This course focuses on the construction and interpretation of corporate financial reports, which are used by external parties (including investors, creditors, and regulators). Actual financial statements from real companies are discussed so that students become accustomed to the many variations that these reports take. Students gain a solid understanding of financial statements and the ability to use them for decision-making.
Management decisions are often made under conditions of uncertainty. This course introduces a framework for thinking about problems involving uncertainty and, building on this framework, develops tools for interpreting data. The emphasis is on applying the concepts rather than on theoretical development. The goal is to provide an appropriate foundation in probability and statistics for subsequent courses and for a management career.
The ability to express oneself effectively is a key determinant of the impact and influence one is able to have within an organization. Given the central role financial analysis plays in a business setting, it is equally critical to have a strong skill set in presenting, describing and interpreting spreadsheet data and graphs.
This course provides a rigorous treatment of the fundamental principles of capital markets, investments, and asset pricing. Topics include income and equity securities and markets, asset allocation, asset pricing models, active portfolio management, performance evaluation, the interaction between capital markets and the macro economy, as well as alternative investments such as hedge funds and private equity.