Fundamentals of Investment Management Information Center: Feature Summary

Strong emphasis on real world applications, with the use of numerous actual company examples to highlight key issues throughout the text. The Real World of Investing boxes have been updated to provide timely and relevant topics of interest concerning corporations and investors.

Excel Examples help students understand how to use Excel for key investment topics. An Excel icon appears in the margin next to examples that are illustrated by these spreadsheets. Students can access the actual spreadsheets online at www.mhhe.com/hirtblock10e.

The authors approach financial analysis the way it is done by many Wall Street firms. Geoff Hirt directed the CFA program for the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago (now the CFA Institute of Chicago) for 15 years and sat on the board of directors from 2002 to 2005. Stan Block has been a practicing CFA for over 20 years. Both professors have taught and advised student-managed investment funds at their universities and bring this wealth of learning experiences to the students who study from this text.

Numerous CFA Questions from the CFA Level I study materials are provided in the end of chapter material (designated by a CFA icon). These problems are designed to show students the relevancy of the course as it pertains to what is expected of certified professional financial analysts. Solutions to the CFA questions are also given.

Global coverage is called out with an icon to reference specific areas of the text that focus on world issues and also explains why students need to understand those markets.

Critical Thought Cases appear at the end of most chapters. These updated cases help students thoughtfully apply key concepts, and frequently have an ethical component.

Practice Problems and Solutions appear at the end of each chapter, just before the problem section. These practice problems and corresponding solutions help students to develop understanding of the material and give them confidence before they work on the end of chapter problems.

Investment Advisor Problems appear at the end of many of the chapters. These problems portray the issues and dilemmas that investors face. The solutions to these dilemmas are presented in the Solutions Manual (on the instructor's website). The Investment Advisor Problems provide ample opportunity for the professor to discuss ethics and standards of practice as specified by the CFA Institute.