If Analysts and PMs were paid the same, 99% would choose to be analyst.

I'm having a debate with a colleague about this. 

I'd like your view on the title. 

I find analyst job to be 100 times more fun and interesting. Which would be pretty logical 1) as we all entered this industry by being first interested in the analyst job and 2) every PM had to be first good analyst (and generally, you like what you are good at).

Also, is there a scenario in which the value distribution changes in favor of analyst in the future?

15 Comments
 

It's basically our job to create debate and make assumptions around it man

 

From what I can read, you have inaccurate view of both analyst and portfolio manager jobs.

1) I don't know any L/S PM that has an edge on the macro. 

2) Assessing positioning is obviously the analyst job. PM has no clue what is the positioning on a name before the analyst tell it to him.

 

Some shops pay analyst abt the same as PM - they're treated as 2 separate career tracks, which I think makes sense honestly and shld be the case. We often conflate PMs as being the boss of the analysts but I think that shouldn't be true for all cases. Leigh Drogen has put out some rlly interesting research about a potentially more optimal PM-analyst dynamic - the PM playing 'coach' instead of 'quarterback' or 'commander', just objectively constructing the analysts' best ideas while trying to remove discretionary bias from the process. Essentially blending a quantumental approach. In this model, analysts are way more important than the PM and there could be a case where value distribution changes for the analyst. Imo, the traditional discretionary model definitely leaves holes wide open for intellectual blindspots and unintended bets.

we all entered this industry by being first interested in the analyst job.

Haha I can definitely imagine many high school hardos being interested in the flashy HF manager title more than analyst tbh

 
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This may be anecdotal...but my PM still covers some names in the sector he covered as an analyst.  The other analysts under him cover other sectors apart from one junior whom he his training to take over his coverage.  When that happens, he is then free to ramp up on other sectors to potentially include in the portfolio which he would eventually hire other analysts to cover.

I don't see it as PM vs Analyst as much as Analyst Evaluator vs Analyst.  You become an Analyst Evaluator by being a good Analyst (making successful calls) over a number of years thus making you qualified to identify talent.  PM's are paid the way they are because they were the best Analysts...  

 

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