Growth Rates are a helpful and important financial metric used to assess and measure the change in the rate at which a certain variable or metric increases or decreases over a specific period of time. By measuring the rate of change in any given metric, companies are able to understand whether their assumptions about the future are accurate or not, and if not, how they can adjust their strategies in order to reach their desired financial goals.

Growth rates can be calculated by taking the difference between the starting and ending values of a chosen period and dividing that by the original starting value. Common time periods used to compute growth rates are usually yearly, quarterly, monthly, and weekly. A positive growth rate indicates that the variable or metric is increasing over time, while a negative growth rate reveals that the variable or metric is declining in value compared to the earlier period.

By understanding growth rates, businesses can understand the performance of the company on both domestic and global level, and use this information to predict future performance. This analysis can be used to create strategies and policies to achieve better performance. Growth rates give an indication of how an enterprise is performing vis-à-vis its peers in the same sector, and can be used to identify the underlying weakness or strengths in a company's operations.

Growth rates are just one of the many financial metrics used to measure and assess the performance of a corporation over time. By understanding the various growth rates, be it quarterly, yearly, monthly or weekly, companies can use these metrics to gain insights into their business and create strategies that can give them a competitive edge against their rivals. By evaluating the company’s performance, businesses can identify areas that need improvement, analyse the company’s progress, and take action to steer their business in the right direction.