Modeling Exercise in Interview

I am going to a final round interview at an MM firm where I am told I can expect a "financial modeling exercise". Any suggestions on what to expect?

Background: I am a senior finance/accounting major. Experience at a BB in trading. No banking experience though I have built models in school in various capacities.

I don't expect to be handed a 10-k and told to build a model, though in some ways that would not shock me. My skills are ok, but how much can they really expect me to know?

Input welcome, prepping now.

6 Comments
 

if they give you the 3 financial statements, i think they would expect you to do a DCF on them. it's really not hard on excel, and make sure you state your assumptions and simplify things

what i really wanted to ask you was, are you still jobless? your post gets me worried because i chose to do a BB S&T gig this summer and rejected a solid BB IBD internship, with the thoughts that if i didn't like s&t i could always get a IBD job next fall. Was full time recruiting for IB terrible despite your BB S&T gig last summer?

 
Best Response

Actually linking the statements to form an operating model is probably more likely... for a DCF you'd need lots of additional info. like comps, long-term plans, proper discount rates, etc. etc.

I wouldn't expect too much... definitely prepare and know how to link the 3 statements and the basic DCF and all but I'd be highly surprised if they asked someone with no banking experience to actually build an LBO or merger model (of course, they do do that in PE interviews but that's a different story).

 

When I interviewed for an analyst position at an MM, I was given a company's previous FYE financial statements and P/L forecasts for the next year with the following scenario:

  • The company expects to buy equipment for $XX to be financed with XX%cash and XX%new debt.
  • Assume straight line depreciation on the new equipment with a life of XX years

With this infomation, prepare the pro forma income, balance sheet and cash flow statements for the following year.

Hope this helps.

 

Et ut omnis id expedita quia nisi repellendus quo. Autem nisi ea magnam autem. Aut delectus laudantium placeat eum cupiditate quo amet. Ratione nihil libero laudantium in.

Minus sit aut aperiam laudantium aut. Dolorem porro dolorem atque delectus at. Quaerat molestiae eius accusantium sit et possimus. Maxime natus est ab reprehenderit. Laudantium est corrupti saepe dolores enim quos.

Enim saepe sapiente dicta et laborum deleniti voluptatem asperiores. Dolor aliquam in error nemo. Accusamus enim aperiam porro laborum architecto. Est illo et quis ut sint.

Et et et rerum laudantium officiis dolorem. Quia provident iure assumenda dolor. Consequatur qui ullam ad qui sed ex.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
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...”