Foundations of Financial Analysis

About this course

Build a strong foundation in financial analysis by learning how to interpret, connect, and evaluate the three core financial statements: the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. This financial analysis course introduces key accounting principles, IFRS standards, and the analyst techniques used to assess financial performance, identify risks, and improve comparability across companies and industries. Learners will explore revenue recognition, depreciation and amortization, inventory accounting, consolidation, provisions, and the major IFRS vs. US GAAP differences relevant to financial analysis. Through practical examples, mini case studies, and hands-on exercises, you will learn how accounting policy choices affect metrics such as EBITDA, ROIC, earnings quality, and cash flow. The course also examines common financial misrepresentation tactics, including revenue manipulation, expense classification issues, capitalization practices, and non-recurring adjustments. By the end, you will be able to apply financial statement analysis with greater confidence, detect red flags, and perform normalized financial analysis for informed business and investment decision-making.