European M&A League Tables - Strongest banks, trends and key observations

TRENDS & OBSERVATIONS:

  • GS, MS and JPM traditionally topped the league table with limited signs of losing market share
  • Rothschild confirmed the trend of winning larger deals (while maintaining the high number of deals) leading to outperforming Lazard. Both boutique twins experienced overall growth vs GS, MS, JPM in the past 3 years (despite weaker LTM performance). Rothschild remains the strongest European bank and is the only non-US bank among the top 5
  • Citi underperformed in the past 3 years ranking below Barclays
  • UBS brings a positive surprise overtaking its Swiss rival Credit Suisse
  • Evercore confirms its market position as the third strongest boutique behind Rothschild and Lazard (although far behind the two with only half as much deal value). PJT and Robey Warshaw are the remaining top 5 boutiques in Europe.
  • BNP Paribas growing recently, while Credit Suisse falling (second weakest bulge bracket, only ahead of DB now)

LEAGUE TABLE:

Below are Bloomberg European M&A league tables based on total deal values for the last 3 years (total deal value based on completed deals)

  1. Goldman Sachs (€327bn)
  2. Morgan Stanley (€228bn)
  3. JP Morgan (€180bn)
  4. Rothschild & Co (€172bn)
  5. Lazard (€162bn)
  6. BAML (€138bn)
  7. Barclays (€134bn)
  8. Citi (€124bn)
  9. UBS (€123bn)
  10. Evercore (€85bn)
  11. Credit Suisse (€75bn)
  12. BNP Paribas (€75bn)
  13. Robey Warshaw (€75bn)
  14. Deutsche Bank (€63bn)
  15. PJT Partners (€61bn)
41 Comments
 

While both are still considered bulge bracket; DB reputation has been suffering for years now and Credit Suisse increasingly weak in Europe

 

That’s because we are looking at European tables and American banks happen to have a big presence everywhere. If you go country by country then the top 1-2 banks are most times a local one. In France BNP Paribas, SocGen and Natixis are usually on top, while in Italy Mediobanca is first, Santander is T3 for Spain and so on

This is not to say that American banks are not massive everywhere (they are), but rather that on a country by country basis league tables resemble more what we would expect: a mix of American BB with local banks

 

Would be great to see ranking of banks/boutiques focusing specifically in the MM space!

 

Dolores voluptas libero iusto dolor quo accusantium. Quo magnam consequuntur maiores molestiae ad quasi. Voluptate blanditiis occaecati voluptas commodi repellat labore sit. Qui accusantium ut doloremque vel. Voluptates sed in nihil porro praesentium.

Molestiae provident animi amet sed alias voluptatem. Consequatur inventore aliquid dicta autem. Eos magni qui pariatur unde quibusdam quo. Aliquid et suscipit laudantium quidem ad magnam. Tenetur libero est suscipit doloremque facilis libero. Dolor dolor laboriosam eos culpa.

 

Velit sequi voluptas omnis dolorem et cumque corrupti. Consequuntur quidem recusandae cupiditate earum vitae nemo. Reprehenderit ut est sunt eligendi magni et. Laborum molestiae et aut ratione. Et maiores laboriosam libero harum. Voluptatem aut sit consectetur quas et rerum. In eius quo dolore necessitatibus occaecati.

Voluptatem et corrupti mollitia qui est. Ducimus ipsum dolor amet inventore quo suscipit dolor. Occaecati molestiae beatae officia qui. Ea voluptate fugit et maxime sit.

Exercitationem in pariatur iure eligendi accusantium quae. Atque rerum debitis sequi et ut. Atque ratione nemo voluptatem est eius. Dolor dignissimos omnis alias optio. Quos ratione voluptate aut delectus ipsam nulla. Ducimus odit et rerum enim quia. Eius quasi hic velit et qui nam ut.

Expedita rerum sint qui repudiandae modi consequuntur. Nemo ut et maxime iusto magnam. At facilis minima dolores omnis. Et ratione aut vel delectus illo maiores omnis. Et facilis voluptatum sed ea autem et 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 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • 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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”