Develop the Skills to Analyze Financial Information and Support Commercial Lending Decisions.
The Analyzing Financial Statements course is NCCRS recommended for College Credit Transfer!
Understanding financial statements is a critical skill for professionals involved in commercial lending and credit analysis.
CFT’s Analyzing Financial Statements course provides a practical introduction to financial analysis from the perspective of commercial credit professionals. Learners develop the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate financial information, assess borrower strength, and better understand the factors that influence commercial lending decisions.
Prerequisite: Accounting or Financial Accounting is required before enrolling in this course.
Who Should Take This Course?
- Commercial loan officers
- Credit analysts
- Commercial lending trainees
- Professionals who have a basic understanding of accounting principles and commercial lending practices
How This Course Supports Professional Growth
Learners develop skills that support effective financial analysis, including the ability to:
- Analyze income statements, balance sheets, cash budgets, pro forma statements, and personal financial statements
- Calculate and interpret key financial ratios
- Evaluate business cash flow
- Understand global cash flow and global debt service coverage
- Better assess a commercial borrower’s ability to repay loans
These skills provide a stronger foundation for professionals responsible for evaluating commercial credit opportunities.
Chapter topics include:
- Business Sectors and Operating Cycles
- Business Legal Structures and Life Cycles
- How Business Financial Statements are Constructed
- Income Statement Analysis
- Ratio Analysis
- Cash Flow Analysis
- Cash Budgets and Pro Forma Statements
- Personal Tax Returns and Cash Flow
- Combining Business and Personal Cash Flow into Global Cash Flow
Course Details
Course Length: Up to 13 Weeks
FlexLearn provides a structured online learning experience with the flexibility to progress through coursework while balancing professional responsibilities. Each course has an established timeframe based on course content, but learners who prefer to move through the material more quickly may complete their coursework sooner.
Once enrolled, learners receive login information and a detailed course outline with suggested due dates to help them stay on track. Coursework includes readings, discussion questions, assignments, and evaluations, quizzes and/or exams.
Upon successful completion, learners receive a final grade, diploma evaluation, and course completion badge.
Diploma and Certificate Applications:
eBook Access Included in Tuition
All FlexLearn courses include eBook access, providing convenient access to course materials from any device. eBooks include features such as highlighting, bookmarking, flashcards, and read-aloud functionality to support different learning preferences.
Instructor
Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith has been the Chief Lending Officer at Freedom Credit Union in Springfield, MA since 2013 and is in charge of managing the Commercial, Mortgage, and Consumer Lending portfolios, as well as t... read more.
