Most strategic and operational business decisions rely on a fundamental knowledge of financial management. Speaking and understanding the language of finance is an essential skill for leaders and managers throughout the organization. This understanding is also a prerequisite for finance professionals who need to make day to day decisions, and for accounting professionals who wish to advance their careers. Without a clear understanding of financial statements and financial analysis and management, you lack credibility with finance managers and business leaders alike. This certified financial manager course consists of modules that reveal financial terminology and concepts, giving you the tools you need to communicate fluently with top executives and articulate business investment and project proposals to decision makers.
Course Methodology
The course uses a mix of interactive techniques, such as brief presentations by the consultant, group exercises, case studies and the use of Excel to apply knowledge acquired throughout the course followed by participants' presentations of the results.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
Apply their knowledge of corporate financial management
Employ their understanding in the macro finance roles from strategic and operational perspectives
Develop a practical understanding of corporate finance, capital budgeting and cost of capital
Compare how equities and fixed income securities are priced
Part of this course includes hands-on training using laptops, which will be made available by Plus for the duration of the training.
Course Outline
The scope of corporate financial management
Introduction to the three pillars of financial management
An inside look at the key financial statements
Why cash flow is king?
The building blocks of financial analysis:
Vertical analysis and common size financial statements
Horizontal and trend analysis
Liquidity analysis
Solvency analysis
Efficiency analysis
Profitability analysis
Practical applications of the time value of money using Excel
Strategic and operational financial planning
Overview of the financial planning process
Understanding the sustainable growth rate
Pro-forma financial statements and assumptions
Building income statement projections
Building balance sheet projections
Modeling 'what-if' analysis
Corporate finance, capital budgeting and cost of capital
The capital budgeting process
Net present value: key decision making criteria
Internal rate of return
Discounted payback period
Profitability index
Weighted average cost of capital
Mergers, acquisitions, and corporate control
Methods of acquisitions
Types of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As)
Motives for mergers and acquisitions
5 phases to the M&A process
The process of due diligence
Reasons behind failed mergers
Anti-takeover measures
Stock and bond valuation
Valuation fundamentals of financial instruments
An inside look at common and preferred stocks
Stock valuation principles
Stocks held for specific period of time
Stocks held indefinitely
The free cash flow approach
Fixed income securities valuation
Bonds: premiums and discounts
Working capital and the financing decision
Components of working capital
Conservative approach for working capital management
Aggressive approach for working capital management
Ways of financing current assets
The cash conversion cycle and cash management
Schedule & Fees
2026 Schedule & Fees
There are no public sessions remaining for the course this year. Please contact us if you wish to have a customized in-house session, or to find out how an additional public session can be scheduled.