Book Description

Praise for Private Capital Markets

"Until now, professional literature has included very little on the subject of valuing larger, closely held businesses. This book meets a long-standing need for a scholarly, yet practical, way of addressing the values of nonpublic enterprises. It should be read by everyone who is involved in appraising, buying, selling, or financing privately owned businesses."
––Raymond C. Miles
Founder and Technical Director
The Institute of Business Appraisers

"Since CPAs are involved with most financial aspects of private companies, we need resource materials that are comprehensive in nature. This book, without a doubt, offers the single most integrated approach to valuation, capital structure formation, and business transfer issues available. It is an essential guide for practitioners who represent middle-market private clients."
––Norman F. Manley, CPA
Partner, Tax
BDO Seidman, LLP

"This is the first book that surveys the private capital markets. It is an important addition to the literature since it is both well-written and easy to understand.Finally, academics and practitioners have a book that provides financial education to those who own, work, or are interested in establishing their own companies."
––Dr. Edward M. Mazze
Dean and the Alfred J. Verrecchia—Hasbro Inc. Leadership Chair in Business
College of Business Administration, University of Rhode Island

"Although lawyers routinely counsel private business owners on a wide variety of business topics, including financial matters, law schools currently provide very little, if any, grounding with respect to practical private business finance. This book will equip all professional advisors with a theoretical and practical underpinning of the private capital markets."
––John Morrice, Esq.
Johnston, Allison & Hord, PA

"At last, a book that deals with the financial needs of Main Street companies! The ideas and frameworks contained in Private Capital Markets will definitely help business owners make better financing and investment decisions."
–– L. Kerry Vickar
Chairman
CorrFlex Display and Packaging, LLC ... Read more

Book Description

As auditing shifts from an outsourced function to a cornerstone of internal control, audit directors need an updated manual that reflects the radical changes the internal audit profession recently experienced in order to establish efficient processes for conducting successful audits. Managing the Audit Function, Third Edition, provides a blueprint for the creation of an effective procedures manual for an internal audit department.

A new chapter defines internal control, risk assessment, control strategies, and malicious activities. This subject should be studied and understood not only by internal auditors but by all managers and board members as well. The recent developments with accounting irregularities demonstrated a clear need for an education on the complex subject of internal control.

By implementing the methods recommended in Cangemi and Singleton’s authoritative guide, auditors can play an integral role in improving overall corporate performance. Among other services, the Third Edition:

• Provides a discussion of what world-class audit departments are doing with Baldridge criteria, balanced scorecard, and other continuous improvement techniques
• Contains unique matrices that describe each component of the audit function in detail, from administration to performance to reporting
• Includes standards for information systems auditing
• Offers a discussion of quality assurance and marketing
• Delivers a new section on the internal control system, which includes models, tools, and techniques, that should be read by all senior management and board members

By following the manual, auditors can ensure that they are following the guidelines for internal control that both the Foreign Corrupt Services Act and the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) require. The authors also present a sample procedures manual on an available Web site:
www.wiley.com/go/audit manual.

Each page of the manual has a heading consisting of a generic company name, title of the manual (Corporate Audit Department Procedures Manual, if appropriate), section number, revision number, and the date of the revision. The authors have written much of the text this way as a boilerplate that can be used to easily create a unique, modifiable, dynamic manual. In this shifting accounting landscape, effective auditing procedures are absolutely essential to appropriate internal control. Managing the Audit Function, Third Edition provides internal auditors the reliable resource they need.

Praise for Managing the Audit Function

"The corporate governance issues, accounting irregularities, and legislative actions that have taken place over the past two years have elevated the role and importance of the internal audit function. Managing the Audit Function provides a valuable guide and reference tool for those charged with either executing or overseeing this function."
–– Daniel S. Kaplan, Business Risk Services Partner
Ernst & Young LLP

"It was refreshing to read Internal Audit literature with the appropriate focus on information systems and information systems auditing, since computer systems play such a key role in the processing of accounting transactions and the performance of business operations in today’s business environment."
–– William J. Powers, Partner, National Director
Information Systems Assurance Services
BDO Seidman, LLP

"Cangemi and Singleton have created a knowledge management tool for the creation of quality audit manuals and functions. Managing the Audit Function is an important book for all audit managers, and with the addition of new and updated material, including information on the implications and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, it provides the information to keep pace with changing conditions affecting the audit function."
–– Robert S. Roussey, Professor of Accounting
Leventhal School of Accounting, University of Southern California
International President, Information Systems Audit and Control Association

" This is basically a procedures manual for an internal auditing department that has been prepared by two of the world’s most knowledgeable IT auditors. The book is a handy tool because examples are given throughout of relevant audit documents, such as audit reports, responses to reports, responses to delinquent responses, matrices, checklists, and flowcharts. Every audit department should have this book as a reference manual."
–– Dale L. Flesher, PhD, CPA, CMA, CIA, CFE, CGFM
Professor of Accountancy and Associate Dean
University of Mississippi ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Invaluable Resource for Internal Audit Administrators
A very well organized and highly useful publication for audit executives responsible for administrtion of internal audit departments. It is especially beneficial and relevant to organziations with newly established internal audit functions. As the chief auditor of a newly formed group at a major footwear and apparel company, I have relied on this book almost daily to provide knowledge, guidance and direction. It has, and continues to be, invaluable in the development and growth of my organization's internal audit department and has facilitated my focusing on doing things right the "first time." A truly value-added publication!!

