75294 - Financial Statements Analysis Statistics

Learning outcomes

The course aims, on the one hand, to provide knowledge related to some statistical tools useful for making a judgement on the completeness and correctness of balance sheet values, and, on the other hand, to introduce the use of tools for forecasting the state of corporate crisis. The knowledge of basic statistical tools is an important prerequisite for following the course with profit. At the end of the course, the student is able to - construct a sample of accounting records representative of the entire set of documents, - produce reliable estimates from the selected sample and test the hypothesis of reliability of the financial statements, - employ some classification tools suitable for the prediction of the state of corporate crisis.

Course contents

1. The audit: aims, concepts and definitions.

   The steps in the audit process. Assessment of audit risk and the relationship between risks.

2. The materiality in auditing.

   The assessment of materiality. Methods for estimating prior materiality. Relationship between materiality and risk.

3. Recalls of statistics.

   Random variables and their distributions, sample statistics, sample distributions.

4. Introduction to audit sampling.

   T he collection of evidence. Validity and compliance procedures. Sampling risk and audit risk.

5. Estimation and hypothesis testing:

   Recalls and applications in the audit context. Type I and II error. Relevance of Type II error in auditing and its determination.

6. Estimation of the total

   Estimators: by expansion, by difference and by ratio. Determination of sample size.

7. Stratified sampling

   Definition of strata, calculation of sample size and estimators.

8. Sampling by Monetary Unit

Readings/Bibliography

Slides provided online on e-learning. Further bibliographic material will be indicated by the lecturer during the lectures.

Assessment methods

The examination is designed to verify the knowledge and ability to use the statistical tools presented in the lecture to support the various stages of auditing.

The learning assessment involves a written test with exercises and multiple-choice theory questions. A mark will be associated with each exercise and question, and the final mark will be the sum of the marks of the exercises correctly completed.

Graduation grid of marks:

- 18-23: sufficient preparation but relating to a limited number of the course contents;
- 24-27: adequate preparation but with some gaps with respect to the course contents;
- 28-30: very in-depth knowledge of all the course contents;
- 30L: excellent knowledge of the course contents.

The written test has a duration of 2 hours and only the use of a specially prepared formulary distributed by the teacher will be permitted. It is also necessary to be equipped with a calculator (not a mobile phone).

Office hours

See the website of Fabrizio Alboni