The two-day course is trainer-led and necessarily hands-on at all points with the participants being introduced to fundamental accounting concepts. This course is essential for analysts in understanding fundamental accounting terminology, the contents of the annual report and various techniques that can be applied in financial analysis. The course uses excel based exercises as real-world case studies to enhance understanding of key accounting concepts as well.

Skills You
Will Gain

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How a company’s business and financing activities are reflected in its financial statements

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The components of financial statements: Balance sheet, profit and loss and cash flow and key notes to the accounts

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The distinction between cash flow and profits

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How to measure operating, investing and financial performance using appropriate ratios and cash flow tools

Who
Should Attend

Professionals in corporates and financial institutions who wish to improve their knowledge of financial statements and their ability to analyze them.

Course
Content

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MODULE

The Big Picture

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

  • Management vs. financial reporting
  • The concepts of GAAP and IFRS

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MODULE

The Annual Report

A holistic view of the purpose and uses of accounting, including:

  • Stakeholder usefulness
  • Where to find information in the annual report
  • Introduction to the key accounting concepts
  • Purpose of accounting standards
  • The accounting equation
  • The 3 financial statements and the key links between them

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MODULE

The Income Statement

Understanding the key drivers of reported profit and the financial metrics used to analyze financial performance.

  • Revenue recognition
    • Identifying performance obligations
  • Operating cost structure
    • Direct vs. indirect
    • Fixed vs. variable
  • Income statement leverage
  • Income statement ratios
  • Key terminology; EBIT, EBITDA, EBITDAR
  • EPS terminology
    • Basic vs. diluted

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MODULE

Balance Sheet

Analyzing the constituents of assets, liabilities and equity, and interpreting key financial metrics based on these drivers.

  • Current assets
    • Identification of and distinction between working capital and operating working capital
    • Working capital days and the cash operating cycle
    • Liquidity ratios
  • Intangible non-current assets
    • Goodwill vs Intangibles
    • Impairment and revaluation
  • Tangible non-current assets
    • Expensing vs. capitalization
    • Cost vs. revaluation
    • Asset turnover – a measure of corporate efficiency
    • Impairment
  • Financing
    o Debt vs equity
    o Net debt
    o Ratio calculations: Efficiency, leverage and coverage

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MODULE

Statement of Cash Flow

  • Purpose of the cash flow statement
  • Difference between profit and cash flow
  • Cash flow categorization (operating, investing, financing)
  • Direct method
  • Indirect method

Excel based to enhance understanding of the key links between financial statements.


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MODULE

Analysis of Financial Statements

  • Normalization adjustments for non-recurring items
  • Understanding key ratios in finance
  • Asset ratios
  • Working capital ratios
  • Financing ratios
  • Dupont analysis

Instructor-led case study – analysis of key metrics of a real company


Upcoming
Dates

22 - 23 Sep 20252 DaysVirtual ClassroomSGT2795 USD
15 - 16 Sep 20252 DaysIn-person ClassroomLondon2295 GBP
07 - 08 May 20252 DaysIn-person ClassroomFrankfurt2795 EUR
06 - 07 Nov 20252 DaysIn-person ClassroomFrankfurt2795 EUR
22 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025
Virtual Classroom
SGT
USD2795
15 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025
In-person classroom
London
GBP2295
7 May 2025 - 8 May 2025
In-person classroom
Frankfurt
EUR2795
6 Nov 2025 - 7 Nov 2025
In-person classroom
Frankfurt
EUR2795

Frequently
Asked questions

All courses start at 9am and end at 5pm.

Our courses are designed to be both engaging and flexible, offering a mix of classroom and virtual options to accommodate different preferences. Virtual classroom courses are via Zoom. The courses range from 1 to 5 days in duration, providing an immersive learning experience that is both interactive and case study-based. This approach ensures that participants can apply practical insights to real-world scenarios. The sessions are conducted by experienced trainers who were previously industry practitioners, bringing a wealth of knowledge and firsthand expertise to the training environment.

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.

You will receive joining instructions two weeks before the course start date, as long as we have received payment in advance of this.

Is there pre-course reading?
In order to optimize 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. You will need to bring a laptop or tablet to the course in order to access the course materials, as these will only be available electronically.

Can I pay via an invoice?
Yes. We will issue you an invoice, if requested at the point of booking.

When do I need to pay?
If your company is paying your invoice for you, your company will have 30 days in which to process it. If you are paying for the course yourself, you will need to pay before attendance.

What’s the accepted payment methods?
We accept bank transfers or payments via Mastercard, Visa or Amex (except Euro payments).

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. Based on this, we need to charge the appropriate Tax/VAT in each country we provide classroom based courses. The current rate of 20% VAT is added to courses taking place in London, 19% in Frankfurt, 9% in Singapore and 5% in Dubai. In other locations we may need to charge a sales tax although not currently for New York.

If I am unable to attend can I send a substitute?
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.

Can I transfer my booked course to another date?
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.

Can I cancel my course booking?
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.

What happens if I do not attend my course?
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 are unable to send anything more than our standard course communication. This communication will detail the course you are attending, the location and dates, so it will provide you with all of the information you require to submit a visa application.

No, we do not typically record a public course session. The only time we will record a session, is if a delegate is receiving funding and this is a requirement of the funding provider. In these cases, the recording is only shared with the funding provider and delegates do not receive a copy.

Accreditations and Endorsements

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