A Must Have . . .
This publication is perhaps the most useful, well organized and valuable resource I have ever come across in the area of Internal Audit Department Administration. As the Director of Internal Audit of a newly formed Audit group at a major footwear and apparel company, not a day passes where I do not refer to this book for knowledge and guidance. It has provided me invaluable insight into administering a department and on focusing on doing things right "the first time." It is a must have resource for any department, new or old, that wants to build itself into a world-class function. I recommend this to every Internal Audit organization. ... Read more

Book Description

Blind Faith takes head on the unquestioned financial dogma of modern times: that stocks are the best long-term investment you will ever make. But, as Ed Winslow ably reveals, the way we’ve been counseled to "play the market" amounts to little more than gambling, not investing. The time-honored means for controlling risk: asset allocation, diversification and having a long-term time horizon are inadequate. Blind Faith offers a new and easily understood means of investment risk management that will cause investment professionals to reexamine the underlying assumptions and foundation of Modern Portfolio Theory. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

JP from Oregon
Finally someone willing to write an honest analysis of the self-serving behavior of the financial industry. Anyone invested in the market who reads this book will strongly reexamine their beliefs with regard to investing. Undoubtably many in the financial services industry will hope that this book does not get read. I for one, hope that it becomes a classic.

Finally, some answers!
This book is one of a kind! It is the first book I've read that speaks the truth about the perils of investing in the stock market. The suggestions are clear, sensible and a must for anyone who isn't buying into the old worn out advice that no longer works in todays environment.

There is another way...
Finally, a book that speaks to concerns that I've had about investing since I read my first investment book but that no one seems to talk about.

The author covers topics that are taboo in most investment texts, such as how the investment industry is rigged against the individual investor (corporate structure, taxes, investment banks, government regulation, etc.), and what you can do to protect yourself from market risk. Diversification doesn't help when the whole market collapses after a catastrophic event like 9-11 or in a deep recession.

If you want to take advantage of up markets and hold onto your gains in down markets, then read this book.

A cutting edge, no-holds-barred financial guide
Knowledgeably written by Edward Winslow (the Founder and Manager of First American Financial Cooperative), Blind Faith: Our Misplaced Trust In The Stock Market And Smarter, Safer Ways To Invest denounces "playing the stock market" as being little better than gambling, and presents wiser, safer, more effective means to invest and put money to work. From why ordinary Americans should steer clear of stocks; to intelligent risk management strategies; to protected investments and means geared for retirement, and more, Blind Faith a cutting edge, no-holds-barred financial guide which is especially relevant in light of recent economic pitfalls, Wall Street volatility, and dramatic stock-related corporate scandals.

The Proof is in the Pudding
The proof is in the pudding. How many of us (the small investor) have actually made returns equal to the SP 500 index in up markets, and haven't lost their shirts in the down markets? In this book you'll learn why, and how the financial industry encourages us to be blind sheep. Mr. Winslow explodes the conventional investing dogma and shows us a better way. ... Read more

Book Description

Project financing is an innovative and timely financing technique that has been used on many high-profile corporate projects, including Euro Disneyland and the Eurotunnel. Employing a carefully engineered financing mix, it has long been used to fund large-scale natural resource projects, from pipelines and refineries to electric-generating facilities and hydroelectric projects. Increasingly, project financing is emerging as the preferred alternative to conventional methods of financing infrastructure and other large-scale projects worldwide.

The intricacies of project financing are formidable, and can easily be misunderstood and, consequently, misused. While project financing structures share certain common features, by necessity, they require tailoring the package to the particular circumstances of the project. That is where both the benefits and the challenges lie.

As an investment banker currently with Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, John D. Finnerty has a wealth of experience in project financing. Now, he brings his considerable expertise to a comprehensive exploration of the facts, figures—and potential faux pas—surrounding Project Financing.

What distinguishes project financing from conventional direct financing is that rather than looking to the firm's entire asset portfolio to generate cash flow, in project financing, the project is "a distinct legal entity" and the financing is tailored to the cash flow characteristics of the project assets. Such a structure can yield a more efficient allocation of risks and returns than conventional financing, but careful financial engineering is critical.

With actual examples and case studies, Project Financing takes you through the process step by step. It covers the rationale for project financing, how to prepare the financial plan, assess the risks, design the financing mix, and raise the funds. Along with cogent analyses of why some project financing plans have succeeded while others have failed, you'll find detailed information on:

• Designing contractual arrangements to support project financing
• Issues for the host government—legislative provisions, public/private infrastructure partnerships, public/private financing structures
• Credit requirements of lenders, and how to determine the project's borrowing capacity
• How to prepare cash flow projections and use them to measure expected rates of return
• Tax and accounting considerations
• Detailed case studies—including Euro Disneyland and the Eurotunnel Project—that illustrate how to apply the analytical techniques described in the book

From funding sources and contract options to security arrangements and legal requirements, Project Financing provides the most complete coverage available today.

Project financing is one of the hottest topics in corporate finance. As an effective alternative to conventional direct financing, it is being used more frequently—and more successfully—on a wide variety of projects. In this comprehensive new book, John D. Finnerty, Editor of Financial Management, takes an in-depth look at this important financing technique.

