Middle-Market Bonus

Hey all,

Most of the stuff I have read has been focused on top tier bulgebrackets or elite boutiques in New York..Was wondering the payout structure, more particularly how the bonuses are typically for quality middle market shops in other Cities like Chicago. Thanks!

30 Comments
 

Reputable MM shops are generally in line with the Street; in fact, I think I remember hearing that some MM banks like BMO paid above street bonuses (just hearsay though).

 

The HL comment isn't accurate for associates, the most recent bonuses were above Street (multiple independent data points). Analysts' numbers were possibly a little below, but I don't believe that constitutes "SUPPPPER cheap".

 
Best Response

I can only speak to the bonuses received at my particular MM bank, but I believe it to be pretty representative of the rest of the MM shops out there. I will say that I believe that MM banks in general have a much larger bonus band due to the fact that profitability can vary widely by year and there isn't such a defined benchmark like the BBs have.

In terms of cash/stock allocation, many MM banks (and boutiques) are not public companies. As a result, they are forced to pay their analysts in cash. Also, the purpose of paying compensation in stock is to align the individual's interests with those of the bank. The analyst role typically only lasts 2 years and therefore does not lend itself well to this model. Associates are more likely to see a portion of their bonus in stock, but I don't have any experience in that area, so I'd just be speculating.

As for the actual $$$s received at MM banks, I'm assuming your guess that bonuses are 25% lower is based on the general obsession for BBs on this board. My experience has been quite difference. In 2007, the bonuses at my bank we're higher than IB bonuses at Goldman Sachs and the rest of Wall Street. In 2008, when banks started to falter, our bonuses were less than 10% off 2007 bonuses. In 2009, when people were reporting bonuses of 20-30k, we received more than twice that.

So, while I still stand by my comment that I have just 1 data point and that it can vary widely by bank, I wouldn't assume that MM banks pay their analysts any less than the BBs just because they are MM banks.

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CompBankerI can only speak to the bonuses received at my particular MM bank, but I believe it to be pretty representative of the rest of the MM shops out there. I will say that I believe that MM banks in general have a much larger bonus band due to the fact that profitability can vary widely by year and there isn't such a defined benchmark like the BBs have.

In terms of cash/stock allocation, many MM banks (and boutiques) are not public companies. As a result, they are forced to pay their analysts in cash. Also, the purpose of paying compensation in stock is to align the individual's interests with those of the bank. The analyst role typically only lasts 2 years and therefore does not lend itself well to this model. Associates are more likely to see a portion of their bonus in stock, but I don't have any experience in that area, so I'd just be speculating.

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Thanks CompBanker! Do you work at a bank based out of the midwest that offers both PE and IB? Based on how you answer some questions, I feel I may start my FT this summer at your firm.

As for the actual $$$s received at MM banks, I'm assuming your guess that bonuses are 25% lower is based on the general obsession for BBs on this board. My experience has been quite difference. In 2007, the bonuses at my bank we're higher than IB bonuses at Goldman Sachs and the rest of Wall Street. In 2008, when banks started to falter, our bonuses were less than 10% off 2007 bonuses. In 2009, when people were reporting bonuses of 20-30k, we received more than twice that.

So, while I still stand by my comment that I have just 1 data point and that it can vary widely by bank, I wouldn't assume that MM banks pay their analysts any less than the BBs just because they are MM banks.

 
CompBanker

In terms of cash/stock allocation, many MM banks (and boutiques) are not public companies. As a result, they are forced to pay their analysts in cash.

So, while I still stand by my comment that I have just 1 data point and that it can vary widely by bank, I wouldn't assume that MM banks pay their analysts any less than the BBs just because they are MM banks.

Do you know anywhere that pays analysts in stock???

If you are at a mid-market bank (I also think it's important to distinguish mid-market from true boutique in this particular case) that is strong in a particular product (Jefferies lev fin, Houlihan restructuring, Harris Williams M&A) this might be the case, and also especially in light of where the traditional 'big banks' are paying over the last few years (UBS, Barclays, GS in particular come to mind as places that have had pretty brutal pay cuts at the junior level), but you should be careful applying this to the "middle market" as a whole, or ESPECIALLY in extending it to true "boutiques".

It's really a bank-by-bank process these days as all banks are grappling with various transitional issues, personnel management, etc. and the old order has been shaken up. For example, guess who the highest-paying bank was in 2011? All signs point to Wells Fargo. Surprising?

 
CompBanker

I can only speak to the bonuses received at my particular MM bank, but I believe it to be pretty representative of the rest of the MM shops out there. I will say that I believe that MM banks in general have a much larger bonus band due to the fact that profitability can vary widely by year and there isn't such a defined benchmark like the BBs have.

In terms of cash/stock allocation, many MM banks (and boutiques) are not public companies. As a result, they are forced to pay their analysts in cash. Also, the purpose of paying compensation in stock is to align the individual's interests with those of the bank. The analyst role typically only lasts 2 years and therefore does not lend itself well to this model. Associates are more likely to see a portion of their bonus in stock, but I don't have any experience in that area, so I'd just be speculating.

As for the actual $$$s received at MM banks, I'm assuming your guess that bonuses are 25% lower is based on the general obsession for BBs on this board. My experience has been quite difference. In 2007, the bonuses at my bank we're higher than IB bonuses at Goldman Sachs and the rest of Wall Street. In 2008, when banks started to falter, our bonuses were less than 10% off 2007 bonuses. In 2009, when people were reporting bonuses of 20-30k, we received more than twice that.

So, while I still stand by my comment that I have just 1 data point and that it can vary widely by bank, I wouldn't assume that MM banks pay their analysts any less than the BBs just because they are MM banks.

CompBanker,

Do you have any info on how much the associates/VPs/MDs get paid at top MM (Blair,Baird,Lincoln,Houlihan) firms compared to the BBs?

Also, you said that the profitability can vary greatly in the MM. Would that mean there is less job security as a mid-senior level banker at MM firms?

 

From a friend who works at MM as an analyst, I can verify $70 base and $70 bonus last year. Don't know if that was in all cash or cash/stock.

CompBanker is right. Last year, when BB were being rocked, MM paid out handsomely.

 

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