Syllabus

Middle-Market Professional Preparation Course Syllabus by Section

Thank you for your interest in ACG’s Middle-Market Professional certification program.

Launched in October 2020 after months of development, this program is specially designed for professionals who are focusing their careers on the middle-market deal community.

Course Introduction

  • How to Use This Course Course Description and Topics Let's Get Started
  • Glossary of Terms

Investment Banking and Private Equity

  1. Financial Services: The "Buy Side" and the "Sell Side"
  2. Investment Banking Industry Overview
  3. Private Equity Overview

Chapter Quiz: Investment Banking and Private Equity Overview

Accounting and Financial Statements

  1. Introduction to Accounting

  2. Balance Sheet Overview

  3. Income Statement Overview

  4. Cash Flow Statement Overview

  5. Advanced Accounting Topics

Chapter Quiz: Introduction to Accounting and Financial Statements

Financial Ratio Analysis

  1. Liquidity Ratios
  2. Leverage Ratios
  3. Activity Ratios
  4. Profitability Metrics
  5. Growth Rates

Chapter Quiz: Financial Ratio Analysis

Building a Three-Statement Financial Model

  1. Financial Model Important
  2. Introduction
  3. Spreading Historical Financial Statements
  4. Deriving Ratios, Trends and Variables
  5. Financial Statement Projections
  6. Integrating Projected Financial Statements and Revolving Credit Facility Modeling

Chapter Quiz: Building a Three-Statement Model

Valuation Analysis

  1. Valuation Overview
  2. Comparable Public Companies (a/k/a "Public Comps" or "Trading Comps")
  3. Precedent Transactions Analysis (a/k/a "Transaction Comps")
  4. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
  5. Conclusions

Chapter Quiz: Valuation Analysis

The M&A Sale Process

  1. Confidentiality
  2. The M&A Banker's Role
  3. Sale Options and Strategies
  4. Valuation in M&A
  5. Recasting Historical Financial Statements
  6. Presentation and Packaging
  7. Buyer Qualification
  8. Marketing
  9. Due Diligence
  10. Bid Submission and Bid Analysis
  11. Deal Structure
  12. Advanced M&A Concepts

Chapter Quiz: M&A Sale Process

M&A Regulation and Compliance

  1. M&A Regulatory and Compliance Issues

Chapter Quiz: Regulatory and Compliance Issues