LOOKING BEYOND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (PART 1)

HOW WILL THIS COURSE BENEFIT YOU?



BY ATTENDING THIS TRAINING, YOU WILL :

- understand your own company's financial statements better to prepare and strategise your messages to an ever discerning/demanding stakeholders' audience.

- know the need to build the "extra edge" as a result of the changes of the investing landscape (i.e. capital markets are very competitive today and investment managers require high calibre information)

- learn to deliver more convincing messages by letting your financial figures and facts speak for you

- be able to prepare in advance in addressing the financial queries and concerns more objectively before you are being asked.

- have a clearer picture as to how your company is navigated towards its operating and strategic goals


WHO SHOULD ATTEND

ALL NON FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES IN THE COMPANY WHO ARE INVOLVED IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING :


CEOs

COOs

Investor Relations Executives/Managers

PR Executives/ Managers

CorpComms Managers

Non Finance Managers



Course outline

This course highlights the essentials of the financial skills so as to build an 'extra edge' to the ever increasing demand of the stakeholders as a result of the increasing competition for funds in the capital markets. As such, all companies need to equip their teams with solid and practical financial knowledge so as to address their information needs and concerns. This training will give the participants a practical insight of better handling these challenges in looking beyond financial statements. Unlike a large-scale conference, this workshop capacity is deliberately kept to a manageable classroom size to facilitate effective learning and meaningful discussion.

PROGRAM OUTLINE

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

No matter what size the company and nature of its business, it is essential to acknowledge and recognise the importance of its financial statements as a mean to understand its performance and financial health.

The question arises here is whether understanding the financial statements is sufficient.

HOW TO HAVE A QUICK VIEW ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

- 9 pointers

- what are they

- why they are important

It is important to have a helicopter view of the company so as not to lose sight of their core objectives in the course of running their day-to-day operations, often losing battles not of knowledge but of the minds of both senior management and the investing community.

MAIN COMPONENTS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

- what are they

- you can not read them in isolation, but in integral parts

- let your financial figures and facts speak for you

- their relevance and limitations

- the key messages they are telling you

Understand each component of the financial statements; their usefulness and limitations. What is more important is the key message they are telling you.

FINANCIAL RATIOS

- serve as measuring tools, monitoring, comparing and bench marking

- objective assessment

- 7 main types

- the underlying factors/ causes

Understand each type of ratios; their relevance and limitations. What are the convincing messages and the concerns you need to address so as to achieve both of your operating and strategic goals.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

- definition

- characteristics

- why it is important

This is vitally important for you to stay focus on these key indicators to ensure that you are working towards your goals.

OTHER FACTORS

- Industry outlook

- trend analysis

- the operating environment

Understand the external changes that will have implications on your company and the mitigation factors. Their risks and opportunities. Be vigilant to these changes and responsive effectively.

FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS AND THEIR KEY ASSUMPTIONS

To give a foreseeable outcome based on the reliable and objective assumptions

The likely scenario based on their reliable and consistent key assumptions in a forseeable operating environment so as to gain confidence from the financial community and trust ultimately.