Fundamentals of Corporate Financial Statement Analysis

Duration: 2 Days ・ CPD Points: 16 ・ Level: Beginner

Delivered by Fitch Learning, in partnership with the GICP.

Immerse yourself in the complexities of corporate financial statements and acquire the necessary tools and knowledge to confidently navigate complexities.

Delivery Classroom
Location London
Date 3-4 Mar 2025
VIEW COURSE DETAILS

Course Details

This course is designed to explain how financial measures of corporate performance are calculated and used to assess credit worthiness of a business. The course covers the basics of financial statement analysis and enables participants to confidently use financial ratios and financial terminology. This is an introductory level course designed for users of financial reports and accounts who have no prior or limited knowledge of corporate financial information; it focuses on the numbers behind the risks rather than the risks themselves. 

Key Learning Outcomes

  • How a company’s business and financing activities are reflected in its financial statements
  • The components of financial statements: Balance sheet, profit and loss and cash flow and key notes to the accounts
  • The distinction between cash flow and profits
  • How to measure operating, investing and financial performance using appropriate ratios and cash flow tools

Course Content

Introduction

Validation of the need for financial analysis and a realization of dependency on external accountant reports.

  • Financial analysis as a fundamental tool of credit risk analysis
  • Financial reporting and accounting standards

Core Financial Statements

Methodological assessment of the key financial accounts and the way they complement each other.

  • Overview of the types and presentation format of financial statements
  • Key accounting principles; consolidation and company accounts
  • IFRS or US GAAP presentation of company financial statements focusing on the key statements needed for financial analysis:
  • Application: Create a set of accounts by reporting step-by-step actions
  • Application: Derive a simple cash flow statement

Financial Profile Analysis

Using information from the financial statements to assess financial performance and financial leverage of a corporate. Introduction of key financial ratios which can be used in the assessment. A relevant company’s financial report will be used through to illustrate individual points.

Profitability and Cash flow Generation and Absorption 

  • Accounting for revenue and expenses
  • Capitalized expenses and provisioning
  • Income resulting from group investment
  • Non-operating items and reporting of discontinued operations
  • EBITDA, funds from operations and cash flow from operations
  • Ratios to assess the quality and stability of earnings and cash flow
  • Illustration case study: Calculate and interpret key ratios
  • Key asset categories on-balance and off-balance sheet
  • The meaning of net working capital and cash conversion
  • Fixed assets, intangible assets and depreciation, amortization, depletion
  • Assets not recognized on balance sheet
  • Ratios and cash flow measures to assess the efficient use of existing assets and investment need in assets
  • Case study - used throughout: Calculate and interpret ratios, cash flow and peer analysis to assess profitability, cash flow generation and absorption

Liquidity and Capital Structure

  • Spontaneous finance from suppliers
  • Short-term and long-term borrowings
  • Off-balance sheet and contingent liabilities
  • Equity and reserves; retained earnings, dividend payments, share repurchases
  • Cash Flow Available for Debt Service (CFADS)
  • Ratios to assess the capital structure and debt service capability
  • Application: Calculate a debt service coverage ratio
  • Liquidity assessment
  • Potential effect of foreign currency exposures
  • Case study - used throughout: Calculate and interpret ratios, cash flow and peer analysis to assess the funding structure, debt service capability and liquidity

Who Should Attend?

Anyone with an interest in understanding corporate analysis and in need of and introduction of refresher of the fundamentals of financial analysis. Financial professionals in a credit risk, asset investment or relationship management role, as well as those engaged in the assessment of counterparty risk from an underwriting viewpoint or trade debtor exposure. Regulators or those in a supervisory role with an interest in understanding the underlying credit assessment needed in the organizations or departments they assess. This program is recommended for those without an accountancy or financial analysis background and works well as preparation of the corporate credit analysis or related courses. 

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Course Highlights

Real Case Studies

Real company case studies to test your newly learnt skills

CPD Recognized

This course is Continuous Professional Development (CPD) recognized

Highly Interactive

Highly interactive with small group size and industry expert trainers

Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, course can be taken either in an in-person setting or in a live online setting.

Our virtual live online courses are designed to keep the same levels of engagement and networking as our in-person courses. You will attend the course virtually on a set date, at a set time.

What time zones do the courses run in?
Currently, we run live online training across London, New York and Singapore time zones.

How are the courses delivered?
We deliver virtual training via Zoom.

What are the start times?
The courses will run during scheduled class times, and vary per course.

Reclaiming VAT
Most delegates who attend our courses in the UK are able to claim back their VAT once it has been paid. The below information details why we need to charge VAT and how you can claim it back.

Why does Fitch Learning charge VAT?
The EU VAT Directive (Council Directive 2006/112/EC) article 53 says that for the right of entry to cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment or similar events in exchange for a ticket or payment, the place of supply is where the event physically takes place. Since, the event is held in the UK, the place of supply is the UK and therefore UK VAT has to be charged.

How can you claim back the VAT you paid for a course?
The most efficient way to claim back VAT is directly through the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by completing the required forms and sending back to HMRC.