Praise for PROJECT FINANCING

"Owing to his teaching as a finance professor and as an experienced investment banker, John Finnerty brings to his book, Project Financing, an insightful perspective, blending the theoretical with the practical."—Zoltan Merszei, Former Chairman, President, and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company

"Finnerty has managed to distill the complexities of project financing with its myriad components and variations. Clear, practical, and in-depth, Project Financing is a valuable user's guide for project sponsors, regulators, host governments (local and foreign), and financiers alike."—Ricardo M. Campoy, Managing Director, ING Capital Corporation

"Project Financing warrants a place in the essential libraries of corporate financial managers, their advisors, senior strategists, bankers, large private investors, government officials, and anyone who aspires to master innovation in corporate finance."—Robert F. Bruner, Professor of Business Administration, Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia

"This book is the first comprehensive treatment of project financing. It provides an invaluable contribution to financial management literature and practice."—Andrew H. Cohen, Distinguished Professor of Finance, Southern Methodist University ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Amazing finance tool.
One of the best books I've ever read. Extremely useful and updated. Strongly recommended.

good
do you have any book store in p.r.china? since i can't remit money abroad. but in china, i can do so. tks ... Read more

Book Description

The Bank for International Settlements is only 1-2 years away from effectively requiring all major financial institutions in the world to use a sophisticated credit models. The most widely used model is based on the 1974 Merton model of risky debt. A more recent extension of the Merton model of risky debt is the Shimko, Tejima and van Deventer (1993) model, which allows for simultaneous analysis of credit risk and interest rate risk. Increasingly, however, bankers are turning to a newer class of models called “reduced form credit models” because of their analytical power for both complex derivatives like credit derivatives and the mark to market of loans on a credit adjusted basis.

The Basel Capital Accords place a heavy emphasis on financial institutions' ability to assess credit risk. In this book, two of the world's best-known risk management experts assess both the Merton model and reduced form credit models and show exactly how to measure model performance as the Basel Accords require. They use the same tests to assess the likely effectiveness of the Basel Capital Accords in measuring the safety and soundness of financial institutions.

The authors go into great detail in assessing the ability of leading credit models to evaluate collateralized debt obligations, loan commitments, collateralized loans, as well as retail and small business loan portfolios.

Credit Risk Models and the Basel Accords reviews the objectives of the credit risk management process, introduces the theory of the Merton and reduced form credit models, shows how the models can be used in practice, and then examines a wide range of historical data to show the relative performance of the models in practice.

This book offers a balanced review of the newer reduced form models and the older Merton model.It is an invaluable guide for financial institutions striving to meet the requirements of the new Basel Accord. It is a book that thoroughly reviews the pros and cons of both classes of credit model. The Basel Accords ensure that financial institutions do more than just “have” a model - they must also understand how they work. This book will help to fulfill that requirement of the new Basel Accords. ... Read more

Book Description

Financial statements are the basis for a wide range of business analysis.Managers, securities analysts, bankers and consultants all use them to make business decisions.There is strong demand among business students for course materials that provide a framework for using financial statement data in a variety of business analysis and valuation contexts. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Useful if cumbersome
This review applies to the edition WITH CASES.This isn't recommended for anyone who is just starting out with choosing investments.Beginners might be better off with a more general overview of financial statement analysis (FSA) like Higgins' "Analysis of Financial Statements" or Fraser and Omriston's "Understanding Financial Statements".

This was one of two textbooks used in a financial statement analysis course I took for my MBA.Most chapters are down-to-earth and as a whole the book is well-written.

The other text we used was Penman's "Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation" which was also a great resource as far as gaining a basic understanding of the mechanics of financial statements and how to build a valuation model.

I contrast the two books because while Penman provides a run-down of several different models analysts can use (and does a good job of arguing for the Residual Income Model of valuation model as being the best), Palepu delves into the implications of companies' choices of accounting methods and provides more insight into what different kinds of businesses should look like in terms of their financial statements.

The cases at the end of each chapter add a lot of value to the text because they get students to focus on the specific issues detailed in each chapter.By picking apart different companies' financial statements we learned to use financial statements to assess the success or failure of companies' efforts to carry out their business strategies.

I rate it "Good - 4 stars"

Required Text
This is a required text at my school, but after having read the first 5 chapters there is almost nothing of value that I have read.I have spoken to several people that have used this text for the class in prior semesters and they told me that they had stopped reading it after the first several chapters also.

Excellent Capstone Book
This book is an excellent description of all the elements that would go into reviewing a potential investment opportunity.It is not a detailed book in one category, such as financial accounting, but it ties business strategy analysis, financial analysis, forecasting analysis, and valuation analysis together.Most other books focus on one area and don't tie all of these together well.This one takes you down the path to evaluating the opportunity to its fullest.It is an excellent capstone book after you have sifted through the details of strategy, finance, and accounting.

Just same old story
I am using this book for a business valuation class now. Nothing but a binding many buzzy theories. Too many stories in a limited pages. This is not a good book for those who wants to deepen understanding of one subject.

A good book blending accounting, investing and finance !
This book is also a bestseller in Japan.Here someone called it "The only textbook now available that broadly explains accounting figures in the valuation model of the firm". This is a good book for beginners.Although the contents might be somewhat easy, the order in which it iswritten is very meaningful. You will probably have read everything in thisbook somewhere else, but certainly not in this order ! The importance ofthe ideas in this book go beyond its contents !! ... Read more

Book Description

TRADING CHAOS APPLYING EXPERT TECHNIQUES TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PROFITS

Chaos theory now stands at the cutting edge of financial decision-making methods. The product of years of scientific investigation into unpredictable phenomena, it has the potential to offer traders entirely new perspectives on the movements of markets—and less risky routes to greater, more consistent profitability. Unlike other books on the subject, Trading Chaos takes chaos analysis out of the realm of the abstract and makes complex concepts easy to understand and use. It offers you the most practical, comprehensive guide available to applying chaos theory to the real world of trading and investing.

In this breakthrough work, author Bill Williams gives you the benefit of his unique qualifications: 35 years of successful trading and a PhD in psychology. The instructional techniques used in Trading Chaos have been tested and refined in the workshops, seminars, and private tutoring sessions Dr. Williams has conducted in 12 different countries.

