ENSAE Paris - École d'ingénieurs pour l'économie, la data science, la finance et l'actuariat

Accounting and financial analysis

Objective

The course in financial analysis and business diagnosis sets itself two primary objectives: raising students' awareness of the main financial constraints (solvency and risk management, performance etc.) and their implications for the development of businesses and their main functions; teaching them the main practical methods of financial diagnosis in preparation for conducting statistical or monographic studies or for taking up concrete roles in financial management.

Planning

  1. Analysis objectives -Taking account of financial constraints. Evaluating financial risk. Evaluating financial performance. Financial analysis and business evaluation.
  2. Professional applications of financial analysis -Applications inside and outside the company. Operational applications. Applications linked to economic and financial studies.
  3. Fundamental approaches to analysis
  4. An asset-based approach -Analysis of the balance sheet and asset structure. Evaluating working capital. The information provided by the cash relationship. Using the ratios method.
  5. An approach in terms of cash flows -Reconstituting cash flows. Studying the sources and uses of funds statement. Extending the analysis of cash flows.
  6. Critical analysis of performance indicators -The problems raised by the traditional accounting indicators. Comparing accounting, economic and financial performance indicators.
  7. Evaluating performance -The information provided by the profitability ratios. Financial performance and financing structure. Problems posed by the volatility of the results.
  8. Financial analysis and strategic diagnosis -Strategic analysis, internal and external diagnosis. Financial analysis and evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the business. Evaluating the range of activities.
  9. From financial analysis to management planning -Analysis and financial plans, analysis and budgets.
  10. Financial analysis and business evaluation -The evaluation process. Stock exchange analysis. The case of restructuring operations: LMBO, mergers and acquisitions.

References

VERNIMMEN P., QUIRY P., LE FUR Y. et CEDAHA F. (2002) : Finance d’entreprise,  Dalloz.