Course Overview
This intensive Financial Modeling & Decision Making course equips professionals with advanced Excel skills and financial modeling techniques to support strategic business decisions. Participants will learn to build dynamic, error-free financial models, perform scenario analysis, and evaluate investment opportunities. Through hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, attendees will master best practices in financial forecasting, valuation, and data-driven decision making.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Build robust, scalable financial models using Excel
- Apply best practices in financial modeling structure and design
- Create integrated financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow)
- Perform valuation using DCF, comparables, and M&A techniques
- Conduct scenario and sensitivity analysis for risk assessment
- Develop dashboards and data visualization for executive decision making
- Make capital budgeting decisions using NPV, IRR, and payback period
Who Should Attend?
- Financial analysts & associates
- Investment bankers & private equity professionals
- Corporate finance managers
- Business analysts & strategy consultants
- Entrepreneurs & business owners
- CFOs and finance directors
- MBA students & finance professionals seeking skill enhancement
Course Outline
Module 1: Financial Modeling Best Practices
- Golden rules of financial modeling
- Model structure and design principles
- Excel shortcuts and productivity tools
Module 2: Building Model Assumptions
- Drivers and key inputs
- Time series conventions
- Handling circular references
Hands-on Exercise: Building a simple operating model
Module 3: Income Statement Modeling
- Revenue build-ups and cost structures
- Depreciation and amortization schedules
Module 4: Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Integration
- Working capital management
- Debt and equity scheduling
- Cash flow waterfall mechanics
Case Study: Building a 3-statement model for a manufacturing company
Module 5: Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation
- Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
- Terminal value calculations
- Football field analysis
Module 6: Comparable Company Analysis
- Selecting appropriate multiples
- Trading and transaction comps
- Valuation reconciliation
Workshop: Valuing a tech startup using multiple methods
Module 7: Scenario and Sensitivity Analysis
- Data tables and scenario manager
- Tornado and spider charts
- Monte Carlo simulation basics
Module 8: M&A and LBO Modeling
- Acquisition assumptions
- Debt financing structures
- IRR analysis for private equity
Case Study: Building a merger model for a cross-border acquisition
Module 9: Capital Budgeting
- NPV vs IRR vs Payback Period
- Capital rationing techniques
- Real options valuation
Module 10: Dashboarding & Executive Presentation
- Data visualization best practices
- Building dynamic dashboards
- Presenting model outputs effectively
Final Project: Complete a capstone modeling assignment with presentation