The Basics of Financial Modeling

The ability to create and understand financial models that assess the valuation of a company, the projects it undertakes, and its future earnings/profit projections is one of the most valued skills in corporate finance. However, while many business professionals are familiar with financial statements and accounting reports, few are truly proficient at building an accurate and effective financial model from the ground up. In his short book, The Basics of Financial Modeling—an abridgement of his Handbook of Financial Modeling—Jack Avon equips financial professionals with a quick overview of the tools they need to monitor a company’s assets and project its future performance and prospects for specific initiatives.

Based on the author’s extensive experience building models in business and finance—and teaching others to do the same—The Basics of Financial Modeling takes readers step by step in a quick-read format through the financial modeling process, starting with a general overview of the history and evolution of financial modeling. It then moves on to more technical topics, such as the principles of financial modeling and the proper way to approach a financial modeling assignment, before covering key application areas for modeling in Microsoft Excel.

Designed for beginning to intermediate modelers who wish to expand and enhance their knowledge of using Excel to build financial models, The Basics of Financial Modeling covers:

• The accounting and finance concepts that underpin working financial models
• How to approach financial issues and solutions from a modeler’s perspective
• The importance of thinking about end users when developing a financial model
• How to plan, design, and build a financial model

A nuts-to-bolts guide to solving common financial problems with spreadsheets, The Basics of Financial Modeling is a one-stop resource for anyone who needs to build or analyze financial models.

What you’ll learn

• Key financial modeling principles, including best practices, principles around calculations, and the importance of producing clean, clear financial models
• How to design and implement a projection model that allows the user to change inputs quickly for sensitivity testing
• The proper way to approach a financial modeling assignment, from project planning all the way through to the documentation of the model’s findings and effectiveness
• How to model in Microsoft Excel, including how to set up an Excel environment, how to format worksheets, and the correct application of various modeling formulae
• The skills and knowledge they need to become more proficient financial modelers and differentiate themselves from their professional competitors.

Who this book is for

Written in a clear, concise manner and filled with screen shots that will facilitate readers’ comprehension of the financial modeling process, The Basics of Financial Modeling is appropriate for those new to financial modeling as well as those who would like to enhance their modeling proficiency.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Financial Modeling: An Overview
Chapter 2. Financial Modeling Best Practice
Chapter 3. Modeling Functions and Tool
Chapter 4. Planning Your Model
Chapter 5. Testing and Documenting Your Model
Chapter 6. Designing and Building Your Model
Chapter 7. Financial-Based Calculations
Chapter 8. Logical and Structural-Based Calculations
Appendix A. Keyboard Shortcuts