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Financial Modeling Process

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What is the Financial Modeling Process?

Financial modeling is an iterative process and follows these standard steps: (1) enter three to five years of historical financial informationThree Financial StatementsThe three financial statements are the income statement, the balance sheet, and the statement of cash flows. These three core statements are intricately linked to each other and this guide will explain how they all fit together. By following the steps below you'll be able to connect the three statements on your own., (2) analyze the historical performance, (3) generate assumptions about future performance, (4) use the assumptions to forecast and link the income statementIncome Statement TemplateFree Income Statement template to download. Create your own statement of profit and loss with annual and monthly templates in the Excel file provided. The file includes revenue, cost of goods sold, gross profit, marketing, selling, G&A, salaries, wages, interest expense, depreciation, amortization, taxes, net income, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, (5) perform discounted cash flow analysis, (6) perform sensitivity analysis, and (7) audit and stress test the model.

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In order to become a great financial analyst, below are some additional questions and answersKnowledgeCFI self-study guides are a great way to improve technical knowledge of finance, accounting, financial modeling, valuation, trading, economics, and other areas. These resources give you the technical skills you need to advance your career in investment banking, equity research, corporate development, and other areas of for you to explore further:

What is are the types of financial models?Types of Financial ModelsThe most common types of financial models include: 3 statement model, DCF model, M&A model, LBO model, budget model. Discover the top 10 types of Excel models in this detailed guide, including images and examples of each. Financial modeling is performed for many reasons including to value a business, raise money
What is sensitivity analysis?What is Sensitivity Analysis?Sensitivity Analysis is a tool used in financial modeling to analyze how the different values for a set of independent variables affect a dependent variable
What is bookkeeping?AccountingOur Accounting guides and resources are designed as self-study guides to learn accounting and finance at your own pace. Browse hundreds of articles on important topics such as the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, depreciation methods, how to link the 3 statements, debits & credits, journal entries
What are the most common valuation methods?Valuation MethodsWhen valuing a company as a going concern there are three main valuation methods used: DCF analysis, comparable companies, and precedent transactions. These methods of valuation are used in investment banking, equity research, private equity, corporate development, mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and finance

Example Excel Model

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Financial Modeling Process

What is the Financial Modeling Process?

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Example Excel Model

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