Sorry there's no link to the article here (WSJ would make you pay to get it). The rest of the article just discusses major holdings in the Evergreen Eq. Inc. fund. This article gives us an example of an external use of financial statements.

Wall Street Journal - September 9, 2003

Sujatha Avutu thinks a turnaround is at hand, but she is hedging that bet by investing in companies with strong balance sheets. "I do believe we're at the cusp of a corporate profit recovery and an economic recovery," says Ms. Avutu, who manages the $1.1 billion Evergreen Equity Income Fund. If the rebound were to take longer than she expects, however, she thinks balance-sheet strength and cash flow give companies the "strength to withstand a soft patch.