Please follow the links below for further details;

EU businesses
Non-EU businesses
To claim back VAT or if you have any questions please contact HMRC;

Telephone - 0044 (0) 3000 537 381

Email Overseas Repayment Unit - enq.oru.ni@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

On the Fitch Learning website you will find learning paths which will explain the courses available at different levels within a topic area. We would always prefer to speak with you to discuss which course is most appropriate rather than run the risk of you signing up for an inappropriate course. If you are unsure, please contact the Public Courses team:

Phone: +44 20 7496 8600
Email: enquiry@fitchlearning.com

All of our instructors are industry practitioners turned trainers. Their training style is case study based and interactive. They will coach, challenge and inform participants to ensure immediate and practical real-life application from the courses. To discuss our instructors further please email enquiry@fitchlearning.com

Class sizes are dependent on the course, but are small enough to permit active interaction and participation.

Q. Am I able to gain CPD/CE/CPE credits for my course?
A. We award continuing professional development credits for the following:

Global
CFA Institute
The CPD Certificate Service
UK
CFA Society
The CPD Certificate Service

Q. What do I need to do to receive my credits?
A. Please email enquiry@fitchlearning.com to request a certificate. Fitch Learning will send you a certificate stating how many points you are eligible for.

Q. How many credits will I receive?
A. We award 8 credits (7 for the CFA) for each day of training you attend.

You will be contacted by email within 2 working days of processing your registration to confirm your place on the course.

In order to optimise class time we ask participants to read some background information on the main illustration case(s) prior to attending the class. This also helps to ensure that all are able to participate in case discussions. In some cases additional background reading is provided. The length of pre-course reading is advised to participants in advance and typically ranges from 2-3 hours.

We try to send out the pre-course reading by email one week before the start of the course. There may be a delay in sending this out due either to late registrations or to the fact that the case study needs to incorporate recently-published financial information.

Q. If I am unable to attend can I send a substitute?
A. Absolutely and it is completely free of charge. We do however ask that we have at least 2 working days’ notice of this change before the course start date. Please email enquiry@fitchlearning.com with full contact details of the substitute and who they are replacing.

Q. Can I transfer my booked course to another date?
A. Yes you can. If you email us your request to transfer to the next available course date and give us more than 30 days’ notice, there will be no charge. If you notify us within 30 days of the course start date, there will be an additional payment of 25% of the course fee, provided the original course fee has been paid in full.
A transfer can only be made onto a course taking place within a period of 6 months of the original course date and only one transfer can be made in respect of any booking.

Q. Can I cancel my course booking?
A. Yes. If you email us with your request more than 30 days before the course start date, there will be no charge. If you notify us within 30 days of the course start date you are liable for the full course fees.

Q. What happens if I do not attend my course?
A. If you do not attend your course and you do not give us any prior notice you are liable for the full course fee and no refunds can be given.

Notice contact details:
Email: enquiry@fitchlearning.com

We can develop a customized training solution to meet your learners' needs - at all levels in your organization. Please email enquiry@fitchlearning.com for more information.

Please get in touch with us via email at enquiry@fitchlearning.com to request more information on running one of our courses in-house for larger groups.

Discount offers cannot be used in conjunction with each other or any other offer nor applied retrospectively to anyone already registered for any Fitch Learning course.

To speak to a member of our team, please get in touch via the below:
Phone: +44 20 7496 8600
Email: enquiry@fitchlearning.com

Q. How do I make a complaint?
A. Anyone who wishes to make a complaint may do so in writing. Complaints need not be made to the actual service which is the subject of the complaint. In the first instance complaints should be sent to Grace Heighington, Head of Public Courses.

Q. Where do I send my complaint?

A. Complaints can be submitted using the following options:
Email: enquiry@fitchlearning.com
Post: Grace Heighington, Fitch Learning, The Corn Exchange, 55 Mark Lane, London, EC3R 7NE
Wherever possible and appropriate, staff are requested to elicit from the complainant the nature of the complaint, as well as the actions the complainant feels are necessary to resolve the complaint.

Complaints Policy and Procedure
Q. What are the stages involved?

A. There are two main stages to our complaints procedure:

Stage 1 - We always try to resolve issues quickly. From the moment we receive your complaint, we must get back to you within three working days. At the very least we must acknowledge the problem in writing and give you the name of the person dealing with the complaint. We must give you a full reply within ten working days if possible, or keep you fully informed of the progress and reasons for delay.

Stage 2 - If you are not happy with the full response at Stage 1, please contact us again. One of the Managing Directors will then review the issue. You can expect our acknowledgement within three working days of us receiving your complaint. We will also explain how long the director's review will take.

What Our Customers Say

"Very good content, instructor, location and venue. Overall very satisfied with the training."

Victor Carstenius, Swedish Export Credits Guarantee Board - EKN

"I really liked the way the trainer uses the tools on screen on the slides to explain. i.e. the highlight, making blocks, the extra writing. This way it is really easy for me to follow what he is referring to. He also made it easy to interact in the course and keep everyone involved. The flow/build up of the course is really good. "

Nicole de Loor, Analyst

"The course was well thought out and the content was well delivered."

Rory Skinner, Account Executive


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Fitch Learning team on +44 20 7496 8600 or fill out the form below.



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