Financial Analyst's Indispensible Pocket Guide

Rating:
Summary: Good starting point
Review: As a CFA candidate, I find this to be a useful summary of the key concepts that we are taught during the course of the programme. However, regard it as more of a "Cliff's Notes" of the programme -- with all its inevitable shortcomings -- but a handy little reference piece nonetheless. After completion of the programme and years down the road, I am sure that I will find it quite useful in helping to jog my memory and the sleepless nights that the CFA programme gave me! -- I hope, however, that a revised version will be introduced and perhaps with a less odd title. It is not a book for everyone, but anyone who wishes that s/he had made notes whilst studying for the CFA programme will find this book useful.

Rating:
Summary: Useful overview, but not perfect
Review: I'm not a CFA candidate, but I've been an investor for years and always appreciate learning more about the field. My father was president of the CFA for a couple of years, and after 15 years working on Wall Street I have a reasonably broad understanding of some finance.

What impressed me most about the book was how short and terse the definitions were. Clearly they are useful and present good insight into what's important and why.

What impressed me least was the lack of mathematical rigour (perhaps one can't have both brievity and exactness?). For example, many of the formulas only work for specific instances, and details about yield/rate conventions are omitted.

Overall, it struck me as useful overview and quick reminder to financial analysis and the language/terms used. It's not really indispensable, and is not authoritative. But for a quick refresher, or ballpark estimates it's fine.

Rating:
Summary: A great book for those studying or who've completed the CFA
Review: This is the only book of its kind, so far. The author compiled this pocket guide after completing his CFA program and realising that the vast concepts, terms and designations learnt were soon being forgotten.

That being the case, candidates of, as well as those who have completed, the CFA program would find this book a useful one-stop guide to all those concepts, terms and designations learnt in the pursuit of the CFA designation.

The book is arranged broadly around the various topics of the CFA program i.e. Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial Statements Analysis, Equities, Fixed Income, Derivatives, Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Ethics, Behavioural Finance. As such, the CFA candidate would find this book more useful than say, a general finance/business masters student.

But I reckon that this book, though published as recent as this year, is already in need of an update. The CFA syllabus is constantly evolving. As a result, a number of concepts in say, Level 1 of the CFA Program, are not found in this book. Also, a number of the textbooks used in the CFA program which the author had based his book on, have either been superseded by newer editions or replaced all together.

All in all, I found this to be a useful book and a unique concept. Until a better book comes along, I will be using this book religiously to prepare for the CFA exams as well as to refresh my memory.