What is the difference between buy side equity analysis and sell side equity research?

any difference?

it seems that HF tends to call the job equity analyst, whereas sell side firms call it equity research associate/analyst.

Is the buy side one more investment focused? Their reports seem to have contents like technical analysis, asymmetric investment, etc. whereas sell side reports are more fundamental based.

Am I completely lost? If anyone could help, that'd be greatly appreciated!

3 Comments
 
Best Response

Yes you are completely lost. Buy side and sell side analysts generally use the same title nomenclature. You can look at the FAQs section but sell side analysts work for investment banks or independent shops and are the knowledge center of banks were they drive business by coming up with an investment idea, broking it to clients so they in turn generate trading commission for the firm. Buy side analysts work for asset managers, long onlys and hedge funds were they help the fund manager come up with investment/trade ideas that they use to trade their own funds. Also buy side doesn't write any public reports as their main goal is generating alpha for the firm and keeping their ideas a secret from competitors.

 

Quia itaque iusto fugit sit occaecati mollitia et. Velit est eius aut odit. Reiciendis aut ut molestiae rerum recusandae dolor animi est. Aperiam quia sit doloremque ab iusto est aperiam. Ab consequuntur nobis molestias. Modi autem molestias assumenda itaque omnis est.

Officia minima rerum ut possimus. Amet est cupiditate excepturi accusantium ut natus ea. Ullam eveniet qui omnis. Facilis laudantium dolorum suscipit dolor. Distinctio eos exercitationem aliquam asperiores unde dolores corporis.

Alias quo consequatur cum sint omnis aliquam. Est pariatur officia aliquid aliquid dolores occaecati.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”