Advanced Financial Reporting: Accounting for Business Combinations and Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements (Coursera)

Advanced Financial Reporting: Accounting for Business Combinations and Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements (Coursera)

This course covers the accounting for business combinations (ASC 805), the preparation of consolidated financial statements (ASC 810), and other related topics including, but not limited to: step-by-step acquisition, deconsolidation, segments reporting, and the goodwill impairment test. This course begins with a discussion of the scope of ASC 805 and the differences between business combinations and asset acquisitions.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Next, the course explores the measurement and recognition principles of the acquisition method to account for business combinations. Then, the course covers the consolidation process. You will learn how to prepare the consolidated financial statements and make all of the necessary consolidation adjustments.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Course Orientation
You will become familiar with the course, your instructor and your classmates, and our learning environment. This orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required to navigate and be successful in this course.
Control of a Business
In this module, you will be introduced to the concepts of control over a business. You will learn different accounting methods used to account for investments in equity securities, the basics of control, the scope of "Business Combination" (ACS 805), as well as the methods to record an acquisition of a group under asset acquisition and business combination.

WEEK 2
Acquisition Method
In this module, you will be introduced to the acquisition method of accounting for a business combination. You will learn the measurement principles for an acquisition and the goodwill equation to calculate the goodwill or gain from a bargain purchase as a result of the business combination. You will also learn how to prepare the consolidated financial statements on the business combination date.

WEEK 3
Components of Consideration Transferred in a Business Combination
In this module, you will be introduced to different components of consideration transferred in a business combination. You will learn the measurement principles of share-based payment awards and will examine a real-life merger between Express Scrips and Medco companies. Moreover, you will be introduced to the concept of contingent consideration and learn the methods to classify, recognize, and record contingent considerations.

WEEK 4
Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed
In this module, you will gain a deeper understanding of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. You will be introduced to different types of identifiable assets acquired, such as defensive intangible assets and in-process research and development (IPR&D), and the rules to recognize and measure them under US GAAP and IFRS. You will also learn the difference between a taxable transaction and a non-taxable transaction, and how to calculate deferred taxes on an acquisition date.

WEEK 5
Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements after the Acquisition Date
In this module, you will learn how to prepare the consolidated financial statements after the acquisition date. The concept of accounting acquisition premium (AAP), and the methods to calculate identifiable and unidentifiable portions of the accounting acquisition premium will be introduced. You will also learn the effects of accounting acquisition premium on the consolidated financial statements and the relevant consolidation adjustments. Moreover, you will be introduced to intercompany inventory transactions and learn to make consolidation adjustments for intercompany inventory sales and intercompany inventory profits.

WEEK 6
Intercompany Transactions and Noncontrolling Interest
In this module, you will be introduced to more types of intercompany transactions as well as noncontrolling interests. You will learn the consolidation adjustments for intercompany transactions with depreciable assets and intercompany debt. The noncontrolling interest (NCI) will be introduced. You will learn the definition, calculation, and presentation of noncontrolling interest and net income attributable to NCI in the consolidated financial statements. You will also learn how to report consolidated retained earnings and the subsequent measurement of noncontrolling interests. Lastly, an example of consolidation with noncontrolling interest will be shown.

WEEK 7
Change in the Percentage of Ownership and Other Related Topics
In this module, we will explore the accounting rules for changes in the percentage of ownership of a Subsidiary and other topics that relate to business combinations. You will learn how to account for a business combination that was achieved in stages, and how to calculate the gain or loss on deconsolidation of the Subsidiary. Also, you will be introduced to the situation in which the Subsidiary acquires shares of the Parent and learn the methods to measure and record the transaction.

WEEK 8
Segment Reporting and Goodwill Impairment Test
In this module, you will be introduced to segment reporting and the goodwill impairment test. You will learn the rules for public companies to disclose segment information in the notes to annual and interim financial statements. You will also learn what information should be presented in the entity-wide disclosures, and when. Then, the methods for identifying the reporting units, qualitative assessment for goodwill impairment, and the quantitative one-step goodwill impairment test will be introduced. You will also learn the goodwill impairment test under IFRS and the rules for private companies to account for goodwill.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Introduction to Learning Transfer and Life Long Learning (3L) (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Introduction to Learning Transfer and Life Long Learning (3L) (Coursera)

Learn how to identify the enablers and barriers to learning transfer. Use your own experience to categorise the processes and activities involved in learning and transferring that learning into practice. There are many criteria against which the success of training and development activities can be judged.

