Advanced Financial Analysis and Reporting

This capstone unit deepens students’ ability to analyze and interpret financial statements, forecasts, cash flows, and auditor reports to assess company performance, financing decisions, and reporting quality. Students will also detect and respond to signs of fraud, restatements, and compliance issues while practicing professional communication of findings and recommendations.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze income statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flows to calculate and interpret key ratios, assess EPS drivers, identify unusual gains/losses and depreciation effects, and detect signs of financial distress or misstatement
• Apply forecasting and projection techniques to build and test earnings and cash-flow forecasts, perform sensitivity analysis on EPS and bottom-line metrics, and use projections to inform financing and capital decisions
• Evaluate internal controls, audit reports, and cash-flow reconciliation procedures to identify risks of embezzlement, fraud, restatement, or reporting bias and recommend appropriate remediation or disclosure actions
• Demonstrate professional preparation and presentation of concise financial summaries, disclosures, and recommendations that address financing options, compliance with reporting standards, and the inherent limitations of financial reports