Accredited Financial Analyst - AFA Certification

It presents invaluable tools and techniques for market analysts who analyze such data, along with specialist issues including CFOs, Executives, Manager, financial managers, financial planners, portfolio managers, hedge fund managers, professionals in mergers and acquisitions, equity research professionals.

This AFA Accredited Financial Analyst ® Designation course focuses on the global markets and analysis thereof while also preparing the professional to understand financial statements and analyze financial, legal and economic data. It presents invaluable tools and techniques for market analysts who analyze such data, along with specialist issues including CFOs, Executives, Manager, financial managers, financial planners, portfolio managers, hedge fund managers, professionals in mergers and acquisitions, equity research professionals.

As a keen financial professional looking to constantly enhance your skills, we would like to invite you to participate in the AFA ® program that will provide you with unique but essential finance skills while providing a valuable qualification that you can use in the marketplace – Board Certification & Accreditation in Financial Analysis.

The world recognized American Academy of Financial Management® (AAFM) awards the certification and accreditation for this program. A formal professional designation will be provided by the AAFM ® in recognition of successful completion of the course, along with the status as a fellow member of the Academy. On satisfactory completion of the course, you will be entitled to use the designation Accredited Financial Analyst ® credential – and the Chartered Market Analyst (CMA™) on your business cards and resume.

In addition, if you are seeking a further qualification as a financial service professional you may choose to take additional Financial and Accounting training courses to earn an International Certification In Financial Services.

This course is accredited by AAFM – American Academy of Financial Management.

YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO

The program concentrates on the practical application of financial and capital markets theory, investment and portfolio management and principles at the operational level within the financial services organization, thus providing momentum for continuing professional and personal development.

By Attending This Course You Will:

• Learn Key Concepts in International Finance, Investment Selection, and analysis.

• Understand the principles of corporate valuations and finance against market operations

• Examine the differences between the debt and equity markets

• Learn the specifics of financial statements and corporate valuations

• Determine the fundamental and regulatory frameworks for mergers and acquisitions

• Examine the necessary research, reporting, and marketing techniques for analysts

Key benefits of attending this course

• Explore the latest advances in modern market analysis theory and differentiate your portfolio management skills by adopting international best practice

• Develop a checklist of key applied techniques in markets and financial analysis that will remain with you throughout your career

• Become an expert in interpreting risk and strategy in financial decisions

• Integrate optimum mix of legal, risk management, macro-forces, and valuation analysis development strategies

• Maximize and improve understanding of variables that affect IPOs, Secondary Markets, Portfolios, ETFs, Funds, and more.

• Appreciate the complexities of investing in emerging markets and develop strategies for managing risk and maximizing returns

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION

Participants who fully attend this course and complete the test on the last day will receive a Strategic Axis Professional Certificate (SAPC). SAPC certificates are regionally recognized and can be quite valuable when applying for more senior roles within the organization or outside.

Designation Recognition – awards the AFA ® Accredited Financial Analyst which is also the “FAD-CMA™” post-nominal, or Financial Analyst Designate – Chartered Market Analyst “Superior Standards as seen in the FINRA Reference Guide and also in the Investopedia Dictionary.”

AAFM Certification process you can find here.

COURSE OUTLINE

• Impact of economics on financial markets

• Understanding impact of economic state

• Time value of money/present value

• Net Present Value (NPV) and other methodologies (e.g., IRR)

• Risk/return analysis

• The capital asset pricing model

• Measuring betas

• Efficient markets theory and random walk model
• Impact of economics on financial markets

• Understanding impact of economic state

• Time value of money/present value

• Net Present Value (NPV) and other methodologies (e.g., IRR)

• Risk/return analysis

• The capital asset pricing model

• Measuring betas

• Efficient markets theory and random walk model

Module 2: Introduction To Financial Markets And Operations
• Equity Markets

• What is equity?

• Types of equity

• Cost of equity revisited

• Operation of equity markets

• Debt Markets

• What is debt?

• Debt forms

• Cost of debt revisited

• Operation of debt markets

Module 3: Financial Analysis And Valuations
• Financial Statements

• Key elements of financial statements

• Interpretation of financial statements

• Financial ratios

• Relationships between balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statements

• Valuation And Analysis

• Valuation methodologies

• Effects of environmental factors

• Understanding accounting assumptions and their effects

• Detection of financial report engineering

• Predicting financial distress

• Working capital management and analysis

Module 4: Mergers And Acquisitions (M&As) And Regulatory Framework – Market Cause And Effect
• Mergers And Acquisitions: The Deal Fundamentals

• Historical background

• Overview of the contemporary M&A marketplace

• Why engage in M&A?

• Results of M&A for acquirers

• Deal synergy

• Calculating M&A value

• Regulatory framework

• Role and responsibilities of securities regulators and exchange operators

• Sponsor rules for IPOs, as an example of the regulatory roles

• Corporate governance and its effect on companies (including the ACGA study)

• Conduct rules and ethics

Module 5: Research, Reporting And Marketing
• Research And Reporting Techniques

• Resources available to the market analyst

• Structuring data, scenarios, and hypotheses

• Writing an analyst report

• Presenting analyst data in a public forum

Module 6: Marketing And Sales For Finance
• Managing professional staff

• Organizational issues and strategies

• Marketing and brand issues

• Special issues for marketing hedge funds

• Business development strategies

• Understanding individual client needs

• Investment advisor’s duty of care