Fundamentals of Stock Investing

Build, analyse and manage investment portfolios using professional frameworks, AI-enabled research tools and institutional best practices

Program Overview

The global investment landscape is becoming increasingly sophisticated, data-driven and technology-enabled. Today’s investors require far more than a basic understanding of stocks and financial statements; they must be capable of interpreting macroeconomic developments, analysing businesses, evaluating risks, utilizing AI-powered analytical tools and constructing diversified portfolios aligned with long-term financial objectives.

The Fundamentals of Stock Investing module has been designed by GenevaTech Business School (GTBS) as the foundation course of the Professional Diploma in Portfolio Management. Combining investment theory with practical application, the programme introduces participants to the principles of equity investing while exposing them to the analytical methods, screening techniques and portfolio management practices used by professional investors / wealth managers.

Delivered through an interactive hybrid format, the course emphasizes experiential learning using the GenevaTech Applied Learning Model. Participants will work with real financial data, institutional research resources, AI-assisted investment tools and portfolio construction techniques to develop their own investment strategy. By the end of the programme, each participant will possess the knowledge, confidence and practical skills required to analyse listed companies, evaluate investment opportunities and construct a disciplined, diversified investment portfolio.

Led by accomplished fund manager and investor Dr. Shoaib Zafar, CFA, CAIA, this 4-week hybrid course bridges the gap between financial literacy and active market execution. By the end of this program, you will possess the confidence and skills required to independently discover, evaluate, and manage a portfolio of public equities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, participants will be able to:

• Explain the structure and functioning of global capital markets.
• Interpret macroeconomic indicators and their influence on equity markets.
• Analyse financial statements and assess corporate financial performance.
• Apply fundamental investment analysis to evaluate listed companies.
• Use professional screening tools to identify investment opportunities.
• Construct diversified portfolios using sound risk management principles.
• Apply AI-enabled research tools to support investment analysis.
• Develop and present a personal investment strategy based on evidence and disciplined decision-making.

Target Audience

This executive programme is suitable for:

• Banking professionals
• Finance executives
• Investment analysts
• Wealth managers
• Family office professionals
• Entrepreneurs and business owners
• Corporate executives
• Financial consultants
• University graduates
• MBA and business students
• Researchers
• Individuals seeking to build long-term investment capability

No prior investment experience is required.

Key Benefits

Participants will benefit from:

✓ Executive education delivered using Swiss-quality academic standards

✓ Practical, application-oriented learning rather than theoretical lectures

✓ Hands-on portfolio construction using institutional methodologies

✓ Exposure to AI-powered investment research and analysis

✓ Real-world case studies drawn from international financial markets

✓ Professional templates, valuation models and portfolio tools

✓ 1 ECTS stackable professional qualification

✓ GenevaTech Professional Certificate and Digital Badge

✓ Pathway towards the Professional Diploma in Digital Finance (6 ECTS)

Course Overview

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1

Understanding Financial Markets & the Global Economy

Live Session (2 Hours)

• Structure of the global financial system
• Stock exchanges and capital markets
• Economic cycles and market behaviour
• Inflation, interest rates and monetary policy
• Market indices and sector performance
• Building a professional market dashboard

Self-Study & Independent Learning (3 Hours)

• Analyse current global market conditions.
• Compare the policies of major central banks.
• Read selected market outlook reports.
• Prepare a personal investment objectives statement.

Practical Laboratory

• Yahoo Finance
• TradingView
• MarketWatch
• Google Finance
• ChatGPT for market summaries

Week 2

Evaluating Businesses Through Fundamental Analysis

Live Session (2 Hours)

• Reading financial statements
• Revenue and profitability analysis
• Cash flow assessment
• Financial ratios
• Business quality
• Competitive advantage
• Corporate governance

Self-Study & Practical Exercise (3 Hours)

• Analyse the annual report of a listed company.
• Calculate key financial ratios.
• Prepare an investment summary.

Practical Laboratory

• Annual reports
• Excel financial modelling
• AI-assisted ratio interpretation

Week 3

Finding High-Quality Investment Opportunities

Live Session (2 Hours)

• Professional stock screening
• Growth vs value investing
• Quality investing
• Economic moats
• Valuation basics
• Investment watchlists

Self-Study & Project (3 Hours)

• Design a customized stock screening strategy.
• Build a personal investment watchlist.
• Select one company for investment analysis.

Practical Laboratory

• Finviz
• Investing.com
• AI-assisted company research

Week 4

Portfolio Construction & Investment Decision-Making

Live Session (2 Hours)

• Portfolio diversification
• Position sizing
• Risk management
• Behavioural finance
• Long-term investment discipline
• Presentation of stock recommendations

Self-Study & Capstone (3 Hours)

Develop a complete investment portfolio containing:

• Investment philosophy
• Asset allocation
• Company selection
• Risk assessment
• Portfolio diversification
• Expected investment strategy

Practical Laboratory

Throughout the programme, participants will work with:

• TradingView
• Yahoo Finance
• Google Finance
• Excel Financial Models
• ChatGPT
• Microsoft Copilot
• Google Gemini
• Company Annual Reports
• Financial Statement Databases

Industry Case Studies

Participants will analyse:

• Berkshire Hathaway
• Apple Inc.
• Microsoft Corporation
• NVIDIA Corporation
• Nestlé
• BlackRock
• Vanguard

Each case study focuses on investment rationale, valuation, competitive advantage, governance, and long-term value creation.

Assessment Strategy

A minimum overall score of 60% is required to earn the module credit.

Executive Toolkit

Participants will receive:

• Investment analysis templates
• Financial ratio calculator
• Company evaluation checklist
• Portfolio construction workbook
• Risk profiling template
• Investment Policy Statement (IPS) template
• AI prompt library for financial research
• Curated reading pack and market reports

Capstone Project

Each participant will develop a Personal Investment Blueprint, comprising:

• Investment objectives
• Macroeconomic outlook
• Sector selection
• Company evaluation
• Valuation summary
• Portfolio allocation
• Risk management strategy
• Investment monitoring framework

The project will be presented during the final session and assessed against academic and professional criteria.

Learning Resources

Recommended Books

• The Intelligent Investor – Benjamin Graham
• One Up on Wall Street – Peter Lynch
• The Little Book of Common Sense Investing – John C. Bogle

Digital Resources

• Financial news and market intelligence platforms
• Company investor relations websites
• Annual reports
• Earnings call transcripts
• AI-enabled research assistants

Professional Certificate

Upon successful completion, participants will receive:

• GenevaTech Professional Certificate – Fundamentals of Stock Investing
• 1 ECTS Academic Credit
• GenevaTech Digital Badge
• Competency Transcript
• 30 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Hours Certificate
• Eligibility to progress towards the Professional Diploma in Digital Finance (6 ECTS)

Why GenevaTech Business School?

• Swiss-quality executive education
• ECTS-aligned professional qualifications
• Technology-enabled learning
• AI-integrated curriculum
• Experienced practitioner faculty
• Flexible online and hybrid delivery
• Stackable qualifications leading to professional diplomas

Fees and Financial Aid

Standard Tuition Fee: CHF 795

The fee includes live instruction, digital course materials, practical templates, laboratory exercises, case studies, assessment, networking opportunities, and the professional certificate. Scholarships may be available on a competitive basis.

Scholarships

GenevaTech is committed to educational accessibility. A limited number of partial, case-by-case scholarships are available. Please reach out to our team to discuss your eligibility.

How to Apply

For admissions, please contact admissions@gtbs.ch to reserve your place or inquire about partial scholarship opportunities.