Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) MCP Server

get_balance_sheet

Retrieve company balance sheet statements for financial analysis. Specify stock ticker and period (annual/quarterly) to access assets, liabilities, and equity data.

Instructions

Get company balance sheet statement (annual or quarterly)

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "symbol": "<symbol>"
    },
    "name": "get_balance_sheet"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`symbol`	Yes	Stock ticker symbol
`period`	No	Period type (annual or quarter)
`limit`	No	Number of periods to return (default: 5)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv2.0.0Mar 17, 2026

TDQS

B3.1/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It states the tool retrieves data ('Get'), implying a read-only operation, but doesn't mention authentication requirements, rate limits, data freshness, or error conditions. For a financial data tool with zero annotation coverage, this leaves significant gaps in understanding how the tool behaves.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, efficient sentence that immediately conveys the core function. There's no wasted verbiage or unnecessary elaboration. It's appropriately sized for a straightforward data retrieval tool.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's moderate complexity (financial data retrieval with three parameters) and lack of annotations or output schema, the description is minimally adequate. It identifies what data is retrieved but doesn't address behavioral aspects like data format, pagination, or error handling. The agent would need to rely heavily on the input schema and possibly trial-and-error.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema fully documents all three parameters. The description adds minimal value beyond the schema by implying the tool returns balance sheet data, but doesn't provide additional context about parameter usage or constraints. This meets the baseline for high schema coverage.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Get company balance sheet statement (annual or quarterly)'. It specifies the verb ('Get') and resource ('company balance sheet statement'), making the function immediately understandable. However, it doesn't differentiate from sibling tools like 'get_cash_flow' or 'get_income_statement' beyond mentioning 'balance sheet' specifically.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't mention sibling tools like 'get_cash_flow' or 'get_income_statement' that serve similar financial reporting purposes, nor does it specify prerequisites or exclusions. The agent must infer usage from the tool name alone.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.