The FinanceWalk Blog

Welcome to the aristocracy of finance! Choosing to work in the field of finance and then setting your sights on investment banking careers is a little like dreaming about receiving an aristocratic title from the queen. Why is that? Simply because investment banking has always been somewhat of a blueblood branch of finance. Investment bankers […]

Here we are once again talking about Financial Risk Management. And why shouldn’t we? Apart from the fact that it’s fun, Risk Management has now become one of the most sought after positions in the world, in the light of recent events.  Therefore, given the fact that more and more young professionals or even students […]

You are occupied in your life -- studying, working, and learning some skills which will make you ready to fight on the battlefield, called 'the World.'  Your unique story begins from your home, school, college, university, and company. Your career extends to the global world as you progress in life. After going through a million […]

It’s no coincidence that you clicked on this article right now. Just like it’s no coincidence that I chose to write it at this very moment. Almost overnight, risk management careers have become one of the most important jobs in the world, and that’s not an understatement or a euphemism on my part. The reason? […]

When I began creating the list of top best finance courses in India, I thought of keeping the big daddy i.e., the MBA in Finance out of the list. After all, we all know what an MBA in finance can do for us. To start with, anybody who attempts to create a list, any list […]

So you’ve decided to become a financial reporting analyst. Congratulations! You are standing at the starting line of a virtual roller coaster ride that will be both exciting and scary at the same time. But you also don’t know exactly what you need to do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading my article! Don’t worry! This […]

After you get hired, it’s now time to face the equity research interviews. Usually, it has four parts: First screening Interview with Human Resources Financial Modeling tests Interview with Equity Research Department Usually, the fourth part is one of the difficult ones. I’m here to prepare you for it. Here are the 50 Equity Research […]

Investment banking is one of the most complicated professions out there. There are lots of securities to be worked on and types of deals to be understood. That's why the role of investment banker is to take time in improving their financial knowledge every day. We are going to discuss some of the most common […]

80 hours. That’s what you will often hear when people are talking about a day in the life of an Investment Banker. But, had you ever wondered how exactly they spend those hours? I mean, it couldn’t be just random typing on the board or drinking coffee, right? What exactly do they do? How does […]

I know why you clicked on this article. 2019 was a defining year for what we like to call ‘equity research.’ Everyone from The Economist to Bloomberg to Reuters spoke about a decline in this branch of the finance business, and some even used words like ‘bloody,’ which are sure to scare you. Provided you […]

Are the finance careers you always see so pleasurably advertised the right path for you? In case you have been asking yourself this question for quite a while now and haven’t been able to find a suitable answer, there’s no need to worry. This piece is here to detail all you need to know. Read […]

From employment, private equity careers manifest itself ambiguously. In this post, I will clearly distinguish the concepts of work in Private Equity Career and Equity Research Career. This article will help you determine the difference between these professional straight ions. Work in the era of Equity Research is an analytical position. It has in mind […]

Huge paychecks from IPOs are real. That’s why lots of investment banking aspirants are looking at Equity Financing Examples as the home of their upcoming career. Perhaps, that’s the same reason why you’re here. Or, maybe you’re just curious about what kind of jobs one should expect in the capital markets division. Either way, I'm […]

I want you to get the best. That’s why I’m presenting you the list of the Top 30 Investment Banks that I think can give you the best career in finance. Each one of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. You must know them so that you can better evaluate where you would like […]

When it comes to Private Company Valuation, One of the questions you could meet in job interviews is “How to value a private company”? This question relates to how much you know about mergers and acquisitions and its valuation. Though there’s a lot of things that should be taken into account when valuing a private […]

If you already had an experience buying your own house on a mortgage and then later on selling it, congratulations, you had already experienced leveraged buyout! LBO Model is mainly about buying an investment by using mostly loaned funds and then selling the property in the future. Hopefully, after paying off the debts there would […]

You decided to work in an investment bank. But, you’re in a new world. You don’t know what analysts, associate, Vice President, and managing director in investment banks do? You know the names of the positions, but you don’t really know what they are. You’re confused. Well, you’re not the only one. There are a […]

The rabbit is the FRM exam, of course. The reason why I chose the story of the rabbit and the turtle, other than the evident link with the Bionic Turtle FRM Review is that it does really seem like a good metaphor for the relationship between the two. The FRM or Financial Risk Manager Designation […]

Financial advising is a big business. I am going to give you the complete guide on how to become a wealth manager here. Everyone wants to be successful and rake in the dough, so it's only natural that people would turn to financial advisors, people who are experts in the field, to help them out. […]

Using comparable company analysis techniques is just one technique in valuing a company. Another method you can use is the Precedent Transaction Analysis. Precedent transaction assumes that given the same circumstances, the value of the company you are analyzing is about the same as the acquisition value of a company that was recently acquired. Instead of […]

So you want to get into a career in financial modeling? and want to learn Financial Analysis for Dummies? Well, just like the other disciplines, you need to start with the basics. This guide will help you build a good foundation before you study complex financial valuations or models. To better help you out, we […]