Designed for all traders—from beginner to experienced professional—Trading Chaos introduces you to the financial applications of chaos in five graduated stages, starting with a clear, nontechnical introduction (Level One: The Novice Trader) all the way to chart analysis, fractals, Elliott wave, and advanced nonlinear dynamics (Level Five: The Expert Trader).

Trading Chaos probes depths of human and economic behavior that other books do not even mention, including:

• A detailed examination of the underlying structure of the market
• How individual belief systems affect the way we trade
• How to determine "what the market wants"
• Most importantly—"how to want what the market wants"

Numerous charts, trading models, analysis spreadsheets, and review questions reinforce the key concepts and help insure full comprehension of the material.

Regardless of your current degree of expertise, Trading Chaos will take you to new levels of trading confidence and increased profit.

This practical guide to the powerful tools of chaos theory will help you make better, more profitable trades

"Bill Williams brings a unique background and experience to the commodity trading world. His approach to becoming a successful trader includes many fresh and fascinating concepts for traders of all experience levels."—Bruce Babcock Editor, Commodity Traders Consumer Report

"Bill Williams has demystified the Elliott Wave. His technical approach is an innovative and effective way to trade markets for novice and expert traders alike."—Bob Koppel Skylane Trading Group

"Trading Chaos by Bill Williams is an excellent guide to profiting from a market which is nonlinear in structure. The book is divided into logical levels of trading techniques useful to the novice and expert trader. I was genuinely surprised that the expert can still learn refreshingly new techniques at each level presented."—Timothy C. Slater Managing Director of Dow Jones Telerate Seminars

Trading Chaos takes chaos theory out of the abstract realm and into the real world of practical investment decision-making. Using the techniques in this remarkable book, you will uncover the hidden patterns of what appear to be the random, unpredictable movements of the commodity, futures, and options markets. Regardless of your current level of experience, expert commodity trader and trainer Bill Williams will give you the skills and insights to move to levels of trading ability you would not have imagined possible.

Clear, practical, and nontechnical—Unlike other books on chaos theory, Trading Chaos is designed to be easy to understand and use

Unique organizational format—Introduces the reader to the financial applications of chaos in five graduated stages, from Novice to Expert Trader

Expert advice on avoiding common psychological traps and pitfalls—Including such self-limiting afflictions as the "paralysis of analysis," "opinionitis," and the dangers of trading on individual belief systems

A wealth of supplementary materials—Charts, trading models, trade plans, analysis spreadsheets, and trading diaries illustrate and reinforce key concepts ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Fractals in review
As an avid student of Chaos Theory and Fractals, I found this book to be similar to his other one. Williams eludes to using fractals in his analysis but makes no reference to fractal dimensions, Koch curves, monsters or any of the original theories as proposed by Mandelbrot. He does present some scaling principles and their application to Elliot Waves, but this is under the assumption that the Elliot Wave is correct or that you believe in it. I do agree with some of the money flow theories Williams proposes, which is probably the most clearly explained and substantiated part of his trading theoriey. I recommend "Fractals and Scaling in Finance" by Mandelbrot and for software, "Fractal Finance" by Tetrahex. Both of these follow a similar system, although Fractal Finance does use a MACD which appears similar to Williams.

Joke
The five stars is only for the cover. However, the content of the book is pathetic. I have read many trading books and several chaos books and I can honestly say this book is neither. I fell for the enlightened self-similar structure cover and wasted my money. Don't repeat my mistake.

If you are interested in chaos and trading, start with Edgar Peters books such as Chaos and the Capital Markets.

The publisher, Wiley, should be ashamed to put out this sort of drivel. Bill Williams is a joke. If you think your trading style is based on your body type, then maybe this book will help you feel better about losing; otherwise skip it and Bill Williams, PhD.'s other lobotomized treatises on trading.

Trader Development
This book really is mistitled. Chaos theory for markets is not presented, so look elsewhere for that. The book does present a good theory for the psychology of trading such as "traders differ on value but agree on price" as motivation and explains the development of traders from novice, intermediate, and advanced (skip master and expert level)and the goals for each level. Unfortunately, the methodology for trading with a Chaos background is not touched upon.

Good filler read for background on trading and personal development. Poor on methodology for trading with Chaos. Perhaps Mr. Williams had an epiphany and contends all trades are done in Chaos, so traders should relax. To borrow a line from another author, "some trades will, some trades won't, so what, next trade please."

Donate your money to charity
In the first few chapters, he sounds so attractive, after that, you will find the author using new technical analysis words to describe the breakthrough of the resistance/support and claims this a new concept/idea, but he saying nothing on the book and if you are using his method to trade, you are not far from bankruptcy.
Eventually, you waste your money, then why don't send cheque to charities.

Do not buy this book!
Williams uses big words (fractals, chaos, quantum mechanics) to impress the reader, but says nothing meaningful.I found this book a waste of time and money ... Read more

Book Description

Understanding Partnership Accounting (Second Edition) is an investment partnership accounting guide written by Advent Software and the Financial Services Industry Group of American Express Tax and Business Services. The book covers the accounting and legal services that investment partnerships require. It also describes how investment partnerships allocate the results of their investments to the partners, including tax reallocations for performance fees, and other tax and reporting issues. ... Read more

Book Description

Century 21 Accounting Celebrates 95 Years of Excellence! South-Western's 95 years of accounting leadership is the culmination of generations of commitment to teacher and student needs. Why do thousands of teachers choose Century 21 Accounting each year?

Content The fundamental accounting content you've come to trust from South-Western remains in the Seventh Edition.

