Every financial decision — whether to lend, invest, restructure or expand — eventually comes down to reading a set of numbers correctly. Financial analysis is the discipline that turns raw figures into judgement, letting decision-makers measure performance, diagnose financial health, and choose the right path forward with confidence.

This programme builds that discipline step by step: understanding what the statements say, applying the right analytical technique to the right question, and using the results to support real planning and strategic decisions. It also looks at how the profession is evolving, from spreadsheet-based ratio analysis to AI-assisted forecasting, while keeping a firm grip on the ethical responsibilities that come with handling financial data.

Who Should Attend?

• Entrepreneurs and business owners who need to understand the financial dimensions of their ventures
• Financial managers and accountants seeking to sharpen their analytical skills
• Financial planning and budgeting officers in organisations
• Employees in banks, investment, insurance, and accounting firms

Knowledge and Benefits

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Interpret and analyse financial statements professionally
• Apply financial analysis tools and methods with confidence
• Use financial ratios to assess institutional performance
• Understand cash flows and how they relate to financial health
• Support financial decision-making with solid analytical evidence

• Why Financial Analysis Matters: Purpose, Users and Approaches

  • Definition and importance of financial analysis in management
  • Differences between internal and external analysis, and stakeholders who benefit from it
  • Main approaches: horizontal, vertical, ratio and comparative analysis

• The Financial Statements Behind Every Analysis

  • Components of the balance sheet
  • Understanding the income statement and interpreting its results
  • Structure and significance of the cash flow statement

• Horizontal and Vertical Analysis Techniques

  • Examining changes in financial items over multiple periods and measuring growth or decline
  • Expressing items as a percentage of the total and analysing relative distribution
  • Comparing consecutive financial periods and evaluating financial trends

• Measuring Profitability

  • Gross, operating and net profit margins
  • Return on Assets (ROA)
  • Return on Equity (ROE)

• Liquidity and Operational Efficiency Ratios

  • Current ratio, quick ratio and analysis of the collection cycle
  • Asset turnover ratio and inventory turnover ratio
  • Working capital cycle

• Leverage and Debt Ratios

  • Debt-to-equity ratio and interest coverage ratio
  • Risks of expansion using financial leverage

• Cash Flow Analysis: Operating, Investing and Financing

  • Understanding sources of operating cash and the difference between profits and cash flow
  • Assessing net institutional investments and sources of financing
  • Cash performance indicators and analysing financial flow balance

• Economic Value Added (EVA): Concept, Calculation and Use

  • Definition of EVA and how it differs from traditional indicators
  • Calculating the cost of capital and analysing return on investment versus cost
  • Using EVA for corporate financial evaluation and linking it to strategic performance

• Trend Analysis and Market Benchmarking

  • Analysing financial performance over multiple periods and identifying structural changes
  • Forecasting future financial shifts
  • Benchmarking against competitors using reference standards
  • Identifying relative strengths and weaknesses

• Financial Feasibility Analysis for New Projects

  • Financial evaluation of investments
  • Using indicators such as NPV and IRR
  • Risk analysis related to financing

• Financial Analysis as a Planning Tool

  • Building financial plans based on analysis
  • Identifying future funding needs
  • Supporting expansion and contraction decisions

• Digital and AI-Driven Financial Analysis

  • Transitioning to digital analysis systems and using financial software (e.g. Excel, Power BI)
  • Automating reports and indicators
  • Predictive models using big data, reading patterns and forecasting future financial trends
  • Decision-support tools for smart management

• Ethics, Confidentiality and Professional Responsibility

  • Transparency and accuracy in reporting, and avoiding manipulation or misleading analysis
  • Legal responsibilities of financial analysts
  • Protecting financial information and internal controls and compliance
  • Impact of financial disclosure on investors