Familiarity with financial statements and basic Excel calculations will help. Use invented or public information for practice. Differences in accounting policies and business models can limit a comparison; the course does not provide a personal investment recommendation.
Optional preparation: Google AI for Finance Professionals: Free Course.
About this course
Learn to organise a financial review around meaningful questions with this free Financial Analysis Fundamentals course from Corporate Finance Institute. The classroom retains all eight numbered classes and the course preview. It develops a foundation for reading financial performance, comparing results and explaining what the evidence can support.
Course at a glance
| Provider / Teaching team | Corporate Finance Institute |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · Corporate Finance Institute |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Language | English |
| Videos | 9 |
| Video duration | 2h 11m · allow extra time for practice |
| Format | Self-paced recorded training |
| Certificate | Not included with video viewing |
What you’ll learn
- Use financial statements as the starting point for a structured business review.
- Compare financial ratios while understanding what each measure represents.
- Apply vertical and horizontal analysis to investigate performance and trends.
- Present a financial comparison with its assumptions, context and limitations.
Skills you’ll gain
- Financial statement analysis
- Ratio interpretation
- Trend analysis
- Business comparisons
- Excel analysis
- Financial communication
Course Overview
A financial ratio becomes useful when it helps answer a question about a business. This course connects the calculation of measures with the interpretation of profitability, the use of assets, financing and liquidity. It also introduces comparisons across time and between businesses, so a single result can be placed in context. Study the eight teaching parts in numbered order and keep the preview available as a short orientation. The published videos are preserved as a recorded course edition; later platform changes, downloadable exercises and graded assessment are not part of this classroom.
How to study the course
- Review the meaning of the underlying financial statement figures before calculating a ratio. Consistent definitions make comparisons easier to interpret.
- Use the middle parts to organise several measures into a connected analysis. Ask whether the evidence points to one explanation or several possibilities.
- Finish by presenting a short, balanced review. Explain what the figures show, what needs investigation and which assumptions affect your interpretation.
Use the searchable classroom lesson list to revisit a specific explanation. Pause after a useful demonstration, reproduce a small example and explain the result in your own words. Keep a short note of what worked, what changed and what you still need to understand before moving on.
Who is this for?
The course suits aspiring financial analysts, accounting students and business professionals who want to read financial information more confidently. It is useful when you understand basic statements but need a clearer method for comparing performance.
Before you start
Familiarity with financial statements and basic Excel calculations will help. Use invented or public information for practice. Differences in accounting policies and business models can limit a comparison; the course does not provide a personal investment recommendation.
Put the lessons into practice
Create simplified income statements and balance sheets for two fictional businesses over two periods. Calculate a small set of clearly defined measures and add a trend table. Check every input against the source statements before drawing a conclusion. Write a short review explaining one strength, one concern and one question you cannot answer from the available information. Keep the workbook readable enough for another person to reproduce the calculations and understand why you chose those measures.
This optional activity is provided by WikiFree for independent practice. It is not a graded assignment from the instructor. Keep your working notes, check the result against the task you defined and return to the relevant lesson when an assumption or technique is unclear.
Certificate / Assessment
Watching the public videos and using WikiFree progress tracking does not award a certificate, exam voucher, academic credit or instructor assessment. Separate CFI platform assessments, CPE credit and certification requirements are not included in this YouTube edition.
Use your practice output to review what you can now explain and repeat independently. Completion tracking records your study progress; it does not replace an assessed qualification or professional experience.
Use this course in a learning path
- Financial Analyst Career Path: Courses and Portfolio ProjectResource 01
- Free Financial Statement Reading Learning PathCourse resource in this path
Related courses for your next step
- Add a related skillAccounting Fundamentals: Free Course
Focus: Accounting fundamentals · Financial statements
Beginner - Compare another approachFree Yale Course: Financial Theory
Focus: Financial modeling concepts · Valuation reasoning
Intermediate - Compare another approachFree Simplilearn Course: Financial Modeling and Corporate Valuation
Focus: Project Finance · Valuation
Intermediate - Review a lower-level optionGoogle AI for Finance Professionals: Free Course
Focus: Financial-document review · Workflow briefing
Beginner
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Financial Analysis Fundamentals: Free Course | Intermediate | Financial statement analysis · Ratio interpretation · Trend analysis | 2h 11m of video; practice time is additional |
| Accounting Fundamentals: Free Course | Beginner | Accounting fundamentals · Financial statements · Transaction analysis | 2h 34m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Yale Course: Financial Theory | Intermediate | Financial modeling concepts · Valuation reasoning · Risk analysis | 31h 57m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Simplilearn Course: Financial Modeling and Corporate Valuation | Intermediate | Project Finance · Valuation · Capital Structure | 1h 5m of video; practice time is additional |
| Google AI for Finance Professionals: Free Course | Beginner | Financial-document review · Workflow briefing · Research synthesis | 3 hours; official estimate, individual study time varies. |
Frequently asked questions
Is this course free to watch?
Yes. The public video lessons can be viewed in the WikiFree classroom. Free viewing does not include paid software, service subscriptions, provider membership benefits or a credential.
How long does the course take?
The 9 source videos total approximately 2h 11m. Allow additional time for pausing, practice, reviewing an example and checking your own result.
What background do I need?
Familiarity with financial statements and basic Excel calculations will help. Use invented or public information for practice. Differences in accounting policies and business models can limit a comparison; the course does not provide a personal investment recommendation.
Does watching the course award a certificate?
No. Video viewing and WikiFree progress tracking do not award a certificate, credit or an exam voucher.
Can I study on a phone?
Yes. The classroom has a responsive player and searchable lesson list. A larger screen and suitable practice environment are helpful for following software demonstrations or technical examples.
Provider: Corporate Finance Institute. Videos play from the Corporate Finance Institute channel on YouTube.
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