Illustration Placement Students often use the illustrations as the starting point for understanding accounting. To meet this need, our illustrations are consistently placed at the top of the page and include step-by-step instructions. The supporting text reinforces concepts presented in the illustrations for complete accounting instruction. South-Western is the only publisher that covers all three concepts of the accounting cycle.The Multicolumn Journal Approach starts with the traditional multicolumn journal through Cycle One and Two and moves into special journals in Cycle Three.

Individual Lessons Each chapter is divided into three or four lessons with corresponding assessment activities right at the point of use. These focused lessons improve student comprehension by providing immediate reinforcement of accounting concepts.

Automated Accounting in Every Chapter Computerized accounting is a reality in the workplace, and we've responded by moving Automated Accounting sections into every chapter. Students can immediately see the connection between accounting concepts and their automated applications.

Many Short Problems In addition to the new end-of-lesson problems, we have introduced several short application problems at the end of each chapter. Students have the opportunity to build their knowledge one step at a time before completing the longer mastery and challenge problems.Century 21 Accounting Multicolumn Journal Approach starts with the traditional multicolumn journal, then moves students into special journals in Cycle Three. ... Read more

Book Description

How to make accounting information the enabler of organizational activities and objectives is the crux of this powerful guide. By viewing financial and managerial accounting together as functions of internal reporting (managerial) and external reporting (financial), the authors lay the foundation for thinking more innovatively and effectively about accounting user support, information technology, and solving business problems. This essential work is a must-read for accounting and information professionals. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Basics
For those daring enought to enter the world of casino operations, this book is a must read. It is filled with a carefully laid out analysis and explanation of the casino operations. This is a subject that is extremelydifficult to find actual documentation regarding such simple things as netwin. A first rate choice for the casino operator. ... Read more

Book Description

A great accounting software product supported by the only Intuit-authorized reference book on the market. It all adds up to terrific product knowledge and effective management and accounting for your small business. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Financial Risk Management

"Key material on how risks can be isolated, quantified, and managed from a top risk management practitioner."
–John Hull, Maple Financial Chair in Derivatives and Risk Management, and Director, Bonham Centre for Finance, University of Toronto

"Steve Allen’s book is an excellent read for both seasoned risk professionals and students. He has done a wonderful job of making a complex topic understandable and provided the necessary tools to help others develop and sharpen their own intuition about risk exposure and how to manage it. Theory about risk management is always interesting, but even more refreshing is to see how risk management is performed by those, like Allen, with years of experience in the trenches."
–Leslie Rahl, President, Capital Market Risk Advisors

"A very practical and deep approach to the problems of financial risk management."
–Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Empirica LLC, author of Fooled by Randomness and Dynamic Hedging

"Allen’s book is a treasure-trove of material and an invaluable resource for any professional seeking to understand modern risk management. It begins with basic concepts and builds carefully to the practical and theoretical ideas necessary for dealing with the complexities of the most sophisticated and relevant financial instruments today."
–Neil Chriss, Managing Director of Quantitative Strategies, SAC Capital, and author of Black-Scholes and Beyond ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Smart, Savvy, Practical
Allen delivers the most insightful look at market risk management for dealers since the Group of 30 Report. While other books are taking on an increasingly bureaucratic tone when it comes to risk management, Allen is refreshingly proactive. I really like the treatment of valuation reserves. His discussion of managing spot, forward and options risks bridges the gap between what a trader is thinking and what a risk manager should be thinking. This isn't a book for the sort of risk manager who hasn't been on the trading floor in a few months. It is a tactical book for the pro who works shoulder to shoulder with quants, traders and salespeople. Note that the book is qualitative. For the quantitative side of all this, see Holton's landmark "Value-at-Risk".

An Excellent book on risk management
This is a must buy book for both kinds of people: students or people in academia and practitioners who want to understand different type of risk they face at a macro or micro level. The reasons I like this book on risk management better than thousand others already out there are following. I like to describe this book as having two sections, both the sections are very important and people can focus on either depending on what they are looking for. The first part of the book provides a very good understanding of the risks faced by managers, for example risk managers, head of a trading portolfio or a desk or even CEOs. Very often these people face risk which are hard to quantify or even understand and are not often talked about. The author draws from personal experience and provides interesting case studies,. which makes this part of the book a pleasure to read. I learnt about model risk, reputation risk and other such risks which typically a junior person on a trading desk is not exposed to. So this understanding is very valuable in order to communicate with your boss or to get more insights about risks that management may care about.
The Second part of the book focusses on risk management of different type of instruments, instruments range from plain vanilla to complex path dependent options. It spans through assets classes as well. As promised by the author, the level of mathematical and quantitative background required is kept to the minimum. The text provides intuition about what market variables or market moves a specific instruments depends on rather than complex formulae to price such instruments. For somebody like me, who has a little more mathematical background than an average reader, the text points to latest research or specific papers that I can explore if I want to flex my quantitative muscle.
The book is full of very interesting exercises and case studies, which are truly practical. This is something which is completely different from many texts that I have seen on this topic.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anybody who has anything to do with trading financial instruments. ... Read more

Book Description

These annual resources, intended for use in an Intermediate, Advanced, or Accounting Theory course, contain all the original pronouncements put forth by the FASB and AICPA.
* Shading and sidebars alert readers when standards have been amended or superseded
* Status pages identify source of any changes, other pronouncements affected, and principal effective date
* EITF issues are cross-referenced to related pronouncements ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best nontechnical introduction book on Derivtatives
Hull wrote a classic book for the introduction to futures and options markets. It's for the serious reader who doesn't want to all the deviations and basics of option pricings. If, after reading this book, you're still interested in derivatives you cann proceed with Hull's "Options, Futures, and Other Derivative Securities", Kolb's "Futures, Options, and Swaps", or for the very ambitious student Wilmott's "Derivatives or Quantitative Finance".

