Feb 02, 2025

Private credit 2hr case study - what to expect?

I’ve got a case study coming up for a VP direct lending role at a MM private credit fund. The guidance I received was that I’d get 2hrs to prepare and 1hr to present.

Anyone had a similar case study? Would be great to better understand what I can expect.

6 Comments
 

For a 2-hour private credit case study, especially for a VP direct lending role, here's what you can expect based on the most helpful WSO content:

  1. Case Study Structure:

    • You'll likely be given a target company or investment opportunity to evaluate.
    • The focus will be on building a simple financial model (e.g., debt comps, cash flow projections) and preparing a concise investment thesis.
    • Expect to articulate your assumptions clearly, as this is a key part of the evaluation.
  2. Key Areas to Prepare:

    • Debt Comps: Be ready to determine coupon rates, covenants, and other credit terms.
    • Modeling: Build a straightforward model focusing on revenue drivers, EBITDA, free cash flow, and sensitivity analyses. A full three-statement model is usually unnecessary.
    • Investment Thesis: Prepare a clear recommendation, including valuation, key risks, mitigants, and next steps.
  3. Presentation:

    • The 1-hour presentation will likely involve walking through your model, explaining your rationale, and defending your assumptions.
    • Be prepared for technical questions and challenges on your thought process.
  4. Tips to Differentiate Yourself:

    • Research the fund's recent deals and strategy. Highlight how your approach aligns with their investment philosophy.
    • Focus on structured thinking and the ability to ask insightful questions about the case.

For additional insights, you might find this thread helpful: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/specialty-lending-gstpg-any-insi</a>…">Private Credit Case Study.

Sources: How would you approach a 4 hour case study?, Private Credit Resources and Prep, Private Credit Case Study, Private Credit Secondaries Case Study Insight, Q&amp;A: Currently at a Credit Hedge Fund

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

So so; guess I’ve spotted the right things although it was a rather hairy asset (real life case for them), so a lot of different things to consider.

Received an IM as well as a full set of CDD and FDD (c. 500 pages in total) and had to present like you would in front of IC + complete a term sheet.

2hrs wasn’t nearly enough to go through all of the materials so guess they simply wanted to test what I’d focus on and how my credit views would translate into the key terms and conditions.

 

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