Techniques of Financial Analysis: A Practical Guide to Measuring Business Performance [Paperback]

Erich A. Helfert (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786311207 | ISBN-13: 978-0786311200 | Publication Date: October 1, 1996 | Edition: 9

Techniques of Financial Analysis, Ninth Edition approaches business as a system of fundamentals which is activated by management decisions, investment, operations and financing. The ValueSource software is essential to analyze your firm's financial performance, financial budgets, business dynamics and business value. This thoroughly updated and revised bestseller is a practical action guide to: managing for shareholder value; understanding your business system; analyzing and projecting financial performance; evaluating capital investments; understanding the cost of capital; choosing financing alternatives; valuing a business and its parts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. Erich Helfert's work has become a classic, and he has been of substantial help to my company with respect to teaching our people how to think about the numbers which drive our company. -- Robert J. Saldich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Raychem Corporation; July 1997

Dr. Helfert's book and his teachings go a long way toward removing the mystery from the financial workings of an enterprise. His approach allows managers from all areas of the business to understand how their decisions impact shareholder value. -- Stephen E. Frank, President and Chief Operating Officer, Southern California Edison; March 15, 1999

Erich Helfert has contributed to the development of financial skills of TRW managers through his case study preparation and presentations, his book Techniques of Financial Analysis, and his instruction. He continues to be included as a highly rated faculty member in TRW's management development programs. -- Peter S. Hellman, President and Chief Operating Officer, TRW Inc.; May 1996

Erich Helfert has played an instrumental role in teaching HP managers of both financial and non-financial backgrounds in our long-standing Functional Management Program. His excellent financial overviews and simplified models effectively broaden our managers' understanding and ownership of their fiscal responsibility to HP and our shareholders. -- Robert P. Wayman, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Hewlett-Packard Company; December 1997

Erich Helfert possesses a rare ability to make financial concepts understandable to individuals who lack a financial background. As a result we had Dr. Helfert conduct shareholder value creation classes for all senior managers, and create a shareholder value course for all other salaried and hourly employees. The results of these efforts exceeded our high expectations. -- L. Pendleton Siegel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Potlatch Corporation; February 1999

Erich Helfert's Techniques of Financial Analysis is a bona fide treasury for executives, managers and entrepreneurs who need to understand financial management. I have used and recommended this great work in both corporate and university programs for more than ten years. Erich Helfert possesses unique abilities to make clear the arcane that frequently enshrouds topics of financial management. -- Allen B. Barnes, Provost, IBM Advanced Business Institute; March 1, 1999

Erich Helfert's writing and teaching have become a mainstay in our 'Renewal Series' at AMOCO. This series, in its third year and directed at the top 3,500 leaders/managers in AMOCO world-wide, is an aggressive approach at helping to transform our culture through the use of early educational interventions that cascade through the organization. Erich's business and strategic sense have been recognized as valuable guides to our process. -- William H. Clover, Ph.D., Manager of Training and AMOCO Learning Center; January 1996

We have received favorable feedback from our management team as to the timeliness and importance of the Shareholder Value sessions facilitated by Dr. Helfert for 3M. His ability to make financial concepts understandable to non-financial managers was documented, and his credibility and content added significantly to the success of our educational effort. Shareholder value concepts helped people understand why the recent portfolio reorganization decisions--a significant departure from past practices--were necessary. -- Giulio Agostini, Senior Vice President, Finance and Office Administration, 3M Corporation; Sept. 1997

About the Author

Erich A. Helfert, managing principal of Helfert Associates, is an internationally recognized management consultant in corporate finance, strategic planning, and executive education in financial/economic decision making and shareholder value creation. He gained his professional experience from a combination of distinguished business and academic careers. Dr. Helfert was vice president, corporate planning at Crown Zellerbach Corporation, a major integrated paper and forest products company. Prior to his 20-year corporate career, he served on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Business for 8 years, teaching finance and management control in the MBA program, and consulting with major companies.

A native of the Sudetenland, formerly Austria, he received his BS from the University of Nevada and earned both an MBA (with high distinction) and a DBA (as a Ford Foundation Fellow) at Harvard University. Dr. Helfert writes and lectures extensively in his field, and his books and articles have been published in the US and abroad. His first literary work, Valley of the Shadow, a historical novel was published recently.

Dr. Helfert is chairman and co-founder of Modernsoft, Inc., San Mateo, CA, developers of Financial Genome, advanced interactive financial analysis and business modeling software, which is complementary to Techniques of Financial Analysis.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 9 edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786311207
• ISBN-13: 978-0786311200
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great reference for business analysis, August 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Techniques of Financial Analysis: A Practical Guide to Measuring Business Performance (Paperback)

I bought an earlier version of this book many years ago and just bought the latest edition to replace the first copy that was loaned out and never returned. It's one of those books that you constantly go back to to confirm what you are doing. The book is well written, concise and covers material in a number of college level finanical courses. For the general Accountant, it is a learning tool and for the experienced Financial Analyst, an excellent reference.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most well-thought-out book of its kind!, October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Techniques of Financial Analysis: A Practical Guide to Measuring Business Performance (Paperback)

Professor Helfert's graphic presentations have caused concepts to gel that were amorphous in my mind for years despite an investment banking background. I would recommend this book as a first book to anyone interested in quickly obtaining a bird's eye view of the business entity from a "business systems" approach. Helfert's position is that of an engineer or a scientist: Every business has a structure that can be indentified, analyzed, and then manipulated to increase shareholder value.

Every new issue refers back to the Investment, Operations, Financing structure Helfert lucidly charts out in the introductory chapter. If this is old hat to you, and you've read Corp. Fin. by Brealy & Meyers (sp?), maybe you don't need this book. All others: BUY IT!!!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't try to learn anything from this book, November 20, 2002

By 

Todd M. Rohs (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Techniques of Financial Analysis: A Practical Guide to Measuring Business Performance (Paperback)

This may be a great book if you already know everything about finance. I've taken MBA level Finance courses, and quite honestly, I found this book difficult to understand. The author casually mentions financial concepts without defining them and expect you to understand complex financial theories he hasn't covered.

I tried to do the questions at the end of each chapter, and while there is an answer guide, it does nothing to explain how the answer was derived. How you get the answer is the important part, but this text won't give you any assistance. Plus, some of the answers were just plain wrong (I checked with several experts).

There are better texts out there - your time is better spent elsewhere.