Principles of Finance with Excel

Principals of Finance with Excel is by far the best and most useful finance text that I've used. In fact, my class is using a different text and I had to buy this book as a reference because the other was lacking in practical application instructions. My plan was to sell, as I normally do, this textbook back at the end of the semester but I've changed my mind. This book is so useful that it is going to stay with me as I head out of school and into the workplace. The concepts are explained clearly (but its not wordy) and the best part is the step-by-step instructions to transfer the concept into action with excel.The CD that comes with the text is very helpful, it has all of the excel spreadsheet examples and answers to the exercises provided for you with Mr. Benninga's notes and cell formulas. I would certainly make sure that you get a new copy or a used copy with the CD.I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their working knowledge of excel or finance or both: This is the ultimate handbook to the use of excel for finance.

It is rare to find a book that can systematically guide one with no prior knowledge of a field to feeling comfortable with many of the basic concepts of the discipline. Dr. Benninga's book accomplishes this, meeting its goal of providing an understanding of the requisite concepts and applications for making financial decisions. It is replete with examples, each clearly delineated both in text and Excel spreadsheets reprinted in the text; each building on the prior examples. Essentially every example reflects real decisions, e.g., buying versus leasing, mortgages, depreciating equipment, buying securities. It also includes clear instructions on using the revelent Excel features but its focus is financial modeling, not Excel. I found the book both relevant and a joy to read, working the examples as I progressed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who, like me, barely knew words like depreciation or annuity let alone what they meant. It would be a great textbook for a finance course but it is also superb for self-study. Although I am an total neophyte in finance, I suspect this book falls in the very rare category of books like Richard Feynman's Lectures in Physics which can provide insight into a subject regardless of ones prior knowledge.

I think this is an excellent book of finance. The author introduces the concepts step by step. The examples inside the book are carefully choosen. Reading the book you can see that is written by a person that knows the subjects perfectly well, but you can also see he is a real Professor.There are some comments saying that there are many errors in the exercises, that may be true, I didn't have the time to review all the exercises included at the end of the chapters, but from my point of view, the chapters are extremely well written and that's enough for you to understand the topics perfectly well.The assistant professor that qualified the book with 1 star will remain as that, I mean he will always be assistant professor.

The author presents a very practical view of finance with sound applications using Excel. I have both editions and believe them to be as good as any finance book available. The presentation is logical and supported with contemporary examples. The Excel applications are well explained. The book prepares one to be very practical in their approach to finance.

I own both the first and second edition of this book,they are both excelent texts that are fun to read. However if one is gong to learn and remember the various excel methods one must work with many of the exersises in each chapter. The first edition was full errors in the exersises second edition is a little better,but still a lot of errors. I dont think all those who have rated the book with 5 stars have systematically worked through all exersises.its also strange that Benninga does not applies matrix calculation in his book, something that would simplify many of the methods.

The combination of a rigorous (albeit introductory) academic presentation with Excel wholly integrated is simply outstanding. I started with BMA's Principles of Corporate Finance and could hardly stay awake. This book, on the other hand, is exciting. I read every chapter, completed every problem and I recommend you do the same. Afterwards I got the author's Financial Modeling and I am similarly pleased.

It's odd that a b-school professor hasn't thought to recruit a gaggle of research assistants and cobble together a book like this. Unlike other finance texts, this book does actually do a good job of teaching the ins and outs of excel. Indeed, if one were interested in learning excel alone, the medium of finance would be a terrific avenue to picking up the program (and vice versa). They make sense together; both are lifeless mechanical knowledge bases that are, sadly, critical to understand. I picked up this book as a means of shoring up Excel skills before beginning a management consulting job and it has been helpful.That said, there are countless errors in the explanations to the chapter exercises, rendering them nearly unusable at times. In some instances, it feels like a previous edition was not properly updated and in others, there are flat out mistakes in calculations, logic, or methodology. I've worked through the first two chapters and approximately 10 of the 50 exercise solutions are incorrect in some way. It's a shame Oxford (a terrific press) wasn't more diligent in the editing process. It's quite sloppily done (rushed to market?) and Professor Benninga (or Oxford) should consider releasing a corrected exercise update to those who purchased the book. For students planning on using the book for self study, I would look elsewhere until this issue is resolved.

Simon lays it out clearly with great examples.He also responds to emails and is very helpful and full of advice. If you're trying to do some self study to better your understanding of corporate finance, buy this book.