What is trend analysis primarily used for?

Trend analysis is primarily used to evaluate data over a period of time to identify patterns, trends, or changes. It involves looking at data points across multiple time periods, typically using one year as a base year to which subsequent years’ performance is compared. By applying a base percentage of 100 to a starting year, it allows for clearer understanding and comparison of growth or decline in key metrics over time.

This method effectively illustrates how performance ratios change relative to that original year, allowing stakeholders to assess fluctuations and draw insights about financial health and operational efficiency. This is foundational in areas like financial forecasting and strategic planning, as it highlights whether a company's performance is improving, declining, or remaining stable over the chosen period.