In a competitive climate, how do some companies outperform others? Managers, consultants, analysts, and investors must understand financial analysis to answer that question and make strategic decisions that drive business profitability and performance.
Harvard Business School Online is announcing a new course that can help: Strategic Financial Analysis. This eight-week certificate program explores the intersection of accounting, strategy, and finance to equip you with the tools to evaluate an organization’s performance, prospects, and value and leverage those insights to interpret and improve strategic decisions.
View VideoTaught by Suraj Srinivasan, the Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Strategic Financial Analysis offers multiple opportunities to practice your knowledge through interactive forecasting, valuation, and company performance exercises. You’ll learn how to conduct financial statement analysis through examples from industry-leading brands, including Netflix, Intel, and BWX Technologies. As managers and analysts share their real experiences, you’ll develop insights you can apply to your organization to boost business performance.
“We’re excited to bring Strategic Financial Analysis to our global community,” says Senior Managing Director of HBS Online Simeen Mohsen. “This course will enable learners to assess changes in the competitive environment and recognize differentiation drivers within industries to maintain their organizations’ advantage over the short and long term and make stronger strategic decisions.”
In Strategic Financial Analysis, you’ll learn how to:
- Forecast financial performance to guide strategic decision-making
- Understand what types of financial analysis and valuation methods are most appropriate in different situations
- Use financial metrics, ratio analysis, and other tools to assess performance and drive strategic changes
- Assess valuation scenarios by identifying and analyzing synergies from a merger and acquisition example
While enhancing your strategic decision-making, you’ll also have the opportunity to grow your network. Before, during, and after the course, you can access a global community of like-minded business professionals to ask questions and share experiences and expertise to accelerate your learning, broaden your perspective, and challenge your worldview.
Enrollment for this eight-week certificate course is now open through January 30, 2025. The program will begin on February 5, 2025. For more information or to enroll, visit our Strategic Financial Analysis page.