Legal and financial business analysis, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Bachelor´s Programme in Commercial and Business Law
• Bachelor's Programme in Commercial and Business Law

Entry requirements

Admission to the course requires, apart from the general entry requirements, that the student has completed courses in commercial and business law comprising at least 40 credit points, in which the courses (or the equivalent) Theories and Methods of Law, Commercial and Business Law, Contract, Tort and Insurance Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Labour Law, Tax Law and Corporate Law with an Emphasis on Economics should be included. In addition, the student should have completed the courses (or the equivalent) Financial Accounting, Finance and Financial Planning.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to
- demonstrate advanced knowledge of company analysis concerning company valuation and due diligence and in other respects concerning questions that are relevant to company acquisitions,
- account for the structure and conditions of company acquisitions with specific focus on the transaction process and the practical work that lawyers and auditors carry out.

Course content

The course contains the parts that are comprised in the transaction process of company acquisitions regarding:
- company valuation; financial and economic analysis,
- due diligence and
- business transactions as well as
- agreements and negotiation

For the student to gain good knowledge of the structure and conditions of company acquisition with specific focus on the transaction process and the practical work that lawyers and auditors carry out at such acquisitions, advanced understanding of the company analysis that both buyer and seller of the relevant company are faced with both before, during and after the transaction process is required. The company analysis can be divided into two parts; company valuation and due diligence. These parts constitute the emphases in the course. Company valuation consists largely of financial and economic analysis, while due diligence includes both economic, legal and other analyses.

The financial and economic part of the course consists, among other things, of analysis of balance and profit and loss calculation, fundamental and cash flow analyses and valuation models. The legal part of the course contains, among other things, analyses of agreement, company, work and tax law nature and analyses from an intellectual property law perspective. All parts will also include practical considerations and methods that are used in working with company acquisition.

Teaching and working methods

The course consists of lectures and seminars, where several of these are held outside the university. The main tasks of the course are included in a larger case study (case). The tasks in the course consist of three written group assignments and an individual written assignment. The individual assignment has a more investigative nature and is meant to constitute the basis for individual assessment of the student. Group assignment 1 and 2 should also be presented orally by every student in the groups during two separate seminar sessions. The student is also expected to study independently, individually or in groups.

Examination

The course is examined through participation and implementation of the two written group assignments and through the individual assignment in the form of a take-home examination. Seminars are compulsory and are thus included as a part of the examination.

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Department