Business Analysis Using Financial Statements, Spring 2003

Abstract:: Uses a case approach to develop a framework for business analysis. Provides students with tools for business analysis, including strategic, accounting, financial, and prospective analysis. Concepts are then applied to a number of decision-making contexts, such as credit analysis, investor communications, merger analysis, financial policy decisions, and securities analysis. From the Course Description: Course Description The purpose of this class is to advance your understanding of how to use financial information to value and analyze firms. We will apply your economics/accounting/finance skills to problems from today's business news to help us understand what is contained in financial reports, why firms report certain information, and how to be a sophisticated user of this information.

No Strings Attached

Capital Markets

Abstract:: An overview of the investment markets, this course examines the menu of securities available in today's market and the attributes of the various types of securities. It will also examine the purpose of capital markets, capitalization structure, how domestic and global securities markets work, the trend toward globalization of the capital markets, the organized exchanges for stocks and bonds and securities trading, the mechanics of the buy-side/ sell-side, the role of investment bankers and brokers, derivatives, and other related topics.

Abstract:: An intensive introduction to the preparation and interpretation of financial information. Adopts a decision-maker perspective of accounting by emphasizing the relation between accounting data and the underlying economic events generating them. Class sessions are a mixture of lecture and case discussion. Assignments include textbook problems, analysis of financial statements, and cases. Our goal is to help you develop a framework for understanding financial, managerial, and tax reports. The course goal is divided into five subordinate challenges that can help you organize the way you learn accounting: The record keeping and reporting challenge The computation challenge The judgment challenge The usage challenge The search challenge The course adopts a decision-maker perspective of accounting by emphasizing the relation between accounting data and the underlying economic events generating them.