Excellent book, must have for finance nuts.
The material is similar to his other book, Options Futures and Other Derivatives, but much more easy to read. With Brealy & Myers, this forms a good complementary text.

A must read for finance specialists
If you dont understand what the words Futures/options are and you want to know it, this is the place to start. hull(from McGil i think!) has excellently presented information on these subjects for the student as well as for the practitioner. As a student of MBA(finance) this was the prescribed text and I can safely say this compares with the best. sepcifically this book deals with the entire gamut of Futures/Options/Swaps with mathematical models where required. From CBOT to this day!!

Great introduction book but...
I reommend readers who are familiar with the derivatives should buy Hull's "Options, Futures and other Derivatives" since it goes faster trough the basics and covers more advanced topics.

The book that I prefer
This is the clearest book about futures markets. If you don't understand about this theme, you have to read this book. It's really easy. Specially if you don't speak english (the vocabulary is limited, fortunatelly). Este es el libro más claro acerca de los mercados de futuros. Si no entiendes este tema, tienes que leer este libro. Es realmente fácil. Especialmente si no hablas inglés (el vocabulario es restringido, afortunadamente). ... Read more

Book Description

Broad-scale guidance on all facets of M&A. Corporate integration expert Alexandra Reed Lajoux's The Art of M&A Integration gives you time-tested strategies and practices on handling the hundreds of details that spell the difference between corporate growth or financial disaster. More than theoretical research and details, The Art of M&A Integration brings you the stories of companies both large and small currently involved in the M&A process. Learn the M&A essentials of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX in telecommunications, NationsBank and Boatmen's in banking, Columbia/HCA and HealthTrust Inc, Glaxo/Welcome in healthcare, Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin in aerospace, and many others. Find out what they did, how they did it, and what they wish they had done differently! Lajoux's book is the only place you will find: detailed explanatory endnotes--these unique additions keep the information flow moving forward while allowing you more in-depth study of specific points; international tips and tactics--one in four mergers announced by U.S. companies involves a foreign partner. Here are proven rules for success!; a dynamic postmerger plan--discover how those before you kept everybody on the same page. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A comprehensive textbook on a very timely topic
Alex Lajoux cut her professional teeth on this subject, and knows her stuff! Fortunately, she also is a surperb writer, and is able to organize and explain often difficult material in a very readable and clear manner. THE ART OF M&A offers a step-by-step textbook that will prove valuable for anyone contemplating or going through the merger process. The book is logically broken down into appropriate topics (Basic Definitions and Data, Integration Planning and Communication, Integrating Financial and Tangible Resources, etc.) and sub-topics (Preserving Brand Identity after a Merger, Merging Senior Management Teams, etc.) making this a valuable reference book which will become a keeper in any executive library. Read this book before you merge or acquire, and you won't be disappointed. The small investment will save you a fortune in legal fees and headaches later!

An instant classic.
The M&A market should remain white hot in 1998, ISS reports. Six annual records have been broken in a row with 10,700 U.S. transactions worth $919 billion compared to 1996's record of 10,340 deals worth $626 billion according to Securities Data. What's the hottest new field in M&A? Our guess would be post-merger integration. A trio from the Boston Consulting Group provides advise to boards in the January/February edition of The Corporate Board. For more depth see The Art of M&A Integration: A Guide to Merging Resources, Processes, and Responsibilities (McGraw-Hill, 1997) by Alexandra Reed Lajoux. There are nearly 500 books in print on M&A but less than a dozen on the postmerger period. Those seeking advise on what to do after the papers have been signed will find Lajoux's work a practical guide. It fills a vacuum in the field with an instant classic.

Written in an easily understood question and answer format, Lajoux uses the knowledge she has gained though years of experience and through interviews with some of the top leaders in the field (profiled in the back of the book) to outline everything from integrating resources and processes to fulfilling stakeholder commitments. The book explodes some common myths by pointing out there is no correlation between size and growth, there is greater growth variation within industries than between them, and most cost-cutters continue to cut costs rather than grow.

Want to know what to tell your shareholders about the merger? Lajoux includes a sample letter. How do you explain the dilution that may result from issuing shares to pay for a merger? Read the sample language. When does a transaction qualify for pooling vs purchase for accounting purposes? What proportion of firms keep their names, blend names, adopt the seller's name or create an entirely new name and what are the pros and cons of these approaches? What proportion of mergers involve foreign firms? The Art of M&A Integration answers these questions and hundreds more.

There are dos and don'ts on compensation, advise on the year 2000 problem, and lists of checkpoints on everything from commitments to customers, suppliers and employees to building shareholder value. The author builds on the Caux Round Table's Principles for Business and expands on this consensus document, drawn up by leading global business executives, by providing useful checkpoints on many items. A practical guide for anyone planning M&A activity.

Misleading Title
The Art of M&A Integration is indeed an Art Book. It might help you in choosing your watercolors, but will not teach you how to paint.

Many good questions - few useful answers
This book provides a decent list of questions about integrations, but the answers were very high level and offered few insights into the real nitty-gritty of getting it done.

Perhaps it could be a reasonable introduction to the topic, but it is not a practical or useful execution guide.

The Art of M&A Integration
Don't waste your time. Purely academic look at M&A integration. Author may have talked to many people, but not enough who've actually been in the trenches doing it. ... Read more

Book Description

Financial Accounting: A Business Process Approach attempts to bridge the gap between business and accounting. It starts out by setting the stage with a description of what a business is all about. This provides a framework in which readers can see how accounting relates to and reports on business activities. This book shows how accounting fits into business as a company is created, operated, and expanded. The traditional financial statements and the accounting equation are emphasized, but how accounting relates to business processes is at the core.This version of Reimers introduces debits and credits in Chapter 4 and then contains integrated treatment of debits and credits in all subsequent chapters. It covers merchandising and inventory; integrates statement of cash flows, business risks, and internal controls; emphasizes financial statements; and integrates Excel into every chapter.For financial statement users and preparers. ... Read more

Book Description

"Sometime in the next five years you may kick yourself for not reading and re-reading Kindleberger’s Manias, Panics, and Crashes." –Paul A. Samuelson, Institute Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"One never picks up a work by Charles Kindleberger without anticipating a feast of entertainment. But underneath the hilarious anecdotes, the elegant epigrams, and the graceful turns of phrase, Kindleberger is deadly serious. The manner in which human beings earn their livings is no laughing matter to him, especially when they attempt to do so at the expense of one another." –from the Foreword by Peter L. Bernstein, author of Against the Gods and The Power of Gold

Praise for Manias, Panics, and Crashes

"Classic. . . . Manias, Panics, and Crashes is a durable guide to meditation: wise, witty, and practical. It is a template against which to measure the latest financial crisis–whatever and whenever that happens to be." –David Warsh, Boston Globe

"Definitive." –Floyd Norris, New York Times

"Menacing..." –The New Yorker

"[Manias, Panics, and Crashes] is a scholarly account of the way that mismanagement of money and credit has led to financial explosions over the centuries."–Richard Lambert, Financial Times

"This book sparkles with the best of Kindleberger’s wit, insight, and passion for financial history. A real delight."–Robert Z. Aliber, Professor of International Economics and Finance, University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business

"What long has been the best history of financial pathologies is now even better. The reader who absorbs Kindleberger’s lessons will be prepared to foresee and navigate the financial crises that surely lie ahead. Like a true classic, Manias, Panics, and Crashes is both timely and timeless." –Richard Sylla, Kaufman Professor of Financial History, Stern School of Business, New York University ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Disappointing and non-useful
The subtitle of this book, "A History of Financial Crises", is misleading since the book is actually a *commentary* on the history of financial crises. As such, it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the history of financial crises from 1600 to the present. The book is organized by the phases of a financial crisis, resulting in a near-complete lack of chronological coherence. The author may typically be talking about the Dutch tulip mania of 1636 in one sentence and the panic of 1907 in the next sentence, a style which quickly becomes exasperating. The overall purpose of the book appears to be the promotion of a thesis favoring the concept of a "lender of last resort" in order to mitigate financial crises. Consequently the book reads like an academic treatise, which is basically what it is. This approach is, in this reviewer's opinion, self-indulgent on the part of the author who appears to be addressing a readership primarily in academia, government and perhaps a limited segment of the banking industry. This book is neither instructive nor useful for the general reader.

Sorry amazon, I read the library's copy...
I'm puzzled by some of the negative comments about this book here, as I'm neither an economist nor a historian and I found the book quite accessible and interesting. The fairly predictable sequence of events leading to crashes, which have been played out many times in the past, is the book's central theme. Some of the story-telling could even be described as fascinating at times, though my knowledge of the subject was pretty much limited to what one learns of the famed `29 crash in high school american history.

Anyway, the critics here are not entirely wrong, though I think they're being a bit nit-picky. I don't think the widely-read and educated lay-person should be scared off. I liked the book, learned something significant from it, was mildly entertained and impressed by the author's plethora of knowledge, and occasionally recommend it to those with an interest in financial markets, especially their so-called irrational side.

extremely valuable and informative, though incomplete
for the economist in me, i resent the fact that the author didn't include the relevant quant / charts of the macroecon factors that precipitated the various extreme situations he describes. having said that, this book does describe the aforementioned factors, as well as detailed accounts of precipitiating factors, outcomes and, sadly, reoccurrences.

if one had read this book prior to 99, one would have profited from the nasdaq meltdown. ---if that's not an endorsement, i don't know what is.

An elegant and informed look at markets
Kindelberger's work is a classic study of speculative bubbles and their consequences, and should be read as such. From the first, this is a book that aims to seperate market moves from genuine crises - important in an age were there is a tendancy for the media to seek to dramatise the mundane in order to winn a BAFTA. The definitions provide a framework for examining the development of an irrational interlude in financial markets.

Kindelberger's analysis is not, therefore, a classic "history" primer for the curious - there is no spoonfeeding of facts, for that is not what the book sets out to present. Instead, this is an elegant and informed look at what how financial markets have departed from the course theoretical "rational" behaviour suggests that they should have taken. For all that, it is still an accessible text to those who take a casual interest in financial markets.

A chronicle of financial irrationality
Those who lost money in the 1990's stock market bubble may be tempted to think that they have been cursed with misfortune of unparalleled proportions. Reading "Manias, Panics, and Crashes" will surely change their mind. Bubbles, they will learn, are an enduring feature of financial markets, and generations of investors have fallen in the trap of buying very high to sell even higher, only to find that the frenzy cannot last for ever.

The mania part of the story is familiar: a new invention will revolutionize the economic landscape and bring forth unimaginable profits. The abundance of credit, coupled with leverage (buying with borrowed money), accelerates this process and buying leads to more buying. Then comes the panic: some event shakes confidence and wakes up investors to the mania that has clouded their judgment. This panic leads to a crash: borrowed money needs to be repaid and investors will sell anything at any price to meet the bankers' needs.

Charles Kindleberger has chronicled dozens of financial bubbles spanning more than four centuries. His historiography is impressive and the reader can often wonder how Kindleberger amassed such large amounts of data: his sources are primary and secondary, and they come from economics, history, politics, and even literature. The text is well written and the reader hardly notices that the ride covers centuries' worth of financial troubles.

