About This Course

In the Essentials of Finance course, you will be introduced to the basic concepts needed to understand the financial manager’s decision-making process. To achieve that, you will learn about the basic forms a business can take and the goal of the financial manager. You will also learn the fundamentals of financial statements and how to measure a company’s financial health using financial ratios. In addition, you will explore how to allocate capital across time to create value. After learning the course, you should be familiar with major topics in modern finance and communicate with others within and outside of the business world. With a deep understanding of the financial side of the business, you will be in a better position to make informed decisions and plan for the financial future.

What You’ll Learn

• Understand the basic legal forms of business organization and their financial implications.
• Interpret key financial statements like the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement.
• Analyze financial performance using liquidity, leverage, turnover, profitability, and market value ratios.
• Apply the concept of the time value of money, including present value, future value, and annuities. Develop essential financial decision-making skills for business and personal finance management.