FIN 204: Financial Management

Understanding the language of finance and business performance is essential for professionals throughout an organization. Our course can help you build confidence in fundamental financial acumen and increase your ability to make smarter decisions.

Enroll Today to Save Tuition

Course Curriculum

1. Introduction
1. Definition of Corporate Finance
2. Capital Budgeting
3. Capital Sources
4. Example of Corporate Finance
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 1.1
1. Financial Guidance
2. Corporate Financial Management
3. Capital Investments
4. Financial Reporting
5. Financial Forecasting
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 1.2
1. Managing Money
2. Goals of Financial Management
3. Effects of Profit Maximization
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 1.3
1. Financial Markets
2. Short- & Long-Term Financial Assets
3. Capital & Money Markets
4. Primary & Secondary Capital Markets
5. Primary & Secondary Money Markets
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 1.4
1. What Are Financial Ratios?
2. The Current Ratio
3. Debt Ratio
4. Gross Margin
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 1.5
1. What Are Efficiency Ratios?
2. Inventory Ratio
3. Days Sales in Inventory
4. Asset Turnover Ratio
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 1.6
1. What are Financial Leverage Ratios?
2. Debt Ratio
3. Debt-to-Equity Ratio
4. Interest Coverage Ratio
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 1.7
1. DuPont Analysis
2. DuPont Analysis: The Financial Model
3. Example
4. Management Implications
5. Advantages and Disadvantages
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 1.8
1. Owner's Equity: A Real-Life Scenario
2. Balance Sheets: Examples
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 1.9
1. 'Manager' Is an Adjective
2. Quantitative Approach
3. Systems Approach
4. Contingency Approach
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 1.10
1. Financial Controls
2. Financial Statements
3. Income Statements
4. Balance Sheets
5. Using Financial Statements
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 1.11
1. Purchasing Power
2. Parity Theory
3. Types
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 1.12
1. Competitive Market Defined
2. Characteristics of a Competitive Market
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 1.13
1. Introduction
1. Financial Ratios
2. Calculation
3. Profit Margin
4. Debt Ratio
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.1
1. Stocks
2. Dividends
3. Earnings
4. Example
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.2
1. Stock
2. Preferred Stock
3. Dividends
4. Earnings
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.3
1. A Bond
2. Interest and Yield
3. Calculating Interest Payments
4. How Much Is the Bond Worth?
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.4
1. How Does a Bond Work?
2. Factors that Impact Pricing Bonds
3. Determining the Price of a Bond
4. Three Ways to Price a Bond
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.5
1. What is Future Value?
2. Future Value Formula
3. Future Value Examples
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 2.6
1. The Time Value of Money
2. Future Value
3. Present Value
4. Future Value of an Annuity
5. Present Value of an Annuity
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 2.7
1. Present Value Formula Defined
2. Formula
3. Another Example
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 2.8
1. Definition of Net Present Value
2. Computing Simple NPV with Example
3. Business Example
4. Computing Multiple Year NPV
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.9
1. What Is an Annuity?
2. Examples of Annuity
3. The Value of Annuities
4. The Formula
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.10
1. What is an Annuity?
2. The Formula
3. Labeling Your Numbers
4. Finding the Value of Your Annuity
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.11
1. Definition of Perpetuity
2. Examples of Perpetuity
3. Calculating Perpetuity
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 2.12
1. Compounding Interest Formula
2. Practice Problem #1
3. Practice Problem #2
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 2.13
1. Loan Types
2. Pure Discount Loans
3. Interest-Only Loans
4. Amortizing Loans
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 2.14
1. Lots of Loans
2. Different Rules
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 2.15
1. Introduction
1. Definition of a Financial Investment
2. Types of Financial Investments
3. Examples of Financial Investments
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 3.1
1. The Capital Asset Pricing Model
2. The Beta Coefficient
3. Formula and Examples
4. Uses of the CAPM
5. Advantages of the CAPM
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 3.2
1. Definitions
2. Types of Investors
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 3.3
1. Who Invests?
2. Types of Investments
3. Interest Rates
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 3.4
1. What Is Real Interest Rate?
2. Calculating Real Interest Rate
3. Practice
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 3.5
1. Investment Analysis Tools
2. Net Present Value
3. Payback Period
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 3.6
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis Methods
2. Payback Period
3. Accounting Rate of Return
4. One Final Consideration
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 3.7
1. What Are Return on Assets?
2. Net Income as the Numerator
3. Total Assets as the Denominator