Sep 21st 2026
3 Weeks
Creating a Social Business (Coursera) Coursera
Yunus Social Business Fund Bengaluru

Creating a Social Business (Coursera)

This course is primarily aimed at learners interested in knowing about and running a social business. An ideal learner could be a student, social entrepreneur, social intrapreneur, or a corporate professional interested in social business. In the Module 1 of the course students will learn how different social business leaders - such as Professor Muhammad Yunus, Rajni Bakshi, Corinne Bazina, Lamiya Morshed, Suresh Krishna, and Daniel Nowack - are reimagining capitalism. The subsequent modules of this course crystallize varied learnings of practitioners and theorists at YSB to a set of tools and readings, which a learner may use as building blocks of a social business.

Sep 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks
From Idea to Startup (Coursera) Coursera
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

From Idea to Startup (Coursera)

How do you implement ideas? This course provides practical proven tools for transforming an idea into a product or service that creates value for others. As students acquire these tools, they learn how to tell bad ideas from good, how to build a winning strategy, how to shape a unique value proposition, prepare a business plan, compare their innovation to existing solutions, build flexibility into their plan and determine when best to quit.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
The 360º Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose (Coursera) Coursera
University of Toronto

The 360º Corporation: Tools for Achieving Corporate Purpose (Coursera)

If you’ve heard the terms stakeholder capitalism, or sustainability, or ESG, corporate social responsibility, CSR, conscious capitalism, sustainable development goals, shared value, corporate citizenship, or purpose-driven company but don’t know exactly what they mean—or don’t know how to make these ideas come to life—then this course is for you. Every business model and every operating decision has stakeholder trade-offs embedded in it. Profits to the bottom line are not always compatible with the interests of the stakeholders that surround the corporation.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Auditing I: Conceptual Foundations of Auditing (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Auditing I: Conceptual Foundations of Auditing (Coursera)

This course provides an intensive conceptual and applied introduction to auditing in society. It focuses on concepts and applications related to financial-statement auditors’ professional responsibilities as well as major facets of the audit process including risk assessment and audit reporting. In the U.S. financial-statement audits and related services generally are provided by Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
How to Create a Good Business (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

How to Create a Good Business (Coursera)

Prioritizing the wellbeing of workers is not just a good - or ethical - thing to do, but because it makes business sense. A happier, healthier workforce is a more productive workforce. A productive workforce is more likely to attend, perform their best work, and add more value to an organization. Unfortunately, investing in the well-being of workers isn’t so simple. In this course, you’ll unpack what “worker wellbeing” means across different contexts, explore how to use research techniques to find the sweet spot between worker interests and firm interests, and understand how to design scalable solutions to enable both parties to thrive.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Managing Responsibly: Practicing Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics (Coursera) Coursera
University of Manchester

Managing Responsibly: Practicing Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics (Coursera)

Managers are increasingly confronted with issues of sustainability, responsibility and ethics. Managing responsibly is an integrative approach to sustainability, responsibility and ethics, which allows you as a manager to deal competently with such challenges. This course will facilitate your learning process to engage in changing practices to make them more sustainable, responsible, and ethically informed.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Financial Statements, SEC Filings and Ratio Analysis (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Financial Statements, SEC Filings and Ratio Analysis (Coursera)

The objective of Financial Statement and Ratio Analysis for MBAs is to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret, understand, and use financial information to make informed decisions. We will discuss financial reporting from a user’s perspective, use a variety of tools to break apart financial reports into meaningful units for analysis, forecast financial statements, and value a firm. This course is intended to give you exposure to the issues facing users of financial statements.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
International Business II (Coursera) Coursera
University of New Mexico

International Business II (Coursera)

This course, Introduction to the Global Business Environment II, focuses on managing organizations in the international economy. Building on Introduction to the Global Business Environment I, this second course focuses on organizational level and management issues in international settings. The course prepares students with practical as well as research-based knowledge and skills necessary to successfully operating an organizational across borders.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Financial Statement and Ratio Analysis for Accountants (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Financial Statement and Ratio Analysis for Accountants (Coursera)

The objective of Financial Statement and Ratio Analysis for MBAs is to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, interpret, understand, and use financial information to make informed decisions. We will discuss financial reporting from a user’s perspective, use a variety of tools to break apart financial reports into meaningful units for analysis, forecast financial statements, and value a firm.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks