The CFO Guidebook (Currently Unavailable)

Author: Steven Bragg

The CFO Guidebook discusses risk management, the control environment, mergers and acquisitions, budgeting, cash management, fund raising, going public, and more.

The CFO Guidebook is specifically designed to give advice on all of these areas of responsibility — and in detail. In an era where the CFO is expected to be the chief advisor to the chief executive officer, the Guidebook can be of considerable assistance in ensuring that a company is financially viable and positioned for long-term growth.

Publication Date: October 2014

Designed For
The CFO Guidebook is designed for both professionals and students. Professionals can use it as a reference tool for improving their performance as CFOs, while it provides students with an overview of the CFO position.

Topics Covered

• The CFO Position
• Strategic Planning
• Risk Management
• The Control Environment
• Performance Measurement
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Product Pricing
• Capital Budgeting
• Cash Management
• Investment Management
• Fund Raising with Debt
• Fund Raising with Equity
• Credit Rating Agencies
• Going Public and Going Private
• Stock Exchanges
• Investor Relations
• Public Company Financial Reporting
• Share Management
• Information Technology

Learning Objectives

• Identify the key responsibilities of the CFO position, and key aspects of CFO relations with the controller and CEO.
• Note the stages in strategy development, strategy types, and the role of the CFO in strategy.
• Cite the methods for identifying and mitigating risks, especially in regard to foreign exchange risk and interest rate risk.
• Identify the types of controls, when they should be used, and the characteristics of better controls.
• Recognize the characteristics of the cash conversion cycle.
• Identify the strategies under which acquisitions are made, the steps in the due diligence process, the characteristics of a strong acquisition candidate, and the various methods for valuing an acquisition candidate.
• Note the advantages and disadvantages of budgeting, types of budgets, and how to operate without a budget.
• Itemize the different types of product pricing, and the situations in which they are most useful.
• Identify the methods and concepts used to evaluate capital budgeting proposals, as well as the alternatives to fixed asset acquisition.
• State the methods used to construct and update a cash forecast, as well as the methods employed to concentrate cash for investment purposes.
• Cite the available cash investment strategies and the more common investment instruments.
• Identify the types of debt funding, and associated covenants.
• Note the types of equity funding, the investor rights associated with these instruments, and the types of investors who may invest in them.
• Identify the main credit rating agencies, the types of credit ratings, and the process for obtaining and appealing a credit rating.
• Note the processes by which a company can go public or take itself private, and the reasons for going public or private.
• Cite the reasons for being listed on a stock exchange, and the qualifications for listing on the various exchanges.
• Identify the participants in and topics covered by an earnings call, the use of guidance, the topics covered in a road show, and the regulations governing investor relations.
• Identify the major public company reports, key reporting concepts, and the method by which reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Note how float can be increased, as well as alternative methods for selling shares.
• State how competitive advantage can be gained from the use of information technology (IT), as well as how to manage risk with IT.

Level
Overview

Instructional Method
Self-Study

NASBA Field of Study
Finance (22 hours)

Program Prerequisites
A basic understanding of risk management, the control environment, mergers and acquisitions, budgeting, cash management, fund raising, and going public.

Advance Preparation
None