4. An Example
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 3.8
1. Investment Risk
2. Types of Investment Risk
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 3.9
1. Types of Risk
2. Diversification
3. Asset Allocation
4. Age and Asset Allocation
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 3.10
1. Introduction
1. Derivatives
2. Options
3. Option Pricing
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 4.1
1. What Are Option Contracts?
2. Calls and Puts
3. Payoffs
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 4.2
1. Definition of Stocks
2. Types of Stocks
3. Examples of Stocks in Play
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 4.3
1. Common Stock Valuation
2. Discounted Cash Flow
3. Growth
4. Zero-Growth
5. Constant-Growth
6. Two-stage and Nonconstant Growth
7. Lesson Summary
8. Quiz 4.4
1. Background on Stock Prices
2. Factor 1: Book Value
3. Factor 2: Beta
4. Factor 3: Market Bubble
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 4.5
1. Markets of Opportunities
2. Investment Bankers
3. Why Is it Important?
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 4.6
1. Brokers & Dealers
2. Stock Exchanges
3. Floor & Electronic Trading
4. Margin Accounts
5. Short & Long Positions
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 4.7
1. Selling Stock to Raise Capital
2. Common Stock
3. Preferred Stock
4. Public Offering v. Private Placement
5. Advantages and Disadvantages
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 4.8
1. Introduction
1. Cash Flow Statements
2. Statement Components
3. Example
4. Analyzing Operating Activities
5. Analyzing Investing Activities
6. Analyzing Financing Activities
7. Overall Analysis
8. Lesson Summary
9. Quiz 5.1
1. What Is a Cash Flow Statement?
2. Sources Needed For Direct Method
3. Sources Needed for Indirect Method
4. Sources for Investing and Financial Sections
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 5.2
1. The Statement of Cash Flows
2. Step 1: Calculate the New Cash Balance
3. Step 2: Calculate Operating Activities
4. Step 3: Calculate Investing Activities
5. Step 4: Calculate Financing Activities
6. Step 5: Calculate Net Cash
7. Step 6: Notate Disclosures
8. Lesson Summary
9. Quiz 5.3
1. Cash Flow Statements
2. How It's Used in Decision Making
3. Example
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 5.4
1. What Is Ratio Analysis?
2. Comparison to Prior Period
3. Comparison to Competitor
4. Comparison to Industry Average
5. Understanding the Baseline
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 5.5
1. Pro-Forma Financial Statements
2. Pro-Forma Balance Sheet
3. Pro-Forma Income Statement
4. Pro-Forma Statement of Cash Flow
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 5.6
1. Issues with Financial Statement Analysis
2. Comparing Ratios
3. Inventory Valuation
4. The Seasonal Factor
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 5.7
1. Introduction
1. What Is a Financial Policy?
2. What Is Cost of Capital?
3. Relationship
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 6.1
1. Definitions
2. Capital on the Balance Sheet
3. Examples
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 6.2
1. What Is a Capital Structure?
2. Cost of Debt
3. Cost of Equity
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 6.3
1. What Is Capital Expenditure?
2. Balance Sheet and Fixed Assets
3. Key Formulas
4. Example
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 6.4
1. What's a Capital Lease?
2. What's the Accounting Difference?
3. 1. What's the Fair Value Today?
4. 2. What's My Interest Expense?
5. 3. What's My Depreciation Expense?
6. Putting It All Together
7. Why Choose a Capital Lease?
8. Lesson Summary
9. Quiz 6.5
1. Project Decision
2. How Businesses Raise Money
3. Weighted Average Cost of Capital
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 6.6
1. Capital Structure
2. Debt
3. Preferred Stock
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 6.7
1. Introduction
1. What Are Capital Requirements?
2. Capital Definitions
3. Calculating Capital Requirements
4. Why Is Capital Important?
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 7.1
1. Financial Assets: Money, Stocks and Bonds
2. Money
3. Stock
4. Bonds
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 7.2
1. Assets in Business
2. Asset Example
3. Qualities of Fixed Assets
4. Variances in Fixed Assets
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 7.3
1. Publicly Traded Stocks
2. Publicly Traded Bonds
3. Primary and Secondary Markets
4. Private Placement of Securities
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 7.4
1. Investing in the Stock Market
2. Mutual Funds: An Overview
3. Advantages of Mutual Funds
4. Disadvantages of Mutual Funds
5. Exchange-Traded Funds
6. Advantages & Disadvantages
7. Lesson Summary
8. Quiz 7.5
1. Using Bond Financing
2. Bond Financing Basics
3. Advantages of Bond Financing
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 7.6
1. Bond Relationships
2. Secured and Unsecured Bonds
3. Term and Serial Bonds
4. Registered Bonds and Bearer Bonds
5. Convertible and Callable Bonds
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 7.7
1. What Are Municipal Bonds?
2. General Obligation Bonds
3. Revenue Bonds
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 7.8
1. Definition
2. Why People Buy Treasury Bonds
3. Treasury Bond Example
4. U.S. Treasury Bond Rate History
5. Purchasing Treasury Bonds
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 7.9
1. Bonds
2. What Are Corporate Bonds?
3. Advantages
4. Disadvantages
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 7.10
