What is a primary purpose of financial statements in investing?

Financial statements serve as a crucial tool for investors to assess a company's financial health and performance. They provide detailed information about a company's revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, and equity. This comprehensive data allows investors to analyze the company's profitability, liquidity, and solvency, which are fundamental aspects of its financial stability and operational effectiveness.

By reviewing financial statements, investors can make informed decisions about buying, holding, or selling a stock based on the company's current performance and potential for future growth. Financial statements also facilitate comparisons across different periods for the same company, or with other companies in the same industry, aiding investors in identifying trends, strengths, and weaknesses.

In contrast, the other choices suggest purposes that are either less relevant or do not encapsulate the primary role of financial statements. Speculative insights and future price trends are more subjective and uncertain than the factual data provided by financial statements. Comparing unrelated businesses’ performance is not typically valid due to differing business models, financial structures, and market conditions that can skew comparisons. Thus, the principal function of financial statements revolves around delivering a clear and holistic view of a company's financial condition, making the correct choice vital for understanding investment decisions.