Introduction

This seminar provides an understanding of the essential fundamentals of corporate finance, strategy, financial management, budgeting, and costing. Contemporary practical examples are presented together with the theoretical principles to make the theory come to life. The overriding objective of this seminar is to present a number of integrated and powerful principles and best practices to help develop analytical skills and the decision-making capacity of the participants. The program will enable you to:

• Appreciate the importance of using the appropriate financial strategy to create shareholder value above market expectations
• Consider how corporate behavior impacts on the achievement of corporate objectives, and the importance of corporate governance
• Understand financial strategy relating to stages of corporate development and capital structure
• Use and evaluate the various techniques of capital investment appraisal
• Effectively manage cash and working capital to reduce costs and improve cash flow
• Master the finance and accounting jargon to understand business processes
• Cost analysis for budgeting purposes and decision making
• Financial and operational measures to support the budgeting process
• Best practices to manage organizational performance
• Link strategy to costing and performance evaluation

Course Objectives of Financial Strategy & Accounting Skills

At the end of this seminar delegates will be able to:

• Use and evaluate the various techniques of capital investment appraisal
• Develop appropriate financial strategies
• Relate financial strategy to business strategy
• Effectively manage cash and working capital to reduce costs and improve cash flow
• Master traditional techniques and recent best practices
• Link finance and operation for budgeting purposes and strategy execution
• Understand and manage an efficient costing system
• Learn how to build a comprehensive performance measurement system

Course Outlines of Financial Strategy & Accounting Skills

DAY 1:

Financial Strategy and Corporate Behaviour

• Corporate Objectives and Financial Strategy
• Financial Statements – Analysis and interpretation (Part 1)
• Risk and Company Financing
• Cost of Equity and Debt Capital
• Agency Theory
• Corporate Governance
• Financial Statements and regulation

DAY 2:

Financial Strategy and Stages of Corporate Development

• Financial analysis – Analysis and interpretation (Part 2)
• Strategic Development – Analytical Techniques
• Du Pont Analysis
• The Business Life Cycle
• Capital Structure and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
• Dividend Policy
• Cash & Working Capital
• Working capital ratios
• Z scores & Credit Ratings

DAY 3 :

Costs & Value Management

• Cost and Value
• Cost Analysis and control
• Strategic approaches to cost reduction and cost management
• Cost Structure and breakeven
• New theories and practices in cost analysis. control and management
• Value management
• Value-based pricing
• The value chain
• Financial strategy and integrated cost/value analysis

DAY 4:

Budgeting, Planning and Business Strategy

• Strategy models
• Business Strategy related to financial strategy
• Planning and budgeting models
• Linking budgets to business and financial strategy
• Build Managing
• Delegating budgets effectively
• Beyond Budgeting

DAY 5:

Investment Strategy

Capital Investment Decisions

• Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)
• Evaluating Capital Investment Projects
• Comparison of Alternative Methods of Investment Appraisal
• Capital Budgeting

Restructuring, Reorganisations, Mergers, and Acquisitions

• Reasons and Justifications for Mergers and Acquisitions
• Share Valuation Models and Financing Acquisitions
• Financial Strategy in Acquisitions and Takeover Bid Defences
• Business Restructuring and Reorganisations