IMPROVING THE METHODOLOGICAL TOOLS FOR ANALYZING FINANCIAL RESULTS OF RAILWAY ENTERPRISES

The need to update the methodological tools of economic analysis, taking into account the current changes in the economy of organizations in various fields and scales of activity, sets requirements for improving the algorithms of analytical calculations, the methods and procedures used, and the justification of quantitative metrics used to form financial indicators. The analytical assessment of the performance of the railway industry is based on external factors, such as sanctions pressure, government regulation, natural and climatic conditions, and competition from other modes of transportation. The state of the infrastructure, the efficiency of resource base management, and the specifics of cost formation are just a few of the significant internal factors that shape financial results. The problems of the applied methods of analysis in modern conditions are also relevant, which, on the one hand, is due to the fragmentation of the available methods of analysis, and the use of factor analysis methods in the conditions of a variety of influencing factors, on the other hand. The study includes an author's approach to the formation of a methodology for analyzing financial results for railway transport enterprises, taking into account the high systemic importance of this industry for the Russian economy. The study includes a systematization of the main external and internal factors that have a significant impact on the results of RZD's activities; an author's approach to the formation of an algorithm for analyzing financial results, which includes procedures for assessing the "quality" of profit for railway transport enterprises, taking into account the high systemic importance of this industry for the Russian economy. The study substantiates the need to include an assessment of the relationship between economic and financial profitability in the methodological toolkit using the «Financial Leverage Effect» criterion. In most of the proposed stages of analysis, factor analysis is recommended as a universal method that allows for the justification of management decisions aimed at improving financial results and profitability. The article provides examples of analytical calculations based on the accounting (financial) statements of Russian Railways. The focus is on the formation of various evaluative judgments based on the calculations. The reasons for such discrepancies are the diversity and inconsistency of the existing methods for analyzing financial results and financial condition. The results of the study will be useful for practitioners and researchers who are interested in current trends and prospects for the development of railway transport organizations.