families

Profitability such as margins and return on capital. Liquidity such as the current ratio. Leverage such as debt to equity. Efficiency such as inventory turnover.

Compare against the same company over time and against close peers.
A ratio in isolation says nothing; a trend says a great deal.

Return on capital

Profit against the capital used to produce it is the closest single measure of whether a business creates value. It is harder to flatter than growth.