Public Finance Q's

Hey everyone! I've been going through PF recruiting but haven't heard much from the Bulge Brackets and Boutiques. I see a lot of monkeys already have superdays and offers for various IBD related groups. Anyone have updates on Public Finance recruiting? Are firms done, can anyone share some light on if they know of people with Public Finance offers? Is it competitive?

Also is Public Finance worth getting into? I'm still considering other options, wanted to hear some feedback on it.

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Wow, PF recruitment is already over?? So if my application to the various BBs are still pending I'm assuming it means I got dinged? Also, care to share some light on how big PF teams are, and their general recruiting class size?

Also to confirm you went through SA recruiting right?

 

All my friends who got a PF role at a BB want to exit into public policy or dual MBA/MPA programs. Public finance is very niche and as a result the candidates that get the offers tend to be extremely committed to the role; usually carry some sort of public policy experience.

Idk if it's even possible to move to another group within IBD? I wouldn't risk going into PF if your long term goal isn't public policy or MD within public finance. Idk why people think that investment banking is the worthy job straight out of college. It'd help if you listed all the other options youre considering to put things into perspective

 

As a PF analyst, I can say things definitely move at a slower pace than corporate finance. Whether or not it's worth getting into, only you can decide. My recruiting process, at a regional bank, was very different than listed above. It was a little more traditional, Only two interviews and no superday. No terribly difficult technical questions. For my bank, analysts are hired year-round out of necessity. So if this is something you still want to pursue, I would branch outside of BB and keep your eyes open for opportunities at the regional level.

 

Sounds good, thanks for clearing up. Raising money for hospitals is an interesting space for sure. Seems like there has been a decent amount of M&A recently. I wonder if most of the Public Finance Bankers are working on raising debt for acquisitions as opposed to raising muni debt for hospitals to continue to operate? You have any further insight on this?

In regards to Project Finance, I would assume just because there are not a ton of stadiums being built that it is a highly competitive industry but the $ amount to fund massive stadiums is crazy so assuming they muni debt raised for Project Finance is more of a "syndicate" amongst diff banks to take risk off the balance sheet for most banks.

 

PF bankers do raise debt for aquisitions for hospitals quite frequently. What they’ll do is create a conduit structure. They’ll call it like “Bro son Hospital Corp” (This is just an example) and will essentially create a legal investment vehicle that will pass through lease rental payments from the hospitals revenue sources/taxing district (if it has one) to finance acquisitions of property, facilities, and equipment. Nuanced credits like these are definitely more intricate, and could probably provide relevant transaction experience for someone wanting to jump into HC IBD. Otherwise PF bankers are generally pitching refinancings like every other banker is, and the work isn’t too interesting/doesn’t translate to CIB very well.

 
Best Response

Thanks for sharing. My understanding is that the "Bro Son Hospital Corp" that you are explaining is basically the same thing as raising muni debt for projects (i.e., hospitals, stadiums). Assuming you have the network and are with a good group, I definitely agree that its a extremely transferrable experience. I have several buddies who are absolutely killing it in municipal/public finance. Most don't want to leave to go to Healthcare IB due to work life balance, solid compensation and no need for an MBA (although, I believe the MBA is becoming more or less not as popular from an opportunity cost standpoint).

Question - do you work in the space? If so, what are your thoughts on the new tax policy affecting the public finance space?

 

If you go to non-target there are still recruiting being done. I'm doing a couple first rounds for IBD coverage this week.

 

It's tough from b-school, most of the Associates in PubFin are A to A promotes (either in-house or they jump ship to new firms and get promo'ed). That said, BAML definitely hires some MBAs and MS hires MBAs occasionally (rare)...Having your MPA will certainly help you make inroads. Outside of BAML and MS it will likely be less of a structured recruiting process and you'll need to network your way in.

 
IBDinMPD

It's tough from b-school, most of the Associates in PubFin are A to A promotes (either in-house or they jump ship to new firms and get promo'ed). That said, BAML definitely hires some MBAs and MS hires MBAs occasionally (rare)...Having your MPA will certainly help you make inroads. Outside of BAML and MS it will likely be less of a structured recruiting process and you'll need to network your way in.

Thanks for the info. Is it so rare of a path out of an MBA program that it's not even a realistic goal?

 

I have some knowledge, but I don't specifically work in PubFin.

Gettting into PubFin at a BB is just as hard as getting into anygroup at a BB. The PubFin group is a combination of traders and bankers. At my bank the traders are on the floor, while the bankers were in a large glass room next to them. If your doing banking I would assume an MBA is wanted more than the CFA. I have spoken and PubFin bankers do a fair amount of traveling, especially at the more senior levels. I am not sure how regional it is, but I think that the bank has "hubs" NY,Chi, SF--so a few major cities.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

General market questions, the different types of muni bonds, why public finance AND why public finance is important. I would also read up and be very well versed in the developing muni crisis--if anything you can ask the bank questions about how they are protecting themselves from it and make yourself look well informed.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

You'll get fit questions coupled with a discussion of the muni market.

Know what a municipal security is and the different types (general obligation, tax-backed, revenue-backed). Know what an underwriter does (issuing, refunding). Know what's going on with the whole muni crisis and what build america bonds are.

Here is a little nugget of gold: try to find some of the specific projects the bank has recently worked on.

Lastly, come up with a sincere story about why you want Public, specifically.

 

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