Introduction:

This course will develop your skills in analyzing business activities. It will guide you through the key steps of analyzing financial statements, appraising new investments and measuring performance at all levels of your organization. It will develop your ability to generate growth and improve profitability, as well as pinpointing problem areas for remedial action. Over the five modules participants will acquire skills and technical knowledge which will enable them to manage more effectively.

This course will also focus on the key risks that businesses face in today’s uncertain economic, political, and physical environment. Effective risk management is important in today’s business environment and the course will promote the understanding of risks and how to minimize the business exposure to them. 

Targeted Groups:

• CFOs
• Finance Professionals
• Controllers and Treasurers responsible for the Financial Management in the Organisation
• Professionals who wish to improve, refresh and update their understanding of analysis of financial information, and application

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course the participants will be able to:

• Read and understand their organization’s Annual Financial Report
• Evaluate their firm's financial performance
• Understand and use analytical tools and techniques in practical case-study situations.
• Identify business risks, and consider how these should be managed.
• Appreciate the importance of new investments in maintaining growth and competitiveness, and how these investments should be evaluated.
• Improve their management skills and increase their value to the organization
• Understand capital investment decisions
• Increase awareness of techniques in financial analysis and capital appraisal
• Increase the ability to identify problem areas
• Increase confidence to tackle new situations

Targeted Competencies:

• Understanding financial statements
• Reading annual reports
• Processing financial data
• Financial analysis
• Risk management
• Analyzing financial reporting standards used

Course Content:

Unit 1: Introduction to Advanced Financial Analysis:

• Who are the users of financial data?
• The three key financial statements, measuring performance, position, and cashflow
• Why does financial data have to be analyzed?
• Sources and types of financial information
• Understanding the cash flow cycle vs. the operating cycle
• Ratio & trend analysis of financial statements
• Categories of ratios, and what they reveal about the company

Unit 2: Financial Statements:

• How to use common sizing to compare performance and position
• The format and structure of the Balance Sheet / Statement of Financial Position
• Sources and types of finance
• Preparing projections for financing sources
• Break-even analysis
• Should we lease or buy our equipment?
• Should we consider ‘buying-in’ instead of ‘making’

Unit 3: Analytical & Performance Tools & Techniques:

• Finding and using data and information
• Easily available tools and techniques for financial analysis
• Using graphical representation
• The fundamental statistical tools
• Fitting statistical techniques to financial data
• Reports and reporting
• Financial distress
• Altman's Z-score analysis & it's uses

Unit 4: Capital Project Analysis:

• How new investment projects can meet corporate objectives
• Investment projects - model-building and forecasting
• Basic techniques for appraisal of investments
• Incorporating the value of timing - Net present Value vs. Internal Rate of Return
• How do you choose which method to use
• Measuring the company’s capital structure, and estimating the cost of capital
• The dividend valuation model or capital asset pricing model, which is best?

Unit 5: Coming to Terms with Risk:

• Financial risk-management principles – what can be done
• Methods for analyzing financial risk
• How your bankers can help you to manage financial risk
• Analytical tools for measuring risk
• How to develop the tools for your firm
• Using scenario, sensitivity & subjective analysis techniques
• How to minimize the risk factors we find