Greenhill -- Reputation / Exits

Have been reading here recently that they are on a decline. Can someone confirm? How does it compare to the other EBs, e.g. Moelis, Evercore, Centerview? How are the exits? How is the restructuring practice? How many SA per class? Target schools?

Thank you

36 Comments
 

For the NY office about 10 FT ny sa class should be roughly 7 other locations are smaller

target schools include top unis (hyps) and top state unis as well (ex: kelley, osu, ross ) they mix it up and generally hire one from each school

unfortunately, they haven't been performing as well as the other EBs and might be declining, however, it's not to the point you won't have any opportunities post-analyst. But their future isnt necessarily predictable like the future firms so who knows.

idk much about the rx practice and hopefully someone else can shed some light. Will stress that their culture is great and laid back. They work well together and very chill people. Not fratty, not too uptight, etc. Comp should be in line as well.

from what I can see the move is generally mm pe inside and outside ny after the analyst years. I dont think you will have the mega fund opportunities you would at top EBs tho. They have very low if not zero retentions after analyst years

this is from the people I have met/seen and I did/do not work/interview there so take what i say with a pinch of salt.

 

Overall likely not as strong as mid 2000s, but I think recent decline has been a bit exaggerated; 2017 was terrible but 2016 was a good year and their 2018Q1 was highest revenue total ever (of course, in hot M&A market). Seems to be a cut below EVR/PJT from what I've seen but past ~2 years placements vary with Ares, WP, and MDP. Another post had listed out full exits.

As for Rx, as mentioned they've made a couple key hires over the last few months and its been a key point of their plan to build the team out to 25+ professionals. Should be interesting to see how it plays out but activity has certainly been picking up quite a bit

 

Seems like they hit rock-bottom in 2017.

So far for 2018 they've been doing quite well with high profile deals (ie. Novartis/GlaxoSmithKline, IFF/Frutarom etc). GHL is much smaller than most other EBs so they don't compete in the same way on the league tables.

Junior exits have always been top notch.

 

Look at the stock price.

PF for recent quasi-LBO.

Compare to comps.

Compare over last year or two.

Form your own opinion.

Let us know.

Also: they don't do a lot of deals....

 

I'd love to see Wells buy GHL.

It would definitely turn them into a BB... especially since they're currently the largest bank in the world.

 

Great idea in theory for Wells but history shows buying an investment bank for its talent is suicide (CS buying FB, CS buying DLJ, Citi buying Salomon Bros). Everyone either: jumps ship as soon as they can or if they have huge guaranteed bonuses to stay on they completely check out while collecting the checks.

The only way this could work would be if Wells bought Greenhill and kept them as a quasi-independent subsidiary similar to how Eastdil works now. Greenhill would basically be Wells' much needed M&A specialist subsidiary that works with Wells' coverage/product groups.

 
Raptor.45

Great idea in theory for Wells but history shows buying an investment bank for its talent is suicide (CS buying FB, CS buying DLJ, Citi buying Salomon Bros). Everyone either: jumps ship as soon as they can or if they have huge guaranteed bonuses to stay on they completely check out while collecting the checks.

The only way this could work would be if Wells bought Greenhill and kept them as a quasi-independent subsidiary similar to how Eastdil works now. Greenhill would basically be Wells' much needed M&A specialist subsidiary that works with Wells' coverage/product groups.

Greenhill MDs are reading your post right now, young sir.

 
Raptor.45

Great idea in theory for Wells but history shows buying an investment bank for its talent is suicide (CS buying FB, CS buying DLJ, Citi buying Salomon Bros). Everyone either: jumps ship as soon as they can or if they have huge guaranteed bonuses to stay on they completely check out while collecting the checks.

The only way this could work would be if Wells bought Greenhill and kept them as a quasi-independent subsidiary similar to how Eastdil works now. Greenhill would basically be Wells' much needed M&A specialist subsidiary that works with Wells' coverage/product groups.

This fact always makes me wonder why they don't just go around poaching groups. Presumably if you took the offer you'd actually stay with the firm, versus a corporate buyout where you have no say over your suitor.

 

No. This doesn't work. 1 i-bank + 1 i-bank = 1 i-bank. Especially with elite independent firms. See: DLJ, First Boston, Wasserstein Perella, etc. I mean shit, Ken Moelis did it twice. The only success story in recent memory is Stifel, really, and that could change depending on how recent deals pan out.

@CoochieMane I don't think it's news to any of them.

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 

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