Presentation of Financial Information

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Course Objectives

Discuss the importance of Explore the best practices

being able to communicate used to create effective
the results of financial presentations
analyses

Review the key structural Construct a presentation

elements of a presentation based on sample outputs
and provide examples of from a real-life case study
content within each element

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Importance of Communicating
Financial Information

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Effective Financial Presentations

Results of financial analyses can be complex and extensive.

By themselves, can be difficult to understand for end-users. Skillful Presentations

Present findings in a clear and

understandable manner

Effective Presentations

Break down complex ideas into short

meaningful parts, and connect them to a
broader message

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Effectively Communicating Financial Information

Financial analyses are usually conducted in order to make real-world decisions. The need to effectively
communicate the results of the financial analysis is critical.

1. Decision Making 2. Issues and Opportunities

Effectively communicated financial Key decision makers are provided with a

information enhances decision-making clear understanding of issues and
opportunities that drive decisions

3. Context 4. Innovation

Offers a strong sense of both the details Data-driven insights foster improvement in
and the big picture efficiency and productivity

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation Best Practices

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation Best Practices

The objective when presenting financial information is to convey the analysis in an understandable manner.

Know the Clarify Set an Explicit

Audience Objectives Agenda

Select Key Tie Data Enhance Data

Data Only to a Story Visualization

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Knowing the Audience

Knowing the audience is critical

Customize the content to specific audiences and situations

Ensure relevance to the audience

Use terms and concepts that they understand

Specific Level of Specific Needs

Responsibilities Understanding and Concerns

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Clarifying the Objective

Audiences can become overwhelmed when a report or presentation is too long and cluttered.

Build around the central message, which should be consistent with the audience’s needs.

Financial
Who is the Why is the
Analysis What is the What
central central
central actions are
message message
message? needed?
directed at? relevant?

Audience
Needs

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Setting an Agenda

Strong Agenda Weak / No Agenda

Useful tool from a planning perspective Presentation or report will lack focus

Ensures key points are addressed and Central message may not be conveyed
not forgotten effectively to the audience

Ensures content is organized and Inclusion of weak or unecessary content,

presented logically resulting in excess length

The agenda is a roadmap for the presentation or report.

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Selecting Key Financial Information

Include only the most important financial information

Avoid a “data dump”

Key Considerations

√ Consider who the audience is and what their specific needs are
√ Determine the key message and select information to support it
√ Balance the need for transparency and the detail needed to understand the message
√ Communicate the meaning of the information in a clear, understandable manner

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Tying Financial Information Together

Financial information should “tell a story”.

Telling a Story With Information Desired Outcomes

√ A compelling way of presenting √ More effective at persuading the audience

√ Keeps the audience interested √ Leads to actionable insights

√ Makes facts more digestible

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Enhancing Data Visualization

Presenting analysis in an appealing format results in a better understanding of that information.

Avoid • All elements should have a purpose

Clutter • Exclude extraneous text, graphics, etc.

Use • Utilize graphs and diagrams

Graphics • Excessive numbers and tables can be difficult to process

Consistent • Consistent visual and writing styles

Format • Inconsistency can distract from the core message

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Structure of Effective Presentations

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Importance of Structure

A strong structure and logical presentation are critical for audience understanding.

Introduction Body Conclusion

Sets the tone and The information and Summarizes key

explains the purpose central message is points, reinforces
or objective reviewed objectives, and offers
next steps

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation: Introduction

The introduction orients the audience to the purpose of the report or presentation and the key points to come.

Agenda The roadmap for the presentation

Objective The overall central message

Summary
High-level summary of analysis
Findings

Conclusion Key takeaways and calls-to-action These points should be made

clearly and succinctly

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation: Body

The body is where supporting information to the central message and objective is reviewed.

The organization of the body is critical to the audience’s understanding of the content.

What Is Being How Is It Being Why Is It Being

Presented? Presented? Presented?

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation: Body

Cover the topic thoroughly but eliminate unnecessary items. Present the information in a concise and logical
manner using relevant supporting analysis, statistics, or examples. Key areas to address include:

Context - The purpose of the analysis being conducted and the

key issue that is being addressed

Approach - Methodologies used to address the key issue and to

conduct the analysis

Assumptions - Key assumptions used in performing the

analysis and relevant supporting information

Analysis - Key results of the analysis depicted by charts, graphs,

and simple tables

Sensitivities - Alternative scenarios and the impact of

sensitivities around key assumptions

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation: Conclusion

A good conclusion should summarize the main points that were made, emphasize what the audience has
learned and how their issue has been addressed, and offer recommendations or next steps.

Previously stated or new information should not be presented in the conclusion.

Summarize Findings - Summarize the key points or

analysis made in the body

Relate to Core Message - Address how the information is

relevant to the core message and relevant to the audience

Call-to-Action - Provide recommendations or solutions to

the issue and identify any next steps

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Presentation: Appendices

Appendices contain supplementary material that provide a greater understanding of the central message.

Reasons to Include Information in Appendices

Information is too lengthy and detailed to be easily

summarized in the body

Including it in the body would render it poorly

Key Steps
structured or interrupt the narrative flow

Inclusion of helpful, supporting, or useful material

would distract the audience from the key message
Examples

Definitions or abbreviations Charts, graphs, and diagrams

Detailed tables or other outputs Credentials and certifications

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Course Summary

Corporate Finance Institute®

 Course Objectives

Discussed the importance Explored the best practices

of effectively used to create effective
communicating financial presentations
analyses

Reviewed the key structural Communicated the results

elements of impactful of a real-life case study
presentations

Corporate Finance Institute®