I can tell you many things about the best financial modeling course, training, and I will, for that matter, if you keep on reading However, one thing I don't have to tell you is just how vital financial analysis is to a company. Extrapolating from this idea, you can quickly see how important you, the financial […]

Here’s a witty saying in the industry that I quite like. Landing a job as an Investment Banker is actually a lot harder than the job itself. And that is saying something, as we all know that being an IB is one of the toughest positions in the game. What should this motto mean to […]

Though a general financial model for startup template is an easy way to create a financial model, you will oftentimes find it hard to use that for your own business. Why? Because each startup has its own unique needs. For example, an internet venture relies heavily on web traffic whereas a physical store is more […]

So, you want to get a job with one of the best bulge bracket bank out there. Let me tell you that is no little feat of strengths you’ve embarked on. Still, when you do manage to break into that world and work for one of those stellar financial institutions, it’s going to be like […]

What type of financial analyst certification do you want to go for? Is it the CFP, CFA, CFS, CIMA, or the CLU? Are you having trouble swimming through this sea of letters and acronyms? If so, don’t worry because you are not alone. It’s not always easy to make your way through the best financial […]

When it comes to investment banking professionals, financial modeling is quite an important skill to possess. One of the main venues through which you can obtain this knowledge is via financial modeling courses. The best in the field is, without a doubt, the BIWS Premium Course. Here is an in-depth look at what financial modeling […]

Investment banking is one of the most difficult paths to take for your career. Needless to say, it’s not for everyone. To be successful in this field, you have to have the guts to take on the challenges. More importantly, you will need specific skills. What exactly do you need? This article will be listed […]

If you have decided you want a career in banking, you are in for the ride of your life. The financing world is notorious for the high level of difficulty when it comes to securing a position in a bank or other type of financial institution. Apart from that, studies show that there are approximately […]

Being an investment banker is one of the best-paying jobs available today, excellently. Meaning, when it comes to salary, it surpasses other jobs by far. It's also one of the hardest jobs possible, in every way you can think of. You need to start your education for this job as early as high school; you […]

‘A monkey could do this job’. No, not the job of being an investor at a hedge fund or doing hedge fund internships, but the job of being a junior analyst at one of the big banks on Wall Street. That’s what an Ivy League graduate notoriously said. Evidently, he left the entire banking and […]

What are the best banks to work for, after all? Traditionally, we have always believed that the best investment banks out there are the giants, such as Goldman Sachs, The Blackstone Group, and Morgan Stanley. And while they seem to hold on to their ‘king’ status as far as employment goes, other, smaller banks are […]

The primary objective of an investment bank serves to underwrite new securities issued by its clients. Apart from that, it can provide other services as well, such as mergers and acquisitions advice, private wealth management, and many types of professional help. An investment banking career is a difficult one. You need college degrees, extracurricular activities, […]

Landing the best investment banking internships in Asia is similar to landing a Summer Internship Analyst (or other iBanking position) in New York, Wall Street investment banks. This is mainly due to the corporate structure of the hiring companies, which run vastly similar operations across the globe. This is how the interview process goes down […]

Healthcare Investment Banking (HIB) 101 Deciding to be a banker has definitely become a dream in the past few years. It holds the promise of a long, flourishing and successful career, plenty of opportunities to learn, travel, improve your expertise or acquire a whole new set and meeting a lot of people with whom to […]

Trading is one of the important sectors of the financial market. Trading occurs in Stocks, Bonds, Currencies, Commodities, Derivatives - all of these mentioned items and other financial instruments. The objective of trading being buying at a lower rate and selling at higher to earn a profit. Sometimes trading is also done to hedge against […]

Private equity is a source of amassing capital from wealthy individuals and institutions with the intent of investing and obtaining equity ownership in operational companies. In this post, I am going to cover top private equity firms and how can you make a career in them. The goal of investing in private equity is to […]

In this article, we are going to cover the details of how to establish a career in finance vs consulting. We will also cover what are the professional degrees one should have and what are the future prospects as well as earning potential of both the careers. One thing is for sure that whatever field […]

The “effect of uncertainty of objects” makes a company suffer. Without prior knowledge of possible risks and ways to mitigate them, companies and organisations often incur losses. These risks could be legal risks, credit risks, risks from natural calamities, attacks from adversaries and many others. In order to have a profound understanding of these risks […]

Last time when I shared the super-actionable post, How to Analyze Financial Health of a Company in 6 Easy Steps, I got emails from readers asking for how to build a revenue model. So, I decided to write not ONE but FOUR approaches to the revenue projection model and take a real case in the retail […]

Financial health analysis (FHA), as the word says, is how to determine the financial health of a company. The analysis is primarily performed by the management of companies to assess the business sustainability of its suppliers. The overall health of a supplier sheds light on how well it will do in the short term and […]

What is Real Estate Investment Banking? In simple terms, real estate investment banking is the act of connecting capital seekers with capital providers. The investment banker analyses the capital stock such as preferred equity and JV equity and identifies potential capital sources in terms of investment possibilities, risk profiles, types of assets and other factors. In […]

An internship is a wonderful way to get acquainted with the industry you’re going to work for after graduation. In this guide, I am going to cover and share a complete resource to find and apply for finance internships in India. You’ll be learning the following modules: What is an Internship? Should You Pursue a […]

