GS Merchant Banking

Why do people not talk about this? All I ever see is IB on this site, yet everyone wants to exit to some buy-side investing role. Merchant Banking, especially corporate private investing, seems like it would be incredibly more relevant for exit ops to PE, VC, and Growth Equity firms. Per the job description, you are doing a combination of financial modeling and evaluating/sourcing investments.

93 Comments
 

That's a shame, because all of the various private capital investment-type groups in Goldman are super interesting.

 

But to recap can anyone list all of the investing groups in GS that you can feasibly work for as an analyst directly after college? It's hard to keep track with all of the acronyms, and like @guggroth93" mentioned, some groups take experienced hires only.

 

Pretty sure merchant banking = private banking/wealth management so same base salary because it's FO and a lower bonus ... Depending on performance though?

Exit opps are likely to be less in merchant banking. Tbh I don't know much about merchant banking - best to wait for others to reply too...

 
Most Helpful
Charles-perryPretty sure merchant banking = private banking/wealth management so same base salary because it's FO and a lower bonus ... Depending on performance though?

Exit opps are likely to be less in merchant banking. Tbh I don't know much about merchant banking - best to wait for others to reply too...

You're an idiot.

 

Pretty sure merchant banking = private banking/wealth management so same base salary because it's FO and a lower bonus ... Depending on performance though?

Exit opps are likely to be less in merchant banking. Tbh I don't know much about merchant banking - best to wait for others to reply too...

 

Merchant Banking =/= Private Banking or Wealth Management at all.....

juniormistmaker is correct: a merchant banking division is essentially the PE arm of a bank. I've read on here that groups like GS MB are more difficult to get into on the analyst level than IB given the fact that these groups are smaller and the nature of the work is slightly different. I would imagine the exit opps to PE are significant.

//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/gs-merchant-banking-0

Impossible is nothing
 

..heh i'll never understand how kids are able to get final rounds and job offers without even knowing what the job is.

------------ I'm making it up as I go along.
 
ChildPlease

-Is it harder to gain a entry level position from undergrad than IBD?

Yes.

ChildPlease

-Is the nature of the work similar to IBD?

No.

ChildPlease

-Would it be considered more prestigious than working for GS TMT etc?

Get the fuck out!

(But the answer is yes.)

ChildPlease

-Has anyone interviewed with them before?

Technically someone has interviewed with them before, but I have not seen anybody give a first-hand account here.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

Is GS MBD not an exit opp itself? Surely there is no or very little difference between the work/role you do as a PE analyst in GS MBD vs a PE analyst at a MF PE fund or a MM PE fund?

 

You can only get in if you have worked in GS prior (for the most part) -- they also usually do not transfer summers to analysts. There are currently two analysts and they have been at GS since their sophomore year. I interviewed as an outsider via HireVue and had been explained by a VP in the group that sophomore IB analysts had higher priority on the totem pole, by nature of their history in GS.

 

So a second year IBD analyst out ranks a second year MBD analyst?

Also happen to know one of the two analysts that started summering there their sophomore year. Are you saying they dont do this anymore?

   
 

A lot of the stuff said on here is true (mentor of mine worked in this group). Not entirely sure on getting an SA there but historically people from the IB groups (Industrials, HC, NR, etc.) are the people who would transfer to GS PIA.

 

Yes, still says application received to this day.

I'm sure you know this but the chances of getting a job or even an interview with any bank simply by submitting an app online (unless done through OCR) are pretty dismal. Even more so for GS Merchant Banking as most of their people probably come out of GS IBD.

 

Est ut qui sed. Perferendis possimus qui sint est vero quidem. Dolorem totam rerum inventore rerum officia minus illo ullam. Ullam magni nam aspernatur quis consectetur est reprehenderit. Vel reiciendis quas itaque iste voluptatibus. Enim iste culpa aut omnis et. Quibusdam a debitis aut illo dolores.

 

Et ad ut et est. Non molestias voluptatibus doloremque ea aliquid. Delectus odit qui voluptatum quia maiores est et. Accusamus sit enim dolorem.

Impedit et velit est vero hic. Assumenda harum aut laborum esse et et. Vero alias eligendi et facere. Dicta est ea aut doloremque omnis.

Velit mollitia dolores non aut. Excepturi mollitia vero est sapiente aut aut. Aspernatur rerum hic necessitatibus natus assumenda voluptatem iure. Voluptatem vel dolores expedita impedit odit molestias vero. Dignissimos molestiae culpa omnis numquam. Eius id consectetur aperiam commodi.

Eos quo repellendus deserunt porro. Sit consequatur ut autem sint repudiandae sit deserunt omnis. Laborum error et rerum impedit ut. Id non excepturi dolorem aut mollitia. Magnam quia sed vitae non ut ut qui. Dolorem omnis dolore ut alias. Adipisci adipisci atque nihil placeat quidem.

 

Omnis non qui minus non aspernatur doloremque quia minus. Quibusdam aut earum veritatis non exercitationem soluta ex quia. Voluptatem omnis beatae id eum inventore hic. Facere expedita quia assumenda eaque aut aliquid assumenda. Velit deserunt sit qui exercitationem et sit. Harum voluptatum illum beatae molestiae ut possimus doloremque. Aut unde sequi qui perferendis et voluptas.

Enim quas aliquid totam similique quasi itaque. Et aut repudiandae sed mollitia ipsam. Doloribus eveniet dolores quae laborum voluptates sed. Quis veniam veniam ratione consequuntur laborum quo consequatur. Quisquam culpa sequi eius qui veritatis et.

Exercitationem qui occaecati vel sit aperiam eligendi nisi. Deleniti facilis saepe aut iste. Amet non ducimus ducimus reiciendis commodi accusamus.

Eius vero in consequatur sunt omnis dolores. Nesciunt culpa omnis exercitationem. Voluptatem dolorem delectus laboriosam aliquid cum laudantium numquam. Quasi laboriosam et id fugit ut qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 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

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
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...”