MASTERING FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS & REPORTING
“Turning Numbers into Insights: Interpreting Financial Statements for Strategic Decision-Making”
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
| 29 – 30 Jan 2025 | Dubai, UAE | USD 1995 per delegate |
Course Introduction
In an era of data-driven decisions and financial transparency, the ability to interpret financial statements is essential for professionals across functions. Financial statements are more than compliance documents—they provide a window into an organization’s health, performance, and strategic direction. This intensive two-day program empowers participants to understand, analyze, and communicate financial statements confidently. The course integrates global best practices, analytical tools, and real business cases to equip participants with actionable insights for planning, evaluation, and performance monitoring.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand and interpret the structure and purpose of the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement.
- Apply vertical, horizontal, and ratio analysis techniques to assess financial performance.
- Evaluate a company’s liquidity, profitability, solvency, and efficiency.
- Detect red flags, trends, and risks in financial reporting.
- Translate financial results into strategic insights for decision-making.
- Prepare and present basic financial analysis reports to stakeholders.
Key Benefits of Attending
- Learn to see beyond the numbers and uncover what’s really happening in a business.
- Gain hands-on experience analyzing real-world financial data.
- Strengthen your ability to support business planning and investment decisions.
- Improve your ability to communicate financial performance with clarity and confidence.
- Support strategic goals with credible financial insight.
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
- Financial and business analysts
- Accountants and controllers
- Project and operations managers
- Internal auditors and finance officers
- Non-finance professionals seeking financial fluency.
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
- Financial statement literacy
- Financial analysis and reporting skills
- Decision-support based on financial data
- Risk identification and benchmarking
- Financial communication and reporting
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
- Improved business planning and financial analysis capability
- Stronger performance evaluation and reporting processes
- Enhanced budgeting and forecasting support
- Better collaboration between finance and non-finance teams
- More informed and financially aware management culture.
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
- Guided Lectures – Financial statement structure and analysis logic
- Case Studies – Real-world company performance reviews
- Ratio Labs – Hands-on calculation and interpretation practice
- Reporting Exercises – Summary creation and insight writing
- Peer Interaction – Collaborative analysis and presentations
- Templates – Statement checklists, dashboards, and analysis models
Course Outline
Detailed 2-Day Course Outline
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Understanding and Analyzing Financial Statements
Module 1: Foundations of Financial Reporting (07:30 – 09:30)
- Structure of income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow
- Relationship among statements and key terminology
- Financial reporting standards and disclosures
Module 2: Vertical and Horizontal Analysis Techniques (09:45 – 11:15)
- Trend analysis using time-series data
- Common-size analysis for comparison
- Limitations and interpretation context
Module 3: Profitability, Liquidity & Solvency Metrics (11:30 – 01:00)
- Key ratios: current, quick, ROE, ROA, gross/net margin
- Short-term and long-term risk indicators
- How investors and stakeholders use ratios
Module 4: Financial Health Analysis – Case Study (02:00 – 03:30)
- Apply techniques to a real company’s statements
- Group review and reporting of findings
Day 2: Communication, Risk Detection, and Reporting
Module 5: Assessing Earnings Quality and Red Flags (07:30 – 09:30)
- Identifying aggressive accounting practices
- Accruals vs. cash earnings
- Warning signs in footnotes and disclosures
Module 6: Building a Financial Analysis Report (09:45 – 11:15)
- Structuring your findings and insights
- Key charts, dashboards, and summaries
- Aligning content to your audience
Module 7: Communicating Financial Insights (11:30 – 01:00)
- Tailoring your message to stakeholders
- Graphical and verbal presentation of financials
- Linking analysis to strategic implications
Module 8: Final Presentations and Wrap-Up (02:00 – 03:30)
- Participants present summary analyses
- Feedback, action plans, and certification briefing
Certification
Participants who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion in Mastering Financial Statement Analysis & Reporting, recognizing their capability to interpret, analyze, and communicate financial performance with clarity and insight.