COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Understanding Financial Statements & Financial Ratios course. This program has been designed to equip you with the foundational accounting knowledge and analytical skills needed to interpret financial statements, understand organisational financial health, and apply key financial ratios for informed decision-making. You will explore the accounting equation, the structure and purpose of core financial statements, the flow of financial information across reporting periods, and the meaning and application of financial ratios used to evaluate liquidity, profitability, leverage, and operational efficiency.

This course begins by examining the accounting equation and why it underpins all financial reporting. You will explore how one party’s asset is another party’s liability, how the balance sheet summarises an organisation’s financial position, and what assets, liabilities and owners’ equity represent within that framework. This section also examines multiple-period balance sheets, how they show change over time, and how shifts in financial position can signal growth, risk, or structural adjustment. You will also explore the income statement, the meaning of gross profit and cost of goods sold, and the distinction between operating income and net income as indicators of financial performance.

The next learning area focuses on retained earnings and the flow of value across financial statements. You will explore the statement of retained earnings, how it functions as a bridge between financial statements, and how dividends influence an organisation’s accumulated profits. This section also examines what retained earnings represent economically and how they reflect reinvestment, growth strategy, and long-term financial stability. You will explore the cash flow statement, how it differs from the income statement, and why cash-based analysis is essential for understanding liquidity and solvency. This section also examines the categories of cash flow and how operational, investing and financing activities shape cash movement.

A further learning area examines the meaning and purpose of financial ratios. You will explore what financial ratios are, how they convert raw financial data into interpretable insights, and why they are central to performance analysis across industries. This section examines liquidity ratios and how they reflect an organisation’s ability to meet short-term obligations, profitability ratios and how they measure financial performance, and financial leverage ratios used to evaluate debt reliance and capital structure. You will also explore the advantages and disadvantages of financial leverage and how leverage decisions affect risk, return, and long-term sustainability.

The final learning area focuses on asset turnover ratios and how they measure the efficiency with which organisations use their resources. You will explore how these ratios indicate operational effectiveness, how they vary across business models, and how they support strategic decisions regarding pricing, inventory management, and investment. This section reinforces that understanding financial statements and ratios enables individuals to interpret organisational performance, identify risks, and support sound financial planning and oversight.

By the end of this course you will be able to understand the accounting equation, interpret balance sheets and income statements, explain retained earnings and cash flow statements, analyse liquidity, profitability, leverage and asset turnover, and apply financial ratios to assess organisational performance with clarity and confidence.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The Accounting Equation
• How your Asset is someone else’s Liability?
• The Balance Sheet
• What are Assets?
• What are Liabilities?
• What is meant by Owners’ Equity?
• Multiple-Period Balance Sheets
• The Income Statement
• The Gross Profit
• The Cost of Goods Sold
• The Operating Income vs. Net Income
• The Statement of Retained Earnings
• How the statement of retained earnings functions as a bridge between Financial Statements?
• What is meant by Dividends?
• What Retained Earnings are?
• The Cash Flow Statement
• Cash Flow Statement vs. Income Statement
• The Categories of Cash Flow
• What is meant by Financial Ratios?
• What Liquidity Ratios are?
• What Profitability Ratios are?
• What Financial Leverage Ratios are?
• The Pros and Cons of Financial Leverage
• What Asset Turnover Ratios are?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.