Understanding Financial Statements and Operational Ratios: Two-Part Series

Part 1: Leveraging Financial and Operating Ratios for Performance Excellence (March 6)

Financial and operating ratios provide utilities with crucial insights into their financial health, operational efficiency, and strategic performance. Knowing your ratio metrics – and how they compare to other utilities – can help you assess profitability, manage debt, understand cash flow, and evaluate investment returns. 

Take a deep dive into the American Public Power Association’s Financial and Operating

Ratios of Public Power Utilities report to discuss and analyze trends in public power operations, including how to interpret various ratio calculations and how these metrics can inform your utility's financial strategy. Receive a complimentary copy of the latest report. Discuss how you can leverage ratio analysis to support improved decision-making on operations, infrastructure investments, and your long-term financial strategy.  

Topics

• Calculating financial ratios and related targets
• How ratios can help guide policy decisions
• How to use financial ratios to work toward or maintain financial sustainability
• Conveying the importance of following these ratios to decision makers

View a PDF of the draft agenda and learning outcomes.

Part 2: What Are Your Financial Statements Trying to Tell You?
(March 11)

Your financial statements can tell a story of the full picture of your utility’s financial health, if you know what you’re looking for. Further, utility leaders need to effectively convey an accurate financial picture to governing boards, council members, executive leadership, and other decision makers. Learn how to analyze financial statements and confidently communicate the financial position of your utility. Dive into the terms and reasons for items including balance sheets and income and cash flow statements, and how this information can paint a picture of the utility’s financial position. Discuss how setting specific targets can help make difficult financial decisions a little easier. Review a case study that includes how rate of return, minimum cash targets, debt coverage ratio, debt to equity ratio, age of system, and payments in lieu of taxes (i.e., transfers to the city) can help a utility make decisions regarding long-term financial sustainability.  

Topics

• The purpose of the three financial statements 
• Key financial targets and how they work together
• Best practices for long-term financial sustainability

View a PDF of the draft agenda and learning outcomes.

Questions?

• Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
• Schedule/Content/Accreditation: EducationInfo@PublicPower.org

Register now!

Registration Fees

Registration is for individual access. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available. 

Group Discounts

Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the webinar series. The larger your group, the more you save! 

Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders. 

If you need assistance, contact Registration@PublicPower.org.

Registration Help

Check out our Registration FAQs for answers to the most common questions and help with all your registration-related issues. 

Cancellations /No-Show/ Refunds/ Substitutions

All webinars will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recordings, in case you can’t attend live.

Registrants who cancel in writing at least seven days in advance of the first session (by Feb. 27) in the series are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least 7 days before the course start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. 

Cancellations must be received on/before Feb. 27. 

Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to: Registration@PublicPower.org.

Questions?

• Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
• Schedule/Content/Accreditation: EducationInfo@PublicPower.org

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in virtual programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs).

Accreditation

The following continuing education credits will be provided for this Group Internet-based event:

• Recommended CEUs .6/PDHs 5.5/CPEs 6.2 (total for both sessions)
• Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions—provided the following requirements are met:

Requirements for Successful Completion: Virtual

• Registration is for individual access, so each person participating must register. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.
• Individuals are required to attend and actively participate in 90% of each live session and complete an online evaluation after the last session in a course. 
  • Attendance: Individuals must attend at least 90% of each live session (based on electronic timestamps in Zoom).
  • Participation: Active participation in class will include engagement activities such as: polling/check-in questions, Kahoot quizzes, group discussions, breakout sessions, and in-class exercises.
  • Activities vary by class: Information on participation will be provided the day before (and during) class. Participation is tracked electronically.
  • Online evaluation: Each person must complete an online evaluation after the course concludes.
• Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance.
• Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member during the event, through an online report log, and upon review of the post-event evaluation data
• Completion certificates will be available within two weeks of the last session in a live event (for those who meet the requirements) through your APPA member portal (access instructions will be provided).
• Virtual sessions are recorded (attendees automatically receive access to recordings within a week of the last session), though continuing education credits can only be given for attending live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session.

Guidelines for group participation in virtual events

• If a group is participating in a conference room together, we recommend each person still logs in individually from a laptop to ensure attendance and participation requirements are met (as noted above).
• If individual log in is not possible, the organization must designate one person as the main point of contact. Email EducationInfo@PublicPower.org in advance of the virtual event noting this information
  • This person will record attendance in the room in the room (we can provide a sample attendance tracker) and ensure attendance and participation from the group throughout.
  • Submit the attendance record to APPA within 2 business days of the conclusion of a virtual event.
  • Ensure each person fills out the required online evaluation

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact EducationInfo@PublicPower.org. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.NASBAregistry.com. Unless noted, there are no prerequisites for the courses offered and no advance preparation is required. Courses are group-internet based offerings at the basic program level (unless otherwise noted). Credit hours and areas of study for the courses are listed on the individual course pages. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact EducationInfo@PublicPower.org.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Questions? 

• Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
• Schedule/Content/Accreditation: EducationInfo@PublicPower.org

Format and Log-In Information

These Group Internet based classes will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform.

Communication

• 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
• 24 hours before: 
  • You’ll receive your Zoom log in link the day before the first session in a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
  • You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of the first class. 
    • If you don’t receive this, email EducationInfo@PublicPower.org.

Course Materials and Recordings

• Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the first session in a class.
• Course materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials the day before each session through the "Documents" section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal.
• Recordings: All sessions will be recorded and can be accessed through your user portal as well (within a week of the last class in the program), in case you can’t attend the live versions. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

Technology Requirements

• Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform.
• Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will also need a webcam, so you can fully engage in the small group breakout sessions and group discussions.  

New to Zoom?

If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting. 

If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results.

Privacy and Security

The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course:

• A random Meeting ID
• Password-protected
• Enabled waiting room to screen meeting participants
• Restricted screen sharing to hosts only

Questions? 

• Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
• Schedule/Content/Accreditation: EducationInfo@PublicPower.org