Corporate Finance - JEM034

• Title: Corporate Finance
• Form of teaching: lecture+practicals
• Guaranteed by: Institute of Economic Studies (23-IES)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2025
• Duration in semesters: 1
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/2, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: 97 / 97 (97)
• Maximum number of enrolled students: 97
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Repeated enrollment: 2 / 2 / 1 / 2
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: doc. PhDr. Adam Geršl, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): doc. PhDr. Adam Geršl, Ph.D.; Ing. Richard Podpiera, Ph.D.; Mgr. Dimitra Spyropoulou; Ing. Kai Wang
• Class: Courses for incoming students
• Interchangeability : JEM187, JEM188, JEM189
• Is incompatible with: JEM187, JEM188, JEM189
• Is interchangeable with: JEM189, JEM187, JEM188

Annotation

This course introduces students to the key principles of corporate finance and their practical applications. It covers deeper insights into valuation of bonds and stocks, decision-making within corporations, the theory of capital structure and management, and related topics of payout and debt policies. In addition, the course covers basics of pricing derivative securities and managing risk from the corporate managers point of view.

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (09.09.2026)

Literature

 The main textbook for this course is: Brealey, R. A., Myers, S. C., & Allen, F. (2011) Principles of corporate finance - 10th edition. McGraw-Hill Education

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (09.09.2026)

Teaching methods

Lectures and tutorials will run as a 3-hour block on Thursdays in Room 314 (lectures 14:00-15:20, tutorials 15:30-16:50). Course materials will be availabe at the Moodle site. https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=20179

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (29.09.2026)

Course assessment methods and requirements for successful completion, grading scheme

Grading is based on the following components:

10% in-class short online quizzes (expected 2 quizzes)

15% homework (mini case)

30% mid-term exam

45% final exam

In addition, bonus points with an expected weight of 5% of total grade may be awarded during the lectures for active participation.

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (09.09.2026)

Syllabus

Main topics covered

1. Introduction + review of key Finance concepts: present value, valuation of bonds and stocks, investment criteria (chapters 1-5)

2. Making investment decisions and project analysis (chapters 6 and 10)

3. Investments, strategy, and economic rents (chapter 11)

4. Risk, return, and the cost of capital: CAPM and APT (chapters 7-9)

5. Efficient markets, corporate financing and how corporations issue securities (chapters 13-15)

6. Payout and debt policies (Modigliani and Miller propositions) and corporate borrowing (chapters 16-18)

7. Introduction to derivative securities: real options (chapters 20-22)

8. Managing risk: forwards and futures (chapter 26)

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (09.09.2026)

Registration requirements

The JEM034 Corporate Finance course is again offered since WS 2024/2025

Last update: Podpiera Richard, Ing., Ph.D. (09.09.2026)