Overview

This unit aims to provide students with advanced skills and knowledge on valuation techniques used by analysts in a variety of settings such as equity research, evaluating acquisitions, corporate finance and funds management. Fundamental analysis frameworks and techniques are examined in detail with particular emphasis on their applications in equity valuation decision making. Students will learn about the importance of valuation techniques to measure the operating parameters of the business. This unit teaches the required knowledge for the investment decision-making process. Potential issues in investment process and the use of financial technology are also discussed.

Requisites

Concurrent prerequisites
FIN80005 Corporate Financial Management
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Apply advanced knowledge of valuation techniques to value public and private companies.
  • Critically analyse financial statements to facilitate rigorous financial analysis and demonstrate expertise in working with financial data.
  • Apply research principles to evaluate key valuation variables and utilise financial technology to produce recommendations for investors and financial markets.
  • Critically discuss the role of ethics for analysts, identify the code of ethics and regulations, and reflect on practices to instil self-regulation.
  • Work collaboratively in groups

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class
2.00 12 weeks 24
Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssessmentIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,3 
Case StudiesIndividual 10 - 20% 1,2,3,4,5 
Research AssignmentGroup 30 - 40% 1,2,3,4 

Content

  • Approaches to valuation and financial statement (ratio) analysis
  • Fundamental analysis (sector, industry, company)
  • Estimating risk parameters and costs of financing in developed and emerging markets
  • Adjusting earnings to reflect capitalisation of operating leases and R&D
  • Estimating growth parameters and terminal value for public and private firms
  • Valuation of individual firm and equity securities: dividend discount models, free cash flow valuation models and relative valuation models
  • Equity market valuation & return analysis
  • Debt valuation (analysis of debt)
  • Code of ethics

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.