1. What Is a Bond?
2. Bond Rating Systems
3. Rating Scale
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 7.11
1. Different Types of Indicators
2. Economic Indicators
3. Technical Indicators
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 7.12
1. Introduction
1. Understanding Dividend Yield
2. Calculating Dividend Yield
3. Higher Dividend Yields
4. Stock Values
5. Portfolio Yield
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 8.1
1. Low Dividends
2. Taxes
3. Flotation Costs
4. Dividend Restrictions
5. Investor Benefits
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 8.2
1. Stock Repurchase Defined
2. Why Buy Back Shares?
3. Cash Dividends
4. The Real World
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 8.3
1. Some Basics on Corporations
2. Going Public With a Corporation
3. Ownership, Dividends, & Capital Gains
4. Stock Splits
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 8.4
1. What Is the Dividend Growth Model?
2. The Dividend Growth Model Formula
3. Estimate the Expected Growth Rate
4. Pros/Cons: Dividend Growth Model
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 8.5
1. Efficient Market Hypothesis
2. Forms of Market Efficiency
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 9.1
1. Percentage vs. Dollar Returns
2. Dollar Returns
3. Percentage Returns
4. Which Method to Use?
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 9.2
1. What is the Rate of Return?
2. Why Calculate It?
3. The Rate of Return Formula
4. Example
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 9.3
1. The Normal Distribution
2. The Empirical Rule
3. Putting It All Together
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 9.4
1. Calculation of Returns
2. The Arithmetic Average
3. The Geometric Average
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 9.5
1. What Is Risk?
2. Unsystematic Risk
3. Systematic Risk
4. Diversification
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 9.6
1. Introduction
1. Financial Planning Process
2. Three Essential Questions
3. Cash and Profit Planning
4. Other Factors to Consider
5. Budgets
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.1
1. What is Financing?
2. Present and Future Value of Money
3. Financing Example
4. Types
5. Secured vs. Unsecured
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.2
1. What Is Financial Planning
2. Benefits of a Developing a Financial Plan
3. Example
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 10.3
1. What Are Financial Goals?
2. Time Frame
3. Saving Money
4. Steps to Reaching a Goal
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 10.4
1. Raising Capital through Equity
2. Pros & Cons of Using Equity
3. Raising Capital through Debt
4. Pros & Cons of Using Debt
5. Raising Capital & Securities Regulation
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.5
1. Short-Term Financing Defined
2. Trade Credit
3. Line of Credit
4. Short-Term Bank Loans
5. Credit Cards
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.6
1. Long-Term Financing Defined
2. Commercial Loans
3. Stock Offering
4. Debt Offering
5. Government Programs
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.7
1. Building a Budget
2. Planning the Budget
3. Getting Feedback
4. Updating and Issuing the Budget
5. Make Preparations for Next Year
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.8
1. What Is Flexible Budgeting?
2. The Flexible Budgeting Process
3. Advantages of Flexible Budgets
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 10.9
1. What Is Top-Down Budgeting?
2. Process for Top-Down Budgeting
3. Advantages of Top-Down Budgeting
4. Disadvantages of Top-Down Budgeting
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 10.10
1. Calculating Variances in Budgets
2. Analyzing Variances
3. Lesson Summary
4. Quiz 10.11
1. What Is Capital Budgeting?
2. Capital Budgeting Decisions
3. Payback Period
4. Time Value of Money
5. Net Present Value
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.12
1. Definition of Cash Budgets
2. Cash Inflows and Outflows
3. Preparing a Cash Budget
4. An Example of a Cash Budget
5. Using a Cash Budget
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 10.13
1. Introduction
1. Financial Statement Analysis
2. Liquidity Ratio
3. Debt Ratio
4. Profitability Ratio
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 11.1
1. Straight-Line Depreciation
2. The Secret Formula
3. Example
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 11.2
1. Times Interest Earned Ratio
2. Interest Rates and Risk
3. Calculation and Analysis
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 11.3
1. Total Expenses Ratio Defined
2. Total Fund Costs
3. Total Fund Assets
4. Interpreting the TER
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 11.4
1. Overview
2. Definition
3. Examples
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 11.5
1. What Is Fair Value?
2. Measuring Fair Value
3. Examples of Fair Value
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 11.6
1. What Is Forecasting?
2. Qualitative Forecasting
3. Quantitative Forecasting
4. Lesson Summary
5. Quiz 11.7
1. Financial Ratios
2. Ratio Considerations
3. Profitability Ratios
4. Debt Ratios
5. Investment Ratios
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 11.8
1. What Is a Financial Forecast?
2. Inaccuracies
3. When a Forecast Is Too High
4. When a Forecast Is Too Low
5. When the Financial Forecast Is Right
6. Lesson Summary
7. Quiz 11.9
1. Definition of Company Value
2. Investment Risks
3. How Long to Hold
4. Your Portfolio
5. Lesson Summary
6. Quiz 11.10
1. Assignment
1. Final Exam

