Magnimetrics Library

Magnimetrics

Practical finance, Excel, valuation, and FP&A articles with downloadable working files where relevant.

126 articles
Financial Analysis

Seasonality and Trend Forecast with Regression in Excel

In our last article, we discussed Seasonality in Financial Modeling and Analysis. We went over an example Excel model of calculating a forecast with seasonality indexes. Today we will use regression analysis in Excel to forecast a data set with both seasonality and trend. Let’s look at the quarterly sales revenue of the electronic cameras […]

Financial Analysis

Introduction to Seasonality in Financial Analysis and Modeling

Seasonality is a characteristic of time-series where the data has predictable and somewhat regular fluctuations that repeat year over year. It is safe to assume that any pattern of data changes over one-year periods represents seasonality. It is usually driven by weather or commercial seasons. We have to differentiate the term from cyclical data, as […]

Financial Analysis

Consolidation of Financial Statements: A Brief Introduction

In finance terms, consolidation refers to the incorporation of the financial statements of all subsidiaries into the financial statements of the parent company. Consolidation of financial statements requires the parent company to integrate and combine all its financials to create a standard-form income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, as part of a set […]

Financial Analysis

Forecast Sales Performance and Seasonality

We are approaching the second half of the year, and before we know it, it will be the time of year to start working on our projections for next year and the company’s annual budget. There are many complex and detailed models that we can utilize to forecast the sales performance of the business for […]

Financial Analysis

How to Calculate the Beta of a Company

Beta is a risk-reward measure from fundamental analysis to determine the volatility of an asset compared to the overall market. We consider the market to have a beta of one. Then all assets are ranked based on their deviation from the market. If an asset’s returns fluctuate more than the market, then this asset has […]

Financial Analysis

Black-Scholes Model: First Steps

Today we take a look at the most popular options pricing model. The Black Scholes Model, also known as the Black-Scholes-Merton method, is a mathematical model for pricing option contracts. It works by estimating the variation in financial instruments. The technique relies on the assumption that prices follow a lognormal distribution. Based on this, it […]

Financial Analysis

Sharpe Ratio and Risk-Adjusted Returns

In finance, one of the popular methods to adjust return rates of investments for risk is the Sharpe Ratio. William F. Sharpe developed the ratio in 1966 and revised it in 1994 to arrive at the formula we use today. Originally he called it the ‘reward-to-variability’ ratio. Later on, finance professionals started referring to it […]

Financial Analysis

Optimal Portfolios and the Efficient Frontier

There’s a widespread assumption in investing that more risk equals increased potential returns. The theory behind the Efficient Frontier and Optimal Portfolios states that there’s an optimal combination of risk and return. The theory relies on the assumption that investors prefer portfolios that generate the most substantial possible return with the least amount of involved […]

Financial Analysis

Understanding the Binomial Option Pricing Model

The Binomial Option Pricing Model is a risk-neutral method for valuing path-dependent options (e.g., American options). It is a popular tool for stock options evaluation, and investors use the model to evaluate the right to buy or sell at specific prices over time. Under this model, the current value of an option is equal to […]

Financial Analysis

Calculate Value in Use under IAS 36

The core underlying principle of IAS 36 Impairment of Assets is that an asset’s carrying value in the financial statements of the company should not exceed the highest amount the business can recover through its use or sale. The standard applies to all assets for which there are no impairment considerations elsewhere. As an example, […]