Equity
Academy

Students will gain a solid foundation in investing through exposure to a wide range of strategies including value and growth investing. They will learn how to evaluate businesses, form investment theses, and think critically about risk and contrarianly about return.

Students will learn the core principles of financial accounting and apply them in practical contexts. The course covers the three primary financial statements, how they interrelate, key line items, and essential financial ratios, with an emphasis on understanding how financial information reflects business performance.

Building on accounting fundamentals, students will learn how to forecast financial statements for modeling and valuation purposes. They will develop an understanding of how to support growth assumptions and ensure consistency across the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

Students will explore the theory and application of financial valuation and modeling. Topics include different types of valuations, including the strengths and constraints of each. The role of financial models, discounted cash flow analysis, the mechanics of mergers and acquisitions, and approaches to assessing and managing risk.

Students will develop practical research and technical skills by learning to effectively use industry-standard tools and platforms, including Excel, PowerPoint, Capital IQ, FactSet, and other financial research resources available at USC Marshall.

Students will learn how to evaluate analyst forecasts and conduct independent research to form their own investment views. They will apply financial analysis to support their assumptions and present a well-reasoned stock pitch in preparation for investment research.