About this course

637 lessons
1750+ Transfer Colleges
ACE & NCCRS Approved
Globally Recognized

Answers You Didn't Know You Needed!

General Questions

Is there any time commitment we have to give?

With UPI, you determine your own level of time commitment. You can move through coursework quickly or slow down your pace.
Are there exams? How is the course grading done?
YES, there are exams—held online on our platform and are proctored. Your course grade distribution is:

25% Attendance

25% Quiz

25% Assignments

25% Final Exam

Content Questions

How to check if your university will accept credits from UPI study?

To ensure your UPI Study courses transfer to your university, check two things:

1) Is your university listed? If it's one of the 1,500 universities listed with NCCRS, you're all set.

OR

2) Check your university's credit policy. If it says they accept credits from "regionally accredited" universities, you're good to go! As long as you meet one of these criteria, your courses should transfer without a hitch.

Check the list of colleges here.

Membership Questions

Will there be hand holding to help transfer courses?

Yes, that is what differentiates UPI. With each student their advisor will guide them on how to move forward.

Ch 1 - Framework of Financial Systems

Ch 1.1 - What Is Corporate Finance? - Definition & Fundamentals

Ch 1.2 - Financial Management Systems & Role of a Financial Manager

Ch 1.3 - What Are the Goals of Financial Management?

