James Raymond
Understanding the Difference Between Arithmetic Mean and Geometric Mean
Often investors, analysts, and managers use the term “average” when discussing returns or potential growth rates. Unfortunately, there is can be a bit of vagueness with the term average. The biggest difference is whether arithmetic averages or geometric means are being discussed. Depending on the situation, there can be vast differences between these two terms […]
Analyzing the Relationship Between Outstanding Margin Debt and the Stock Market – Tutorial
Is outstanding margin related to the stock market? Many investors believe new highs in margin debt precede a decline in the stock market. In this tutorial, we will analyze the relationship between the level of outstanding margin debt and the stock market. First, let’s talk about what margin debt is. Margin debt is the amount of […]
COUNTA, COUNTIF, and COUNTIFS Tutorial
In this tutorial, I demonstrate the various ways you can count different cells. I use a simple example of a birthday party where each partygoer gets a goodie bag, a blue or pink plate based on whether they are a boy or a girl, and either a cupcake or ice cream for dessert. We use […]
Scheduling Employees Based on Sales Flow – Tutorial
Scheduling can be a challenging task for any manager. Deciding how to best schedule your employees can be laborious and tricky. The key to any good schedule is to match the work to the needs of the organization. For instance, the U.S. Postal Service only delivers mail Monday through Saturday. Therefore, scheduling mail carriers (those […]
Roth vs. Traditional Retirement Savings Tutorial
Many people have the option of saving for retirement using a Roth or a Traditional retirement savings plan. These plans may be called 401k, 403b, IRA, etc. The primary difference between the two types of plans is when taxes are paid. There are other differences that can be learned about in this article from Investopedia. […]
VLOOKUP Tutorial
The VLOOKUP formula is one of the most widely used formulas, unfortunately, it is also one that can be challenging to learn. Have you ever had a data table, and were trying to match the data in that table to another table based on a shared criteria? If that sounds confusing, you are definitely not alone. […]
Should I Buy a Rental Property?
Real estate is one of the most popular investments for a variety of reasons. Typically , homes are the biggest purchase and largest investment for Americans. Many famous people have made millions/billions investing in real estate. However, many people don’t put pen to paper before making a real estate purchase. Maybe they have watched an […]
Examining “Sell in May and Go Away”
Have you ever heard the expression, “Sell in May and Go Away”? For years, I have been told many times that stocks lose money during the summer months. This seasonality could be due to a number of factors, but does a pattern exist? In this tutorial, we demonstrate how to download data from Yahoo! Finance, build […]
Amortization Schedule Tutorial
In the world of finance, borrowing is very common. Businesses and people often borrow money to buy equipment, vehicles, or buildings. As part of the decision making process, it is wise to consider not only the loan payment , but also the holding period. For example, you may want to replace vehicles after 3 rather than […]
The Financial Modeling Process
First and foremost, thank you for visiting my website. I am happy to share all I have learned by using Microsoft Excel for nearly 20 years. I have found my knowledge of finance combined with my knowledge of Excel as a distinct competitive advantage in the work place. I hope you find the information I […]