Overview

AI, Data Science & Cloud Certificates from Google, IBM & Meta — 40% Off

One plan covers every Professional Certificate on Coursera. 40% off your first 3 months — limited time.

Learn how to analyze mergers and acquisitions, build financial merger models, and evaluate deal impact using practical investment banking and corporate finance techniques. This course provides hands-on skills in merger modeling, financial statement integration, synergy analysis, accretion/dilution analysis, and purchase price allocation. The course begins with industry and company analysis, helping learners understand market structure, competitive dynamics, and the strategic positioning of Comcast and Time Warner prior to the merger. Learners will evaluate industry trends, company financials, and the strategic rationale behind acquisition decisions. As the course progresses, learners build transaction assumptions and prepare financial statements that form the foundation of a merger model. The course then focuses on integrating financial statements, analyzing accretion and dilution, and identifying revenue and cost synergies to assess the financial impact of the transaction. Advanced modules cover balance sheet combination, purchase price allocation, accounting adjustments, free cash flow analysis, and sensitivity testing to complete a professional merger model. What makes this course unique is its end-to-end, application-focused modeling approach that mirrors real-world investment banking and corporate finance workflows. By the end of the course, learners will be able to confidently build merger models, analyze acquisition scenarios, evaluate strategic transactions, and support M&A decision-making in professional finance environments.

Syllabus

Industry & Company Foundations

This module introduces learners to the cable and media industry, highlighting market structure, key trends, and competitive dynamics, followed by an in-depth analysis of Comcast and Time Warner to understand their business models, financial performance, and strategic positioning prior to the merger.

Deal Framework & Assumptions

This module focuses on understanding the merger deal structure, strategic rationale, and key considerations, followed by building transaction assumptions and preparing financial statements that serve as the foundation for merger modeling.

Financial Integration & Synergies

This module guides learners through integrating financial statements, analyzing accretion and dilution, and identifying as well as quantifying revenue and cost synergies to evaluate the financial impact of the merger.

Balance Sheet, Adjustments & Final Model

This module completes the merger modeling process by combining balance sheets, applying purchase price allocation and accounting adjustments, and performing advanced analysis including sensitivity testing, free cash flow calculation, and final model summarization.