2020 Analyst Bonuses

I am an analyst at a BB. We get numbers in July and checks in August (hoping we get anything at all). Haven’t heard anything from the firm yet, and i feel it is insensitive to ask. Without calling out banks, have any of you guys had any communication on analyst bonuses and what might be expected?

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I've heard from friends still at EBs that it's going to be down on average - top bucket may remain the same but lower bottom bucket, with a greater dispersion than previous years. Too early to be certain the exact magnitude.

 

Agreed. Average bonuses probably down across the board except maybe in groups like restructuring at LAZ/HL/MOE/PJT/PWP/DUC and other boutiques

 

Capital markets groups have been having the best 2 months in a decade - I have no inside knowledge on how management is viewing this at BB American banks but in Healthcare I've seen no dropoff in our group revenues. In other words, will be PO'd if they cut August bonuses, especially after MD/D/VP/Assoc's all just got their full freight bonuses

 

anyone heard anything around 0 bonuses at top BBs??

H1 is going to be the strongest of last 5 years (mainly for BB with Balance sheet) but rumour is that H2 will be down ~40%y/y

quite a lot of rumours around no bonuses being paid this year...

 

Have heard a few top EB will be paying as high as ever ($210k+ all in)

Rationale being analysts worked harder than ever this past year and earned their last 12 months compensation. Many EBs indirect marketing pitch to college students rely upon high comp (compared to BB). Analyst expense is trivial anyways and this will be a way for a few EBs to "get ahead." 2021 IB analyst comp may be affected though, depending on how COVID plays out

 

I don't know - not going to pretend like I do.

Even though they're busier than ever, my guess would be there it'll be in-line, or maybe just relatively higher than other BB groups. Agree with the post above me^

 

this is extremely false. banks have little incentive because most analysts don’t decide banks based on pay. otherwise everyone would go for Centerview if they could (which they don’t)

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“Extremely false” lol. Assume you’re either a high school / college student or are very out of touch in this area

  1. It’s not important, but to start, you’re misinformed. A few EBs pay in-line or more than Centerview all-in. The one differentiator is that Centerview pays a $50k signing bonus, but lower mid/end of yr comp relatively. It’s easy to get excited by the $50k headline. Most top candidates are aware of the big picture though.
  2. Obviously compensation is not the only criteria top students pick (e.g., exit opps, prestige, sexy mega cap deals, work-life balance, etc.), but your comment is first-level thinking at its finest. Comp is very much interrelated with the other factors. Top compensation is a SIGNAL. A signal of quality and excellence. A bank that pays top of the street is naturally seen as elite and prestigious, which builds their brand and attracts top talent. This top talent then naturally goes on to both do great work, and also exit to the best PE shops and HFs (which they would’ve done regardless of the bank), which builds the EBs brand both on Wall Street and on college campus even more so. A virtuous cycle emerges where top pay ---> top talent —> top exit opps —> top brand —> top pay.

Therefore, a few elite boutiques are VERY much incentivized to pay (relatively cheap) analysts well, otherwise the virtuous cycle starts unraveling. Comp numbers will inevitably leak externally and the street will know who takes care of their own and who doesn’t. Not to mention it’ll hurt internal culture/morale. Would be penny wise, pound foolish.

 

Real question - Why you don’t most BB associates and VPs switch over to EBs? Comp difference may be $100k/year

 

AN1 - Top Bucket - RX Boutique - $75K

$175k all in comp: 85 base + 15 sign on + 75 bonus

Groups outside of RX got terrible bonuses; the top bucket was $35k, so it could have been worse... Still annoying when PJT / CVP / EVR folks are making $30k+ more and get the coolest deals

 

A1 at an EB and I got $170k for the year (base+bonus). I'm in an M&A group and my peers in Rx got $5k more on their bonuses

Unsure what our range was, but they did not lower the upper end of the comp at all from what it seems

 

I definitely don't disagree with you on that. At my bank MBA associates come in at 150k base and are ranked a year ahead of the A to A promotes, so that's why it's 125k. I realize that's a nonsense policy especially when you consider the relative productivity between new MBA associates and A to A promotes but that's a topic for another day...

 

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