The Future of Deutsche Bank?

Does anyone have knowledge on what positions DB is cutting within IB? Is it mostly senior people or are junior bankers also affected?

Previously, DB said 10% of the U.S CIB jobs would be cut. Then, DB confirmed yesterday that 7,000 jobs would be cut globally. I'm not sure if more cuts are on the way, or if this could be a great opportunity to join a bank that is on its way to recovery like other banks have done in the past after annoucing similar restructing goals.

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"G-I the pharma guy" Would you not say that all these cuts are looking to make DB a strong MM rather than a BB in the next 5 years?

The company will remain strong but will be more sector specific. It remains a BB. Cuts will be made mostly to support roles that sit in the front-office, which they have a lot of. The problem they're running into is labor laws in Germany make it difficult to cut people there.

 
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"G-I the pharma guy" Would you not say that all these cuts are looking to make DB a strong MM rather than a BB in the next 5 years?

Yes, that's the purpose of the cuts. They were announced two years ago. The CEO couldn't bring himself to do it. That's why he got fired last month.

I can't weigh in on exactly who and what gets the ax, but I can share a high level view, having just done a research note for a UHNW client who custodies there.

Current CDS prices give an implied 10% chance of default within a year. That sounds bad, but up to a year and a half ago the default probability was 20%+. This doesn't necessarily mean there's now an actual 10% chance of default. It's more a gauge of market sentiment about the riskiness of the debt, and by extension, the bank as a going concern. In essence, the perceived riskiness of the debt has plunged, but the stock price has also plunged, down 30% in the last year. Either the stock investors or the CDS buyers must be wrong, one or the other.

How does DB weather the crisis? In my view, in addition to executing the cuts remorselessly, they dump all possible financial pain into the current quarter and then they have a fair chance for turnaround in the 2nd half of the year, under the new CEO. I'd second the poster who said DB is a buy. Or to be more careful, might be a buy. Its price/book is 0.4 whereas comps average 1.1.

IMO the German gov't will bail them out if necessary, although common stockholders may go to zero if that happens, with bondholders getting a big haircut.

Obviously, they need to get out of unprofitable/unsalvageable businesses, and above all, cut headcount. In this environment, DB would logically be the very last place you'd want to start an IB career. They can't just shut down the SA/Analyst hiring pipeline, but they're quite capable of hiring ppl only to lay them off weeks later. I've seen it done at other BBs.

The silver lining in the career risk is if you get laid off six weeks after you start, is there's no stigma, and potential new employers will give you a look out of sympathy. (Good luck getting out of your NYC apt. lease though.)

Oh and what about the fate of custody assets if they do go under? I had to tell the client nobody knows, because no major global custodian has ever been dissolved. However, we didn't recommend he switch custodians. Personally, I think the custody assets are pretty safe and if I were still a value guy I'd be building a long thesis for DB right now. The negative sentiment of sellside analysts is positively frightful. When/if that turns, DB could easily be a 3-bagger.

 

I am sorry, when did you see 10% probability of default? I see 5 year Subordinated CDS has peaked just shy of 250, 1 year was a fair bit lower, unless Bloomberg is fooling me somehow

I have a friend who lives in the country, and it's supposed to be an hour from 42nd Street. A lie! The only thing that's an hour from 42nd Street is 43rd Street!
 

No, if you understand BB/MM by the size/nature of the deals they do and the clients they cover. They will just do it more selectively, rather than try to be full-service. In concrete examples: they are still going to cover the likes of Siemens or GE, rather than drop them for random Mittelstand industrials.

The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.
 

Apparently, these cuts will be mainly within the commercial banking unit, especially the "Postbank". Additionally, DB wants to scale back equity trading, especially in the US (but also around the globe).

The numbers are supposed to be achieved via natural fluctuation of 1,500 employees per year over the next (up to) 4 years (i.e. people that retire / leave will be replaced at a reduced rate). I don't see any further cuts within CIB - Corporate Finance in these annoucements (aside from the previously discussed ones (e.g. cutting bottom 5% annually)).

