This training course is split into two modules:

Each module is structured and can be taken as a stand-alone training course; however, delegates will maximise their benefits by taking Modules I, and II back-to-back as a 2-week training course.

DAILY AGENDA

Module I: Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting

Day 1: The Competitive Challenge in the 21st Century
  • Identifying and Managing Stakeholder Needs
  • Business Models and How They are Disrupted
  • An Integrated Approach to Risk Management
  • The Essentials of Business Performance Management

Fundamentals of Financial Modelling

  • Financial Statements Basics
  • Fundamentals of Financial Modelling
Day 2: Mastering Financial Analysis
  • Building a Financial Ratio Database in Excel
  • Practical Modelling: The Cost-Volume-Profit Relationship
  • Measuring and Improving Return On Investment
  • Measuring and Improving Asset Management Efficiency
  • Measuring and Managing Capital Structure and Risk
  • Practical Modelling: The Effect of Gearing on Shareholders’ Earnings
Day 3: Improving Financial Forecasting
  • Practical Modelling: Using Excel Statistical Analysis Tools
  • Avoiding Common Forecasting Problems
  • Using Moving Averages to Analyse Time Series Data
  • Using Linear Regression for Sales Trend Analysis
  • Using Excel Solver to Minimise Forecasting Error
  • Using Regression and Correlation to Forecast Costs
  • Practical Modelling: Cash Flow Forecasting
Day 4: Financial Models to Improve Investment Decision-making
  • Principles of Capital Investment Decision-making
  • Sources and Cost of Business Finance
  • Practical Modelling: Using Excel Discounted Cash Flow Tools
  • Practical Modelling: Capital Investment Analysis
  • Essentials of Business Valuation
  • Practical Modelling: Business Valuation Based on Shareholder Value Added
Day 5: Managing Risk and Uncertainty
  • Identifying and Analysing Business Risk
  • Probability Based Approach to Decision-making
  • Monte Carlo Simulation
  • Sensitivity Analysis and what-if Forecasting
  • Identifying the Key Drivers of Financial Performance
  • Practical Modelling: Key Driver what-if Forecast

Module II: Budgeting, Forecasting and the Planning Process

Day 6: Strategic Management and Financing
  • Strategic Analysis, Strategic choices and evaluation, and Strategic implementation
  • The Links between Strategy, Forecasting, Planning, Budgeting, Performance Measurement
  • Strategic capability and avoiding the Spiral of Death
  • Shareholder Wealth maximisation, Corporate and Shareholder value creation
  • Financial Strategy, Dividend Policy, the Agency Problem and Corporate Governance
  • Long-term Financing
    • Debt and Equity; Cost of Equity using Dividend Growth and Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM); Cost of Debt; Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
  • Capital Structure Optimisation Models to minimise WACC
  • Using Strategy Maps to link strategies to Performance Measurement: The Balanced Scorecard
Day 7: Financial Planning, Forecasting, and Risk Analysis
  • The Financial Planning Process and Modelling using Excel
  • Statistical Forecasting Tools and Techniques
    • Time series; moving averages; exponential smoothing; Pareto Analysis; trend progression; linear regression; correlation
  • Forecasting long- and short-term sales revenues, and sales pricing
    • Porter’s generic strategy of cost leadership and differentiation; Bowman’s strategy clock; full cost pricing; marginal cost pricing; target cost pricing; life-cycle costing; kaizen costing; value-based pricing
  • Using Excel for Optimum Product mix decisions
  • Short-term Financing, Working Capital, and the Cash Operating Cycle
  • Direct and Indirect Cash Flow Analysis and Cash Flow Forecasting using Excel
  • Uncertainty and Risk
    • Business Risk
    • Financial Risk
    • Systematic Risk
    • Unsystematic Risk
  • The Choices available to minimise and mitigate risk
Day 8: Cost Analysis Techniques
  • Cost Behaviour and Activities
  • Fixed and Variable Costs, Direct and Indirect Costs
  • Product Costs and Period Costs
  • Cost Allocation and Absorption of Overheads
  • Absorption or Full Costing
  • Marginal Costing
  • Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) and ‘what-if’ analysis using Excel
  • Activity Based Costing (ABC) and Activity Based Management (ABM)
Day 9: Budgeting, Budgetary Control and Performance Improvement
  • To Budget or Not – Purposes and Reasons for Budgets
  • Stages in the Budget Preparation Process
  • Preparation of the Master Budget
  • Activity Based Budgeting (ABB)
  • Responsibility Accounting and Variance Analysis
    • Standard costing; flexed budgets; budgetary control to measure organisational and management performance
  • Advantages, Disadvantages and Behavioural Aspects of Budgeting
  • The Conflict between Performance Improvement and the Costing System
  • Lean thinking and integrating continuous performance improvement into the Budget Process
Day 10: Project Appraisal and Capital Budgeting
  • The Time Value of Money
  • Future Values
  • Present Values
  • Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)
  • Capital investment Project Appraisal
    • Accounting Rate of Return (ARR); payback; Net Present Value (NPV); Internal Rate of Return (IRR); Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR); Discounted Payback; Equivalent Annual Cost (EAC)
  • Project Risk
    • Sensitivity Analysis; simulation; scenario analysis; NPV break-even
  • Capital Rationing
  • Capital Budgeting and the Profitability Index (PI)
Objectives Icon

Certificate

  • On successful completion of this training course, KC Academy Certificate will be awarded to the delegates.