Financial statements are the basis for a wide range of business analysis. Managers, securities analysts, bankers, and consultants all use them to make business decisions. There is strong demand among business students for course materials that provide a framework for using financial statement data in a variety of business analysis and valuation contexts. BUSINESS ANALYSIS & VALUATION: USING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, TEXT & CASES, 4E allows you to undertake financial statement analysis using a four-part framework--(1) business strategy analysis for developing an understanding of a firm's competitive strategy; (2) accounting analysis for representing the firm's business economics and strategy in its financial statements, and for developing adjusted accounting measures of performance; (3) financial analysis for ratio analysis and cash flow measures of operating; and (4) prospective analysis. Then, you'll learn how to apply these tools in a variety of decision contexts, including securities analysis, credit analysis, corporate financing policies analysis, mergers and acquisitions analysis, and governance and communication analysis. This text also offers one Harvard case per chapter as well as an entirely separate section (Section 4) for additional cases!

Krishna G. Palepu is the Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration and Senior Associate Dean for International Development, at the Harvard Business School, Harvard University.