Modelling

A Step by Step Guide to Construct a Financial Model without Plugs and without Circularity for Valuation Purposes

Ignacio Vélez–Pareja Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar Cartagena, Colombia ivelez@unitecnologica.edu.co nachovelez@gmail.com

First version: May 28, 2008 This version: July 25, 2008

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Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1138428

ABSTRACT In this teaching note the reader finds a simplified financial model. In reality, financial models are huge and cumbersome. This is a very simplified model compared with what is found in practice. We present some basic principles for constructing the financial statements needed for valuation. The reader is encouraged to construct the financial statements for herself on a spreadsheet. The relevant financial statements are: the Balance Sheet (BS), the Income statement (IS) and the Cash Budget (CB). The construction of the financial statements starts from policies and/or targets (i.e. accounts receivable policy or target). With these targets or policies we can construct the financial statements. The first table to be constructed is the table of parameters. This table organizes all of the relevant information. The subsequent tables are linked to the table of parameters via formulas. We construct other supplementary tables that will be used in the construction of the main financial statements. We indicate the formulas that have to be utilized in the construction of the financial model. In the first line and in the first column the reader finds the letters and numbers corresponding to the Excel® spreadsheet in order to make it easier the localization and the construction of the formulas. In the last two columns we have written those formulas. Usually they correspond to the year 0 and/or year 1. When necessary, we show the formulas for other years and we indicate it. Shaded cells are for the input data. If the reader wishes to construct the model exactly as we did, she will be able to do that...