Ch 1.4 - Financial Markets: Types & Characteristics

Ch 1.5 - Commonly Used Financial Ratios

Ch 1.6 - Efficiency Ratios: Types & Formula

Ch 1.7 - Leverage Ratios: Types & Formula

Ch 1.8 - DuPont Analysis: Formula & Return on Equity

Ch 1.9 - How to Calculate Owner's Equity: Definition, Formula & Examples

Ch 1.10 - Modern Theory of Management

Ch 1.11 - Financial Controls in Organizations

Ch 1.12 - What is Purchasing Power? - Definition & Parity Theory

Ch 1.13 - Competitive Market: Definition, Characteristics & Examples

Ch 2 - Introduction to Valuation

Ch 2.1 - Financial Ratio Calculation and Analysis

Ch 2.2 - Stocks: Understanding Investment Performance

Ch 2.3 - Preferred Stock: Understanding Investment Performance

Ch 2.4 - Bonds: Understanding Investment Performance

Ch 2.5 - How to Price Bonds: Formula & Calculation

Ch 2.6 - How to Calculate Future Value: Formula & Example

Ch 2.7 - Present and Future Value: Calculating the Time Value of Money

Ch 2.8 - How to Calculate Present Value of an Investment: Formula & Examples

Ch 2.9 - How to Calculate Net Present Value: Definition, Formula & Analysis

Ch 2.10 - What is Annuity? - Definition & Formula

Ch 2.11 - How to Find the Value of an Annuity

Ch 2.12 - What is a Perpetuity? - Definition & Formula

Ch 2.13 - Compounding Interest Formulas: Calculations & Examples

Ch 2.14 - Loan Types: Pure Discount, Interest-Only & Amortization

Ch 2.15 - Interest Capitalization: Rules & Example

Ch 3 - Rules for Making Investment Decisions

Ch 3.1 - What is a Financial Investment? - Definition, Types & Examples

Ch 3.2 - Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM): Definition, Formula, Advantages & Example

Ch 3.3 - What is an Investment? - Definition & Overview

Ch 3.4 - Types of Interest Rates & Investments

Ch 3.5 - Real Interest Rate: Definition & Calculation

Ch 3.6 - Investment Analysis Tools

Ch 3.7 - Cost-Benefit Analysis: Payback & Accounting Rate of Return

Ch 3.8 - Return on Assets: Definition, Formula & Example

Ch 3.9 - Investment Risks: Definition & Types

Ch 3.10 - How to Reduce Investment Risks

Ch 4 - Real Options Valuation

Ch 4.1 - Fundamentals of Option Valuation

Ch 4.2 - Options Basics: Stocks, Payoffs & Puts & Calls

Ch 4.3 - What is a Stock? - Definition, Types & Examples

Ch 4.4 - Common Stock Valuation & Types of Growth

Ch 4.5 - Stock Price Factors: Types & Definitions

Ch 4.6 - Securities Markets and Investment Bankers

Ch 4.7 - Trading Securities on the Stock Exchange

Ch 4.8 - Selling Stock to Raise Capital

Ch 5 - Cash Flow Analysis

Ch 5.1 - Analyzing Cash Flow Statement Patterns

Ch 5.2 - Sources Needed to Prepare the Cash Flow Statement

Ch 5.3 - The Six-Step Process for Preparing a Statement of Cash Flows

Ch 5.4 - Using the Statement of Cash Flows for Decision Making

Ch 5.5 - Standards for Comparison in Financial Statement Analysis

Ch 5.6 - Pro Forma Financial Statements & Project Cash Flows

Ch 5.7 - Issues with Financial Statement Analysis

Ch 6 - Cost of Capital Overview

Ch 6.1 - Financial Policy & the Cost of Capital

Ch 6.2 - What Is Capital? - Definition & Concept

Ch 6.1 - Capital Structure & the Cost of Capital

Ch 6.4 - Capital Expenditures: Definition, Formula & Examples

Ch 6.5 - Capital Lease in Accounting: Definition, Requirements & Example

Ch 6.6 - Weighted Average Cost of Capital

Ch 6.7 - The Cost of Debt & Preferred Stock

Ch 7 - Financing & Capital Structure

Ch 7.1 - Capital Requirements: Definition & Explanation

Ch 7.2 - Types of Financial Assets: Money, Stocks & Bonds

Ch 7.3 - What Are Fixed Assets? - Definition & Examples

Ch 7.4 - Investment Opportunities in Stocks and Bonds

Ch 7.5 - Investment Opportunities in Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds

Ch 7.6 - The Advantages of Bond Financing

Ch 7.7 - Bonds: Types, Characteristics and Issuing Procedures

Ch 7.8 - What Are Municipal Bonds? - Definition, Types & Examples

Ch 7.9 - What Are Treasury Bonds? - Definition & Rates

Ch 7.10 - What are Corporate Bonds? - Definition & Examples

Ch 7.11 - Moody's vs. Standard & Poor's Bond Ratings

Ch 7.12 - How Indicators Influence Market Conditions

Ch 8 - Payout Policy