This course module focuses on the following key topics: [i] understanding financial instruments and capital markets: Students will learn about various financial instruments, their characteristics, and how capital markets operate; [ii] analyzing corporate financing and investment alternatives: participants will explore different methods of corporate financing, including debt and equity, and evaluate investment opportunities; [iii] evaluating merger opportunities: the course will cover techniques for assessing merger and acquisition opportunities, including valuation methods and risk analysis; [iv] determining the value of acquisitions: Students will gain insights into valuation models and how to calculate the value of an acquisition.
Students should be familiar with the general content and structure of financial statements, including the balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement, as well as the various financing sources available to firms.
Additionally, they should have a solid understanding of basic capital budgeting concepts, particularly net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR).
A strong proficiency in financial mathematics, econometrics, and statistics is also required.
Lectures introduce the underlying theory, while empirical applications through econometric software allow students to apply the techniques introduced and test their understanding of the main topics covered during the course. In particular:
The final assessment (for both attending and non-attending students) will be composed of: [i] 40% applied assignments related to a set of predetermined current corporate and investment banking issues; and [ii] a 60% written exam at the end of the semester, comprising both exercises and open-ended questions.
This is an overview of the topics covered during the course:
