ACCA F9 Paper – Financial Management – is concerned with a company's
financial management. In Paper F2, some new concepts were introduced,
such as discounted cash flow and inventory control. These, as well as other
new topics, are examined in greater depth.
Syllabus of F9 Financial Management (FM)
The syllabus' objective is to improve the knowledge and skills required of a
financial manager when making investment, financing, and dividend policy
decisions.
The F9 Financial Management (FM) syllabus is designed to prepare
candidates with the skills that a finance manager of an organization's
finance function would expect. It prepares students for Advanced Financial
Management studies at a higher level.
As a result, the syllabus begins with an overview of the role and purpose
of financial management in a business. Before looking at the three main
financial management decisions of investment, finance, and dividend
policy, the syllabus discusses the economic environment in which such
decisions are made.
Investment Decisions
The next section of the syllabus introduces investment decisions. This is
accomplished in two steps: working capital investment and management, and
long-term investment appraisal.
Financial Decisions
The following sections are primarily concerned with financial decisions.
This section of the syllabus starts with a discussion of the various
sources of business financing, such as dividend policy and how much money
can be raised from within the company. It also considers the cost of
capital as well as other factors that influence a company's decision on
how to raise funds. The principles underlying the valuation of companies
and financial assets are first discussed, as well as the impact of the
cost of capital on the value of a business.
The syllabus concludes with an introduction to and examination of risk, as
well as the key risk management strategies.
Main Abilities
- Candidates should be able to: Discuss the role and intent of the financial management function in order to pass the exam.
- Consider and address the impact of the economy on financial management.
- Discuss and implement working capital management strategies.
- Conduct a thorough investment evaluation.
- Discuss and apply principles of company and asset valuation.
- Explain and implement risk management strategies in the workplace.
Structure of the ACCA F9 paper
The exam is divided into three sections: Section A will consist of
15 two-mark multiple-choice questions; Section B will consist of
three scenarios, each with five multiple-choice questions. Two 20-mark
‘long forms' questions (a full question requiring a full answer) appears
in Section C. These two questions will be drawn from the syllabus's
sections on working capital management, investment appraisal, and business
finance. The questions in Sections A and B can (and will!) cover every
topic on the syllabus.
If you're taking the paper-based exam rather than the computer-based exam,
you'll have 3 hours for the exam plus 15 minutes for reading.
In total, 50% of the exam is made up of calculations, and 50% is made up of
written questions.
Emphasis of the ACCA F9 exam
Although the majority of the arithmetic is not difficult in and of itself,
the calculation portions of questions are designed to see if you
understand the techniques and can decide what information is relevant,
rather than to see if you have simply memorized rules.
There are several financial management theories that can be examined for
the written portions of questions, but many of them are checking that you
understand the techniques, their assumptions, and limitations.
How to pass ACCA F9 Exam
Regardless of how much you've studied, how you approach the exam can make a
big difference. Look for the short and simple questions in
Sections A and B and answer them first. Spend more time on the longer
and more difficult questions with whatever time you have left. Try not to
spend too much time on either section – Sections A and B should each
take about 27 minutes.
When the time for the entire exam is almost up, go back and guess the answer
to any questions you haven't finished – guessing a few questions may only
result in one correct answer, but 2 marks is a big deal if you would have
failed on 48 questions otherwise. Don't waste time on neat calculations for
Sections A and B; no one will notice.
Allow about 36 minutes for each question in Section C. Make sure you
write something for each part of each question – you might get stuck or run
out of time, but you can always write something, and anything reasonable
will almost certainly get you a mark. Make sure your calculations are neat
and easy to follow for the calculation parts of questions – the marks in
Section C are for the workings, not the final answer.
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