OVERVIEW

The course deals with the preparation and the analysis of a company's annual report. In today's complex economic environment, different subjects, such as customers, suppliers, competitors, and analysts, need information to evaluate a business. In this context, the annual report represents the primary source of information for those subjects.

The course will deal with recognition and measurment criteria related to the main business operations and with the tools to properly read and analyze the financial statements.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to equip students with the knowledge to understand the logic and the criteria underlying the preparation of the annual report according to Italian GAAP. It also offers the knowledge to evaluate an entity using the information contained in the financial statements.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to equip students with the knowledge to understand the principles and criteria that underlie the preparation of the annual report according to the Italian GAAP. As the annual report is the primary source of information about the financial performance and financial position of a company, the capability to undestand the logic behind the preparation of this document is fundamental for economic actors.

Upon completion of the course, students will have gained knowledge of the principles that inform the preparation of the annual report, the documents that are part of the annual report and the measurement criteria related to the most important item represented in the financial statements. Students will be able to use that knowledge to represent the effects of the main operations on the financial statements. They will be able to effectively communicate the role of the annual report and to read and interpet financial statements to make judgments on an entity's performance and financial health.

PREREQUISITES

Students should have basic knowledge of business administration and financial accounting.

TEACHING METHODS

The course features classes and tutorials. Classes introduce the main topics of the course. Tutorials aim to offer students the opportunity to apply notions acquired during the classes.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The main contents of the course are as follows:

Purpose and general features of the annual report. The annual report offers information on an entity's financial performance and position. The course will illustrate the general features and principles that must be considered while preparing an annual report. The main documents that are pat of an annual report will be illustrated as well.

Book income and taxable income. Despite being the book income the starting point to determine the taxable income, not all the revenues and expenses in the income statement are considered in fiscal valuations. These differences might be permanent, when they are not going to be eliminated in future year, or temporary, when the differences are going to be eliminated in subsequent years. Temporary differences lead to the recognition of deferred taxes.

The main financial statements elements. The course will discuss the recognition and measurement criteria for the most important financial statements items. In patrticular, we will focus our attention on:

• tangible and intangible fixed assets;
• current assets;
• investments in other entities;
• provisions;
• financing operations;
• equity components.

Financial statement analysis. Statutory financial statements can be reengineered to highlight some values that or of utmost importance in financial statement analysis. The course will discuss the following topics:

• the distinction between operating activities and financing activities;
• statutory statements reengineering;
• profitability analysis;
• solvency analysis.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Quagli (2023), Bilancio di Esercizio e Principi Contabili, Giappichelli, ISBN: 9791221100242

F. Giunta, M. Pisani (2018), La contabilità generale, Maggioli Editore, ISBN: 9788891627773

Materals provided by the course instructor (which can be accessed on AulaWeb)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LORENZO PRATICI (President)

LORENZO SIMONI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final exam aims to verify that the student has understood and can communicate effectively the criteria to recognize the economic and financial effects of transactions in the financial statements and the financial statements preparation rules. The exam also aims to verify the capability of the student to express his judgement on a firm's profitability and solvency on the basis of an analysis of the financial statements.