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Either JPMorgan or Morgan Stanley for sure.
MS
JPMorgan
the top boutiques
Piper Jaffries is first.
MS
goldman sachs is second to none. but in all seriousness, i think it makes more sense to compare firms on a group by group basis vs. on a this bank is better than this bank basis.
I never heard of Piper Jaffries before. Why is everyone always clowning on them? Besides the reason that they are Piper Jaffries.
I agree with silk vik... but the only hard part about comparing specific group is that MS M&A/JPM M&A is hard to compare to GS M&A is because they don't have one, so in that case when you look at the league tables you're comparing all groups...but for the most part every other group can be found within other groups across the street.
If you're making a comparison to “Goldman Sachs” you would have to remain strictly within BBs because every divisions is an integral part of what makes Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs...definitely not solely IBD.
GS has many divisions but if you're talking strictly about GS IBD I would say MS IBD (which arguably is 1st IMO - #1 M&A which is the heart of IBD and a function of other groups)/Lazard.
If you're talking about the firm as a whole (including all divisions) then I would say JPM/MS.
The reason I make this differentiation is that what makes GS so great is its S&T and prop trading divisions -that's its bread and butter.
GS/MS are such top M&A advisers, it truly is hard to compare them and "rank" them. but on a purely objective basis, you can do that by looking at league tables. however, if you have an offer with GS/MS/JPM, there are so many other factors you have to consider. you can't just look at league tables and think that will be the best group for you. it all depends on the eye of the beholder.
You gotta love the one word responses.
your mom's meatloaf
Raymond James
MS but JPM is getting up there due to their TARP survival...JPM is still a commercial bank by mentality (they don't put you on live deals during the summer, you have to go through cases and BS like that)...if there's ever talk about Glass Steagall coming back, which there should, they'll be back to mid-tier
The question is... Who is Goldman sachs second to?
And the answer is: Piper Jaffrays, best Ibank in the all the land.
God
Eiffeltowered-
Not sure where you get your information, but I summered at JPM a while ago and I was staffed on 3 live deals. Not sure where you're getting your intel.
woops, may have confused them for CS or one of the other balance sheet banks
I don't think CS is really a balance sheet bank. Maybe BofA?
Whoever told you commercial banks don't staff you on live deals over the summer is misinformed. BarCap, Citi, BofA, JPM will all staff you on live deals.
As for JPM being mid tier without the commercial bank, I disagree. If you noticed, JPM and BofA's investment banking operations have posted profits every quarter of '09. What's been weighing them down are their commercial banks. MS as a standalone investment bank didn't post a profit until the 3rd quarter.
In terms of what? Goldman isn't tops in several areas. And has any of you actually ever worked with GS IBD on a transaction? A lot of their groups are very, very mediocre.
Most of these posters are high school students or college freshmen
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