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Description

Corporate Finance: Analysing, Using and Communicating Financial Statements

Read financial statements, draw a diagnosis from them and present it to non-financial audiences

  • 0.75 days — 5.25 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

Financial statements circulate but are rarely put to use. Profit is commented on without being linked to cash, profitability and solvency are confused, and discussions with the bank or executive management come down to presenting raw figures with no overall reading.

These five hours of virtual training make the accounts usable. Participants restate a balance sheet and an income statement, calculate the relevant margins and ratios, connect operations to the movement in cash, then build a financial message that non-specialists can understand.

Learning objectives

  • Read a balance sheet and an income statement by identifying the main aggregates
  • Calculate intermediate margins and profitability and structure ratios
  • Analyse working capital requirements and their effect on cash
  • Build an evidence-based financial diagnosis across several reporting periods
  • Present a financial situation to a non-financial audience

What makes this programme different

The analysis is conducted on a complete set of financial statements from reading through to diagnosis
The link between profit and cash is taken apart using a case where the two diverge
Presenting findings orally to a non-financial audience is practised at the end of the session

Programme

1Reading Financial Statements

Knowing where to look first

  • Structure of the balance sheet and the logic of the main aggregates
  • Income statement and how profit is built up level by level
  • Intermediate operating margins and cash generation capacity
  • Useful information contained in the notes to the accounts

2Financial Diagnosis

Moving from figures to interpretation

  • Operating profitability and financial structure ratios
  • Working capital requirement
  • working capital and net cash position
  • Reading cash flows and funding requirements
  • Comparison across several reporting periods and sector benchmarking

3Decision-Making and Financial Communication

Creating understanding and enabling decisions

  • Assessing the profitability of an investment
  • Choosing between funding options
  • Building a financial message for management or the bank
  • Selecting the indicators to highlight according to the audience

Who is it for

Finance team members · operational managers · business founders who wish to make effective use of financial statements.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge required

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.