Financial Modeling For Equity Research: A Step-by-Step Guide to Earnings Modeling and Stock Valuation for Investment Analysis

Book Synopsis: From the Author: This is not another boring, impossible to read, thousand-page textbook. On the contrary, this is an exciting journey into the world of Wall Street-style financial modeling. The motivation behind this book comes from my days as a new research analyst, trying to juggle the demands of 80-plus hour work weeks, FINRA exams, and client meetings, while attempting to learn the basics of modeling. At the time I sought outside educational resources only to find useless classes focused on spreadsheet tricks, or high-level theory-based books with little practical value. What I really needed was someone to sit down, and show me exactly how to build a model, using a real company as an example, from start to finish. Now, years after leaving the sell-side rat race, I have written the book that I sought when I was new to the street. The result is a clear, concise, easy to read guide on how to build a three-statement model.

The book starts with an introduction to the industry and important background information for new analysts. Then, beginning with a blank spreadsheet, the text demonstrates exactly how to build a model using an actual company example. Throughout the chapters there are numerous images of the model which highlight key elements, as if I were pointing to a computer screen and explaining it directly to the reader. There are also more than 30 spreadsheets available for download to follow along with the text. After the model is built, I discuss effective ways to use it for forecasting and share valuation, and demonstrate how to maintain the model over time. I have also included insight from my experience in research, pitfalls to watch for, and frequently asked questions from my research team, to help add color to the subject matter.

This book is a self-published, grassroots effort. You will not find a shiny professional cover or expert photographs inside. This book is less what you would expect from a traditional textbook, and closer to an informal conversation between me and the reader. Sometimes all you need is to talk to someone who has been there, and that is what you will get between these two covers. Ultimately the goal is to have my readers come away from their experience feeling empowered and excited to build an earnings model of their own. Regardless of whether or not you intend to start a career in equity research, if you would like to learn how to model earnings for a company, then this book is a good place to get started.

NOTE: This book was published in 2019 using FedEx Corp as a subject company. Market circumstances have changed significantly since the book was published, and FedEx has reported years of updated financial statements. Despite this fact, the book remains relevant as an example of the financial modeling process although the data is out of date. If you are interested in a more up-to-date example, than you should consider a different source of information.