Sources:

https://www.ft.com/content/0c29148e-555c-11e8-b3ee-41e0209208ec

http://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/banken-versicherungen/radikale-ein… (in German)

 

Tip of the iceberg...

In London - Head of Financial Sponsors, Head of Leverage Finance, Head of High Yield Capital markets all went to Merrill. Lots of defections all over the place, ECM, M&A, etc.

Might be due to change in strategy, byt the fact that they havent written off any of the shit they have on the books yet. But overall, I think DB culture jsut really really sucks.

 
HighlyLeveragedTip of the iceberg...

In London - Head of Financial Sponsors, Head of Leverage Finance, Head of High Yield Capital markets all went to Merrill. Lots of defections all over the place, ECM, M&A, etc.

Might be due to change in strategy, byt the fact that they havent written off any of the shit they have on the books yet. But overall, I think DB culture jsut really really sucks.

Twin heads of Lev fin, and the one who left was lesser of the two. Viewing these as 'defections' is somewhat strange given that the vast majority were simply out and out poaching with large guaranteed contracts. These guys weren't shopping, others wanted them and all banks have had an especially turbulent time of it recently.

DB wrote off plenty, just managed to get through without the vast amount of govt support everyone else needed. Issues with European sovereign's definitely.

Would strongly dispute idea that culture 'sucks' and also a glance at both European and Worldwide league tables would show steady upward progression on advisory and capital markets sides.

 

it's also interesting that they are hiring a bunch at the senior level but losing a lot at that level too - is it a sign of bad culture or reshuffling/positioning itself?

 

what is the deal with jain? i know he came up from trading

are the investment bankers getting scard like the gs ones got scared when lloyd came on?

 
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According to research provided by the onion, Deutsche Bank is experiencing minute errors caused by it's trading group after they shorted the VIX based on an internet meme. Expect a full-recovery around this time 20 years from now.

What concert costs 45 cents? 50 Cent feat. Nickelback.
 

In general, I just wanted to see how the overall moral is at DB. Are ppl still trying to jump ship elsewhere? Is it true that they got rid of the whole M&A team and put ppl across different industry groups? How's the deal flow? What size deals are you looking at and is it mostly capital raising vs m&a?

 

Biggest question to ask to your contact in the bank is “how many MDs are in your group vs. how many analysts?” Maybe some are getting fired but most are leaving voluntarily at the senior level. I’ve heard that some groups literally don’t have MDs remaining. Just ask that question and you’ll know what your experience will be like.

 

Example of a self fulfilling prophecy. For years they talked about cutting back the IBD, despite being top 10 in deal flow both in US and globally. Eventually all the negativity spilled out to put a huge damper on their reputation.

If you're going to exit a business, one should do so swiftly and abrutely, not debate about it publially for years. Terrible leadership leads to crushed morale.

 

Are there any groups within IBD that seem safer than Consumer/M&A etc.? Which IBD groups will be affected the least?

"eFinancialCareers" "No one has been spared," said one DB insider. "They've made cuts across the board, both seniors and juniors." A junior on the healthcare team confirmed that the cuts spanned the entire hierarchy and said they were, "unexpected." The actual number of exits is unclear, however. Deutsche will retain a presence in healthcare and has not cut the team in its entirety. Deutsche declined to comment. The exits are understood to include Darren Campili, Deutsche's global head of healthcare, who joined the bank in 2006.

https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en/316650/healthcare-redundancies…

Looks like it.

 

It always befuddled me that Germany is the global leader in manufacturing, design, engineering, and overall craftsmanship. Everything from cars to optical equipment to violins - they're #1 without a doubt.

Yet when it comes to banking, somehow they can't manage.

I have a personal conspiracy theory - there's a bigger force behind the scenes intentionally suppressing them for their WWII injustices.

Love the country, lived there for a combined 18 months in my life across various cities.

 

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