What, in the end, is Kindleberger's moral? Most cures for dealing with financial troubles, he writes, are no cures at all. Raising interest rates has not proven particularly useful and neither has continued warning from authorities that the investing public is inflating a bubble. The solution, he believes, lies in having a lender of last resort. The trick, of course, is to avoid moral hazard and prevent the public from gambling due to the reassurance of a lender of last resort. The answer is ambiguity: the lender can come in and save the day but investors should never be certain that help is forthcoming.

In the end, "Manias, Panics, and Crashes" is a classic account of financial bubbles and its immense history and shrewd analysis will appeal to both the layman and the expert. And the book's message, that financial bubbles have to be met with an artful lender, should be taken at heart by those interested in the past and future of financial crises. ... Read more

Book Description

Building Accounting Systems Using Access 2003 gives students the unique opportunity toperform a central role in ensuring that the accounting systems they use, audit, and help design will deliver timely, accurate, and complete information. Valuable hands-on experience reinforces accounting system principles while promoting accountingefficiency and transparency that managers and decision-makers expect. This text is a powerful tool that you can give your students to help them bring accounting systems into a focused perspective. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for BUILDING WINNING TRADING SYSTEMS with TradeStation ™

"This book will prove vital to all systematic traders. Pruitt and Hill share a wealth of innovative timing patterns and fully disclosed trading strategies. For TradeStation™ users, there are powerful tutorials on indicator design and system building. The authors’ vast expertise will benefit even practiced TradeStation™ veterans."
–Nelson Freeburg
Editor, Formula Research

"TradeStation™ systems traders will discover a virtual gold mine of knowledge, guidance, and the benefit of vicarious experience from the two foremost experts on the subject in this valuable new addition to trading systems literature. There has long been a notable lack of worthwhile reference material for TradeStation™ users, and Building Winning Trading Systems with TradeStation™ fills a large void in this area."
–Edward Dobson
President, Traders Press, Inc.

"Building Winning Trading Systems with TradeStation™ is filled with useful information and practical real-world examples. I believe TradeStation 6™ users will find it a valuable resource."
–Bill Cruz
Co-CEO, TradeStation™ Group, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Think twice
If you are looking for a clearly written, step-by-step lesson on how to get going with TradeStation EasyLanguage, this is not your book. I bought it for that reason, but found TradeStation's own "Becoming Fluent in EasyLanguage" far superior. Get this book if you want 200 pages of examples of trading strategies that worked for their authors.
"200 pages?" you say. Yes, about half of the book is dedicated to the title subject. Another 200 pages of "stuff" was inexplicably tacked on. A stock option course, interviews with traders, and appendices from EasyLanguage online reference. The book is so poorly edited that it refers to Appendix A as a function list, but the appendix is actually a much less useful list of syntax errors. Typos throughout.

Very helpful, but badly edited
The systems are very good.
You will of course need to tune them, but I am generally very impressed.
The prose is also very good, and I have much better insight about how to design systems like this.

The only downside is that the code fragments in the book
1) are not available for download on the web, which is just silly in this day and age;
2) are very poorly edited; they contain syntax errors and obvious bugs.

So poor technical editing, but great content.

A Truly "Robust" Book For Serious Traders
I gave this book the maximum 5 stars because its overall impact on me as a trader was so profound. I would say it catalyzed a revolution in my success rate to such an extent that I now feel capable of making a living at this profession for the first time in my career. Obviously (as the title suggests) the book is primarily about how to use Tradestation software, or more specifically, the programming language that comes with TS known as Easylanguage. Long regarded as an oxymoron by those in the know, 'Easylanguage' is in fact anything but easy...it can be downright daunting at times. But this book really helps to break the ice by enabling dedicated students to get a working feel for the ins and outs of Tradestation and its various idiosyncrasies. Worth the price of the book alone is the chapter about trading strategies (chapter 6), subtitled by the authors "The Big Damn Chapter on Trading Strategies". A word to the wise - the SuperCombo System elucidated in this chapter contains all the elements to propel the reader much closer to that final elusive goal of consistent profitability. Perhaps you will need to modify it a bit here and there to suit your chosen market, but in the final analysis the seed concepts embedded within this single mechanical trading approach are robust and universal enough to grind out real money day in and day out for a long, long time to come. Please don't get me wrong - this is not so much a ready-made formula as it is a theoretical framework which needs to be "fleshed out" through hard work in order to be fully viable. I have always had a great deal of respect for John Hill and George Pruitt, both because of their candor and straightforwardness and because of their willingness to tirelessly follow a lead through to the end in order to discover the truth. "Building Winning Trading Systems with Tradestation" is more than a book about Easylanguage, it is a Magnus Opus of sorts, weaving many different ideas on many different levels in order to reveal a tapestry of trading that borders on something resembling a Rosetta Stone for the aspiring trader. Highly recommended.

Know when to invest!
When the two biggest names in system tracking get together to write a book, a prudent investor buys.
For the price of a few commissions, this writing has substance.
This is one of the few books that not only demonstrates varias trading systems, but provides one with a CD to download the material!
The systems alone could sell for thousands of dollars apiece.
When the professionals give you this much information, buy.

Robert Estill
Former NBC Sportscaster
Current Active Trader

Just get the free EasyLanguage manual from TradeStation
Much of the text here is already covered in TradeStation's free EasyLanguage reference. The book is sloppily written and edited, and the coding style leaves much to be desired. It is a weird combination of EasyLanguage syntax, trader interviews (get Market Wizards series instead), and a few "winning" trading systems, which really are not winners at all. Basically, the text was cobbled together without any underlying insights into how to really build winning trading systems. ... Read more