ACCTFIN 7017 - Financial Statement Analysis (M)

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2023

Financial Statement Analysis provides a framework for analysing and interpreting financial statement data in a variety of business valuation contexts. This course focuses on teaching managers and business analysts the skills to understand how business transactions are accounted for, and how these transactions appear in financial statements. In particular, the course helps to disentangle critical information that may have been disguised amidst transactional complexities and ?creative? financial reporting. The pedagogy adopted for this course is deliberately designed to closely follow the set text, and the range of applied questions provided in the text.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ACCTFIN 7017
    Course Financial Statement Analysis (M)
    Coordinating Unit Accounting
    Term Semester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites ACCTING 7019, CORPFIN 7005, CORPFIN 7033, ECON 7200
    Assessment Exam/assignments/tests/tutorial work as prescribed at first lecture
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Kent Wilson

    Teaching Staff:

    Name: Kent Wilson
    Email:


    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1 Ask and seek relevant information
    2 Analyse financial statements for business decision making
    3 Differentiate between factual and creative financial reporting
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1,2,3

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    .

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    .

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1,2,3
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Subramanyam, K. R. 2014. Financial Statements Analysis, 11th Edition, McGraw-Hill New York.
    Recommended Resources
    Other Recommended Reading
    A list of recommended reading for further study will be available on the course webpages as appropriate to the topics.

    Other Resources:
    Other resources will be found by searching the internet. One that may be useful is: http://au.finance.yahoo.com/ for various news items and business data. Also, the company website of the assigned company will provide mush useful information.
    Online Learning
    Please check your student email and MyUni as course-related announcements are communicated via email and also posted onto MyUni.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    In this course, we seek to create an interesting, challenging, relevant, and engaging education experience. To help achieve this objective we have a number of teaching aims:Create a climate of engagement, dialogue and ongoing feedback between students and lecturers regarding the content, teaching strategies, learning experiences and outcomes Cater for a variety of learning preferences and abilities by providing a range of learning activities and teaching methods Develop independent learning skills and create an environment that both
    provides structure and guidance as well as encouraging students to extend their learning

    Teaching strategies
    This course is a combination of formal lectures and tutorials (problem solving classes). The lectures are used to explain concepts and to give real life examples of situations in which these concepts are used. The tutorials are for problem-solving and discussion of issues raised in the lectures. There is an expectation that students will engage in additional readings, as well as the required text. In all classes, students are encouraged to ask questions if there is material that they do not understand.

    Tutorials
    Tutorial classes will be held weekly commencing the second week of the semester. Membership of tutorial classes is to be finalised by the end of the second week of semester. Students wishing to swap between tutorial classes after this time are required to present their case to the Lecturer-in-Charge, but should be aware that such a request may not be approved. Tutorials are an important component of your learning in this course. The communication skills developed in tutorials by regularly and actively participating in discussions are considered to be most important by the School and are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies. This means that you are expected to commit approximately 9 hours for a three-unit course or 13 hours for a four-unit course, of private study outside of your regular classes.

    Students in this course are expected to attend all lectures throughout the semester plus one tutorial class each week.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Topics to be covered are:

    1. Introduction to FSA
    2. Analysis Overview
    3. Ratios: Return on invested capital and profitability analysis
    4. Ratios: Liquidity, Solvency, Efficiency, Other issues and Credit Analysis
    5. Equity analysis and valuation
    6. Cash Flow Analysis
    7. Analyzing financing activities
    8. Analyzing investing activities
    9. Analyzing operating activities
    10. Earnings management
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task type Weighting Due date Learning Outcome
    Particpation and engagement Individual  10% Tutorials All
    Group assignment (including individual component) Group 30% Week 10 All
    Final exam Individual 60% Exam period All
    Total 100%

    Note that all assessments are summative.

    Assessment Related Requirements

    The following additional conditions apply:

    1. To gain a pass in this course, a mark of at least 50% must be obtained overall.
    2. Students receiving a grade of between 45 and 49, may be eligible for additional assessment on academic grounds. This is automatically granted based on your results. 
    Assessment Detail
    Tutorial participation and engagement is a key component of this course. The MyUni course page outlines the key requirements for success in this component and provides a rubric indicating how grades will be determined.

    Detailed information on the group assignment will be discussed in class and posted onto the course MyUni webpage.

    The final exam will be held during the examination period and it will cover lecture materials from Weeks 1 to 12 and the corresponding tutorials.

    Details of each assessment component will be discussed in class and posted onto the course MyUni webpage.
    Submission
    Assignment Guidelines including Referencing Details
    The Communication Skills Guide can assist you to structure your assignments.

    This publication also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills including writing essays and management reports, making oral presentations etc. In preparing any written piece of assessment for your postgraduate studies it is important to draw on the relevant ‘literature’ to support critical analysis. Also essential is to reference the literature used. Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present, and sometimes the source of the actual words you use, and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. (Further information on plagiarism is provided later in this course outline.)

    The Harvard system is widely used in the Business School. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide and also on the University Library website.

    Late Assignment Submission
    Students are expected to submit their work by the due date to maintain a fair and equitable system. Extensions will generally only be given for medical or other serious reasons. All requests for extensions must be emailed to the lecturer in charge of the course before the due date. Each request will be assessed on its merits.  


    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.