Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis

Welcome to program: Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis

Course provided by MTF Institute of Management, Technology and Finance

MTF is the global educational and research institute with HQ at Lisbon, Portugal, focused on business & professional hybrid (on-campus and online) education at areas: Business & Administration, Science & Technology, Banking & Finance.

MTF R&D center focused on research activities at areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Big Data, WEB3, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets, Metaverses, Digital Transformation, Fintech, Electronic Commerce, Internet of Things.

MTF is the official partner of: IBM, Intel, Microsoft, member of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

MTF is present in 208 countries and has been chosen by more than 520 000 students.

Course Author:

Mr. Joao Martins is seasoned manager and entrepreneur, with over 30 years’ experience in top management positions in the telecommunications and IT sectors. Starting in an academic environment, where he obtained his PhD in Engineering and an MBA at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, quickly evolved to C-suite positions in the corporate environment, both in large corporations and in start-ups.

He is currently a director and start-up shareholder in an IT integrator in Lisbon, focused on cybersecurity. With a passion for education, he also an invited Professor at Nova Information Management School, teaching Knowledge Management and Financial Analysis to graduate and undergraduate students.

Course focuses:

Financial Statement Analysis will help business owners and other interested people to analyze the data in financial statements to provide them with better information about such key factors for decision making and ultimate business survival.

Financial Statement Analysis is the collective name for the tools and techniques that are intended to provide relevant information to the decision makers. The purpose of the FSA is to assess the financial health and performance of the company.

FSA consist of the comparisons for the same company over the period of time and comparisons of different companies either in the same industry or in different industries.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT:

Financial statement analysis involves analyzing the information provided in the financial statements to:

Provide information about the organization’s:

• Past performance
• Present condition
• Future performance

Assess the organization’s:

• Earnings in terms of power, persistence, quality and growth
• Solvency

Plan of lessons:

1. Accounting methods

– Introduction

– What is an account.

– Debit and credit operations

– Double entry accounting

2. Accounting Standards

– End of Period operations

– Introducing the financial statements

3. Financial Statements

– Main financial statements

– Interpreting the statements

4. Financial Statements

– Financial ratios

– Interpreting the ratios

5. Valuation principles

– Cost, Market and DCF

– DCF methodology

– WACC

6. Valuation principles

– 6 steps of DCF

– Terminal values

– Enterprise and equity values

Financial analysis is the process of evaluating businesses, projects, budgets, and other finance-related entities to determine their performance and suitability. It involves using various tools and techniques to assess the financial health of an organization, forecast future trends, and support decision-making.

Key aspects of financial analysis include:

Assessing profitability: Evaluating a company’s ability to generate profits over time, considering revenues, costs, and expenses.

Analyzing liquidity: Determining an organization’s capacity to meet its short-term financial obligations and maintain sufficient cash flow.

Examining solvency: Assessing a company’s long-term financial stability and ability to repay its debts.

Evaluating efficiency: Measuring how effectively a company utilizes its resources to generate revenues and manage expenses.

Forecasting future performance: Projecting financial outcomes based on historical data, market trends, and other relevant factors.

Importance of financial analysis skills for your career:

Improved decision-making: Financial analysis skills enable you to make informed decisions based on solid financial data, rather than relying on intuition or guesswork. This is crucial for choosing investments, managing budgets, and identifying growth opportunities.

Enhanced problem-solving: By understanding financial statements and analyzing trends, you can pinpoint areas of weakness or inefficiency within an organization and develop strategies to address them.

Increased career opportunities: Financial analysis skills are in high demand across various industries, opening doors to roles such as financial analyst, investment banker, portfolio manager, or management consultant.

Competitive advantage: Possessing strong financial analysis skills can differentiate you from other candidates in the job market and increase your earning potential.

Importance of financial analysis skills for building your own business:

Effective financial management: Understanding your company’s financial performance is essential for making strategic decisions about pricing, marketing, product development, and resource allocation.

Securing funding: Investors and lenders rely on financial analysis to assess the viability and potential return on investment of your business. A strong financial track record and well-prepared financial projections can significantly increase your chances of securing funding.

Sustainable growth: By monitoring key financial metrics and identifying potential risks, you can make proactive adjustments to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of your business.

Improved profitability: Financial analysis can help you identify areas where you can cut costs, increase revenues, and optimize your pricing strategy, ultimately leading to improved profitability.

In conclusion, financial analysis is a critical skill set that can significantly impact your career trajectory and your ability to build a successful business. Whether you’re working for a large corporation or starting your own venture, honing your financial analysis skills can empower you to make informed decisions, solve complex problems, and achieve your financial goals.