The strongest valuation conclusions are not simply precise, they are resilient and able to withstand challenge because they connect analytical rigor with evidentiary discipline. Value is not produced by a spreadsheet alone; it is produced by economic reality, supported by credible information, and interpreted through professional judgment. In this article, the author shares a four-part framework to assess financial statements and underscores importance and value that professionals bring when they are able to pivot between valuation and forensic practices, recognize and assess potential red flags, and determine if the value story is credible. In business valuation, numbers often arrive wearing…