Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
June 30, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
For exit ops?
The problem with DB is that they've been divesting from their IBD for a long time. They want to focus more on commercial/corporate banking instead of investment banking products. While they're a great shop, their growth prospects are very small.
Jefferies/HL are on the come up (If its HL RX or Jeff HC/LevFin no questions asked), but for lower groups its about equal I'd say. DB just wants to be less risky and IB is just a very risky product for firms because underwriting, S&T, and anything else that they're forced to put speculative assets on their balance sheet will ultimately be painful and they just can't take that type of risk right now.
WB and Piper and phenominal firms aswell, don't get me wrong, but WB is only known for chicago exits, and Piper's claim to fame is their FIG group but besides that they can't really compete.
What people on this forum don't understand is that while firm name is kind of important, what is truly the thing that is important is who is backing you and how well you can sell yourself. Usually folk from Harvard to Goldman have an easier time to sell themselves more than the Penn State kid who went to Piper. But sometimes they'll take that penn state kid over harvard if they're just that bad at selling themself.
Just so inaccurate on so many fronts
Agree this is inaccurate. Please don’t common on posts if you aren’t working in the industry and have been for enough time to see people your age exit.
Depends where you are trying to exit to, the group, and what your goals are. The best groups at MM’s, end up at great UMM PE firms. Megafunds are hard because there really are only like 6 firms that people will all agree and the lines get very blurry from there.
Why don't you go for a RBC or Wells Fargo? I think they are comparable to DB and have groups focused on MM if that's where you want to focus
I like DB but as the above mentioned, they are not too focused on IB in NA
Would personally take top MM IB > DB, but also depends on what group. Would take any of these groups over DB: Blair Tech/HC, Piper Chemicals/FIG, Jefferies HC/Energy, HL Consumer/Industrials.
Quia iure dolores et nihil praesentium quasi. Labore delectus illo sint. Aut est cumque delectus quaerat est. Quia cum aut sed ipsum nihil nulla assumenda.
Inventore ipsam aut architecto blanditiis. Autem hic veritatis hic ipsam et quae quisquam. Iusto pariatur asperiores quibusdam dolores recusandae optio.
Laborum non dolorem est nesciunt. Ea dolorem deserunt nobis. Qui molestiae ut cum consequatur neque minima exercitationem. Illum aperiam nihil voluptatum ea.
Optio necessitatibus quos sit maxime. Iusto quam ad est et doloribus officiis eius. Et deserunt et porro in cumque deserunt architecto odit. Molestiae harum beatae ullam placeat.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Corrupti illo eum vel architecto corrupti quo esse. Nobis cum rerum aperiam dolor nulla debitis. Aut inventore delectus quia cupiditate occaecati nobis. Sed quia odit ducimus laborum voluptatem nemo consectetur.
Quasi assumenda sit et eveniet ut. Temporibus omnis excepturi sed magni ea aut enim. Qui nesciunt vel quae qui. Enim aliquam sit optio illum voluptatem. Expedita cumque omnis beatae aut nesciunt perferendis.