Eigenkapitalspiegel

Eigenkapitalspiegel, in English often called the statement of changes in equity, is a financial statement that shows how a company’s equity has developed over a reporting period. It provides a transparent reconciliation from the opening to the closing balance of equity by detailing all changes that affect equity, such as profits or losses, capital contributions, distributions to owners, and remeasurement effects.

A typical Eigenkapitalspiegel lists the main components of equity, for example gezeichnetes Kapital (or Stammkapital), Kapitalrücklagen, Gewinnrücklagen and the position for Jahresüberschuss or Jahresfehlbetrag. It presents the opening balance, the movements during the period (inflows and outflows), and the closing balance. Additional changes such as dividends, capital increases or reductions, other comprehensive income, and currency translation effects may also be shown, depending on the applicable accounting framework.

The purpose of the Eigenkapitalspiegel is to enhance transparency regarding the capital structure and the sources of changes in equity. It complements the balance sheet and the income statement by illustrating how profits, owner transactions, and other events influence equity, which aids in assessing profitability, dividend policy, and financial resilience.

Regulatory context varies by jurisdiction and standard. In IFRS, a corresponding “Statement of Changes in Equity” is required as part of the financial statements. In German GAAP (HGB), the presentation of equity movements is also standard practice, though the exact format may differ by entity size and reporting rules.