August 2024 SF Tech Banking Updated Ranking

As tech deal flow starts to pick up, below is an updated ranking of SF Tech Groups (feel free to add any thoughts):

Tier 1: Q, GS TMT, MS Menlo

Tier 1.5: JPM (picking up significant mandates but still behind the big 3), Evercore Menlo 

Tier 2: Lazard (less deal flow than before although still great exits), Moelis (more deal flow after SVB acquisition), Citi (deal flow in M&A improving), Jefferies (very strong in sponsor mandates), CVP Palo Alto (not sure how good after losing top seniors)

Tier 2.5: BofA Palo Alto (group is lagging after losing top rainmakers), Barclays (lost top talent to UBS), William Blair, Piper Sandler (picked up pretty big sponsor mandates), LionTree (internet and B2C space is slower recently), Tidal (one major deal for Cisco)

Tier 3: Wells Fargo, UBS, Deustche Bank, Union Square Advisors, Mizuho, Nomura, JMP Securities

Feel free to add more thoughts and base your answers off of recent deals.

16 Comments
 

Sweaty as fuck, got some nightmare MD/EDs who make life miserable (source I’m in a JPM product group that works with them a lot)

 

super helpful, see that hasn't changed from older threads. any insights into how exits are? are MF/UMM placements common?

 
Most Helpful

Would move GS TMT a tier lower after the massive senior exodus they had. Still a strong brand but not on MS Menlo's level anymore in terms of deal pipeline and mandates.

Would move Lazard a tier lower as their deal flow has been weak since losing their key rainmakers. They haven't been a relevant player in tech banking for a while now and do a ton of pitching with little to no success. Can't comment on Moelis / CVP but haven't seen them on any notable transactions recently. 

Citi is now a key player in software M&A as you noted, but that hasn't been the case for their other verticals (internet, semiconductors, IT services). They verticalized their TMT team down to the analyst level and the software team should be a tier higher, while the rest of the vertical teams a tier lower.

BofA and Barclays both suffered major senior losses and their deal flow have been non-existent at least within M&A, so agreed on the tiering.

Piper tech should not be in the same tier as William Blair. Jefferies should not be a tier above Blair. 

WF / UBS / DB / Mizuho / Nomura are only on financing deals these days, while Union Square works on LMM sell-sides. 

Overall, it's hard to group the BB/EB with the MM/LMM names as they compete across different parts of the market. 

 

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Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

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  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
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  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
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