Detailed information for Lev Fin IB group?

I am an incoming first year analyst in IB and am trying to get into the Lev Fin group when I start (I will start as a generalist) - I am not a finance major so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for preparing for this group (i.e. leveraged finance books, websites, classes to take next semester, etc)? I have already started trying to network with members of the group but I don't want to embarrass myself if they start asking me technical questions.

24 Comments
 

Could you guys recommend any material in which I can read to prepare on some of these topics? I have a ton of IB guides, but they really focus on traditional banking and valuation/accounting type questions. Nothing like you noted above

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." - Benjamin Franklin
 
StudentLoanBackedSecurities

Could you guys recommend any material in which I can read to prepare on some of these topics? I have a ton of IB guides, but they really focus on traditional banking and valuation/accounting type questions. Nothing like you noted above

https://www.lcdcomps.com/d/pdf/hyprimer.pdf

https://www.lcdcomps.com/lcd/na/2012/09/07/2012%20Guide%20To%20US%20Loa…

http://www.macabacus.com/valuation/lbo/overview

http://www.macabacus.com/terms/original-issue-discount

http://www.macabacus.com/terms/payment-in-kind

 
Best Response

anything related to debt. LBO questions are bound to come up in interviews. Try to understand the overall picture with LBOs. Some shops ask you to create a paper LBO model, but I didn't come across any that asked me to do so during summer recruiting, only during FT. Paper LBO model is nothing crazy - given 5 year projection, you just list out some assumptions, spread out cash flow over few years, and exit. Do some quick math to get to a ball park IRR number. That's the most technical lev fin interviews would get in my opinion.

 
goblan StudentLoanBackedSecurities:

Could you guys recommend any material in which I can read to prepare on some of these topics? I have a ton of IB guides, but they really focus on traditional banking and valuation/accounting type questions. Nothing like you noted above

https://www.lcdcomps.com/d/pdf/hyprimer.pdf

https://www.lcdcomps.com/lcd/na/2012/09/07/2012%20...

lbo/overview" href="http://www.macabacus.com/valuation/lbo/overview" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" sl-processed="1">http://www.macabacus.com/valuation/lbo/overview

http://www.macabacus.com/terms/original-issue-disc...

http://www.macabacus.com/terms/payment-in-kind

These are very helpful, thank-you

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." - Benjamin Franklin
 

Are you actually on a desk or in a group with cubicles? I always find it interesting when some banks have groups and some act more like traders.

 

I didn't have any individual interviews with an analyst. In the two super days I had, it was mostly associates or an associate + analyst. Here the associate would lead the discussion and the analyst would mostly observe. So, I didn't get to build much of a rapport with them at the time. Plus, the entire process was drawn out over nearly three months, and I can barely remember who I spoke to.

 

Brushing up on your general accounting skills is always a good idea.

Other than that, read through some leveraged finance debt primers. If you can, do your best at familiarizing yourself with the basics of the diff instruments (Pro rata, TLBs, HY, etc) and where they fall in seniority within the capital structure (essential for LBO modeling).

It would also be helpful to learn the various pros and cons of each piece of financing (costs (interest rates and amortization) and flexibility (prepayability, maintenance vs incurrence covenants), etc.

It's helpful to learn the basic differences between positive and negative covenants but really this will come after many fun hours pouring through OMs and credit agreements.

If the above is already old news then congrats, you're in an awesome spot. If it only sounds vaguely familiar (or completely Latin), then don't stress it, you'll pick it up fast.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.

"I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
 

Porro quia et provident ducimus eos ducimus aut. Rerum nulla molestiae distinctio error dolorum et praesentium ut. Nobis et voluptas aliquam earum odio impedit. Voluptas minima non dolores soluta ea quidem quisquam.

Repellendus sequi non voluptatibus eveniet perspiciatis quibusdam. Nobis sapiente rerum quibusdam sit.

Placeat mollitia vitae dolor consequatur ratione facilis id natus. Omnis reprehenderit maiores ut vero est. Non autem molestiae et earum odit. Similique ad natus et voluptates dignissimos. Eum nesciunt expedita aliquam occaecati suscipit consequuntur eum.

Illo et adipisci quia unde. Quaerat est dolore cum laborum ex quis est. Laborum voluptas qui velit soluta ea ipsa minima.

 

Ratione repellat optio odit expedita nemo dolore neque assumenda. Alias minima beatae ipsum fugiat. Accusamus nostrum minus iste sit sit amet nihil.

Culpa odio eum fugit eum. Aut incidunt sit mollitia commodi excepturi ut. Est omnis aut libero ad quis facere aut dolor. Illo facere aliquid rerum provident cum. Est commodi et et rerum rerum. Fuga sunt nobis iusto fuga. Dolorem consequatur repellendus at id.

Exercitationem amet voluptatibus velit atque quis et sunt eaque. Voluptas asperiores totam iste in ea voluptatibus aliquid eum. Eaque nobis id rerum quasi quia distinctio nisi voluptates. Facere nobis laborum perferendis voluptatem eum ipsam. Id quis corporis dolor facere. Quis eos atque nisi laboriosam doloribus laboriosam aut consequatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 03 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (53) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”