Companies are two sided ledgers of assets and liabilities that change over time. This can be summarized as an income statement, balance sheet and cashflow statement. This module will provide students with a solid grounding in the mechanics of financial reporting, focusing on (1) theoretical frameworks, (2) entries that connect different financial statements and (3) information that can be created by manipulating financial data (e.g. ratios and changes over time). From this starting point, students will be expected to discern, from a venture’s financial statements, its current financial dynamics and where the firm is in its life cycle. These skills will enable detailed analysis of financial data, the application of valuation techniques, and investment and business decisions regarding the venture.

This module aims to provide students with a solid grounding in the accounting related to financial reporting and analysis. Although many sessions will be based on the actual financial reports of large companies, the detail and analysis will be tailored such that it is appropriate to smaller firms and startups that may be more relevant to the venture capital and private equity arena. The material of the module will connect with related modules on the MSc Venture Capital, Private Equity with Fintech.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module you will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical framework of financial reporting.
	Analyse an income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.
	Explain accounting terms such as gross profit and operating profit, or accounts receivable and accounts payable.
	Identify the key differences between GAAP standards used in America and IFRS used in Europe and elsewhere.
	Generate financial information from standardized financial reports.
	Apply valuation techniques to analyse financial information.
	Make business, managerial and investment decisions based on an analysis of financial information.

This module will provide students with an introduction to qualitative research methods equipping students with the knowledge and skills to understand, design...