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There are 4 modules in this course
In this course, you’ll explore how financial statement data and non-financial metrics can be linked to financial performance. Professors Rick Lambert and Chris Ittner of the Wharton School have designed this course to help you gain a practical understanding of how data is used to assess what drives financial performance and forecast future financial scenarios. You’ll learn more about the frameworks of financial reporting, income statements, and cash reporting, and apply different approaches to analyzing financial performance using real-life examples to see the concepts in action. By the end of this course, you’ll have honed your skills in understanding how financial data and non-financial data interact to forecast events and be able to determine the best financial strategy for your organization.
This module was designed to give you a foundational overview of financial reporting and income statements. You’ll identify and analyze balance sheet equations and its key components such as assets, liabilities, and shareholders’ equity. Through examining a sample real-world financial statement, you’ll learn how to calculate income, revenue, and expenses transactions, and see how the income statement is linked to changes in the balance sheet. By the end of this module, you’ll have a better understanding of the key components in financial reporting and learn how to craft an accurate income statement for your organization.
What's included
11 videos1 reading3 assignments
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 91 minutes
Course Introduction•9 minutes
An Overview of Accounting and the Financial Reporting Environment•12 minutes
Case 1, Part 1 - Balance Sheet Transactions•6 minutes
Application to Real-World Financial Statements: Large U.S.-Based Multinational Consumer Goods Company (Part 1)•7 minutes
Income, Revenue, and Expenses•8 minutes
Case 1, Part 2 - Revenue and Expense Transactions•6 minutes
Adjusting Entries•7 minutes
Case 1, Part 3 - Adjusting Entries•9 minutes
Application to Real-World Financial Statements: Large U.S.-Based Multinational Consumer Goods Company (Part 2)•7 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Financial Acumen for Non-Financial Managers Key Takeaways•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Module 1 Quiz 1 - Balance Sheet and Income Statement•30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz 2 - Balance Sheet and Income Statement•30 minutes
Practice Quiz #1•30 minutes
Module 2: Cash Flow Statement
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you’ll examine cash flow statements further, and take a closer look at methods of creating cash flow statements. Using your understanding of financial reporting, you’ll be able to classify different business activities into separate categories such as operating, investing, and financing activities. Through analyzing the real-world financial statement from the previous module, you’ll learn about both direct and indirect methods of creating cash flow statements. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to differentiate between various business activities and effectively utilize both direct and indirect methods of creating cash flow statements for your organization.
What's included
5 videos1 reading3 assignments
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 52 minutes
Financing Cash Flows•12 minutes
Case 1, Part 4 - Cash Flow Statement Direct Method•5 minutes
Cash Flow Statement - Indirect Method•17 minutes
Case 1, Part 5 - Cash Flow Statement Indirect Method•8 minutes
Application to Real-World Financial Statements: Large U.S.-Based Multinational Consumer Goods Company (Part 3)•10 minutes
In this module, you’ll examine a systematic approach to ratio analysis and other common tools of financial statement analysis. You’ll develop an understanding of ratios and liquidity measures so you can accurately assess risk within your organization’s financial activities. You’ll discover different approaches to profitability measures such as Earnings Per Share (EPS), Return on Equity (ROE), and the Dupont Analysis. You will be able to match Return on Assets (ROA) to various types of companies and gain a better understanding of the drivers of ROA. Then, you’ll explore the concepts of sales revenue and different qualities of earnings. By the end of this module, you’ll understand the theoretical basis behind ratio analysis, and be able to employ different ratio analyses and accurately calculate profitability measures for your organization.
What's included
5 videos2 assignments
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 61 minutes
Overview of Ratio Analysis•14 minutes
Profitability Measures•16 minutes
Drilling Deeper into Return on Assets•14 minutes
Sales and Earnings Quality•8 minutes
A More Sophisticated Calculation of ROA•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Module 3 Quiz•30 minutes
Practice Quiz #3•30 minutes
Module 4: Linking Non-Financial Metrics to Financial Performance
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you’ll discover how to determine which non-financial performance measures predict financial results through asking these fundamental questions: Of the hundreds of non-financial measures, which are the key drivers of financial success? How do you rank or weight non-financial measures which don’t share a common denominator? And what performance targets are desirable? You’ll examine comprehensive examples of how companies have used accounting data to show how investments in non-financial dimensions pay off in the future and important organizational issues that commonly arise using these models. By the end of this module, you’ll know how predictive analytics can be used to determine what you should be measuring, how to weight different performance measures when trying to analyze potential financial results, how to make trade-offs between short-term and long-term objectives, and how to set performance targets for optimal financial performance.
What's included
7 videos2 assignments
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 93 minutes
Overview•14 minutes
Step 1: Identifying the Right Drivers•16 minutes
Step 2: Setting Targets•13 minutes
Comprehensive Examples•13 minutes
Incorporating Analysis Results in Financial Models•14 minutes
The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.
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R
RM
5·
Reviewed on Mar 31, 2021
Very thorough. Great use of real world examples and faculty are knowledgable and present the materials in an easy to learn format.
H
HK
4·
Reviewed on Aug 13, 2022
Very well structured, suitable for non financial experts, provides a good overview and introduction into the financial world.Would appreciate more content into the slides.
J
JL
4·
Reviewed on Feb 10, 2022
Basic overview on Financial Analysis. Should bring in more healthcare related items and review healthcare financial statements and financial drivers
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What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
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