A multidisciplinary field, Financial Engineering uses computational and mathematical finance knowledge to determine the potential and risks of a financial investment instrument. FinanceWalk presents a detailed Financial Engineering career guide to finance aspirants. What is Financial Engineering? The Norman and Adele Barron Professor of Management at Boston University, Zvi Bodie, defined Financial Engineering as: “the […]

An investment firm or fund is a partnership, trust or corporation that “pools” money from shareholders and invests it in the appropriate security instruments and multiply investment money. The working of investment firms is based on few collective features. They are discussed in detail. 1) Close-Ended Structure Investment management firms have a close-ended structure which […]

The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) defines Investor Relations (IR) as: "the responsibility to ensure the development and continuance of two-way communication between a company and its stakeholders (investors). It is a strategic management profile where a person needs to possess communication, finance, marketing and security laws knowledge to manage investor relations. It is an […]

The disintegration of international boundaries necessitated the establishment of common business practices that are globally understandable, verifiable, and accessible. Among business practices, accountancy is a dominant subject. In this article, FinanceWalk introduces you to the concept of IFRS reporting, the scope of IFRS in India and how to pursue IFRS. What Is IFRS? International Financial […]

A career in consulting is exceptional. If you want to know how to get into consulting career, this primer is for you. Use this as your go-to resource to understand: what consulting is all about different types of consulting businesses key consulting skills mistakes you shouldn’t make in a consulting job how to launch yourself […]

In this post, I will guide you to make a smooth shift from commercial banking to investment banking. The fields of commercial banking and investment banking are poles apart. The main agenda of commercial banks is to manage public money deposits such as savings accounts, fixed deposits, and checking accounts. The commercial banks issue loans […]

The work profile of a financial modeler involves constructing a financial representation of some or all aspects of a company or any particular security. In-depth calculations are done to develop the financial model and deliver recommendations. In this article, we will discuss the possibilities of building your own practice in freelance financial modeling. Who Are […]

All students and professionals are interested in pursuing a career in equity research, investment banking, and private equity sector often enrolls in financial training programs. One of the trusted and preferred financial training programs is offered by Breaking into Wall Street, known as BIWS certification. The article is an in-depth review of BIWS certifications – their […]

Every human on Earth has one common connect – money. Possessing money isn't enough. It is necessary to make smart decisions and grow money. A lot of questions on financial investment products arise and lack of adequate knowledge sharing confuses people. This knowledge-gap is an opportunity for you to become a successful financial writer. The […]

I have already written extensively on success stories and career options such as investment banking, hedge fund, private equity, fund management, equity research, etc. One segment that I haven’t written a lot on so far has been an extremely interesting segment of venture capitalist job description. I am sure you will enjoy this article the […]

I hope you have been finding all my articles engaging and entertaining. I have already written a lot of articles about investment banking, private equity, equity analysis and finance career. This time I am going to write about how to become a portfolio manager. First, let's start by understanding - What exactly is Portfolio Management? […]

I've already written more than 10 articles on careers in equity research analysis.  But, I want you to be a world-class equity research analyst. So, this guide is dedicated to you, my dear friend. Make use of this guide and excel as an equity research analyst. 1. Profiling an Equity Research Analyst a. Who is […]

Many times young students, who are following the finance stream, are not really sure what they actually want to do in future. They see their friends or seniors following successful high paying professions in equity research, private equity analyst, financial research, investment banking, hedge fund manager, etc. Many times these youngsters are not sure what […]

So, you want to know everything about Portfolio Management and What does a portfolio manager do? The main duty of a portfolio manager is to accommodate clients’ risk tolerance with their investment goals and objectives. These professionals strive to attain optimum returns given the amounts of acceptable risk. Portfolio management is the process of managing […]

Amongst the newest forms of investment vehicles available for wealthy individuals are Private Equity and Venture Capital. However, it always seems to be a hot topic of discussion about Private Equity vs. Venture Capital (PE vs VC) and which one is better. Private Equity vs Venture Capital (PE vs VC) Definitions A private equity (PE) […]

In this article, I’m going to explain how to calculate one of the most famous ratios, among financial analysis, to measure risk in Microsoft Excel: the Sharpe Ratio Excel. The Nobel laureate William F. Sharpe developed the Sharpe Ratio. According to Investopedia: “The Sharpe ratio is calculated by subtracting the risk-free rate from the return of the portfolio […]

This guide is all about Goldman Sachs India internship. If there is any company, which is associated with the top of the line salary, work-life, social prestige, then a job in Goldman Sachs (GS) India is probably it. Since there are only a few companies in the world which can match Goldman Sachs India for […]

Before considering how to become a hedge fund manager, it is necessary and important to know what hedge funds are all about and how it works in business. Essentially speaking, hedge funds are nothing but pooled investments from a number of high-end clients who invest initially in high volumes into hedge funding options for gains […]

In this post, we are going to see Sensitivity Analysis in Excel. Discounted Cash flow is probably the commonest way of valuation of a company. This method involves amongst other things analyzing the impact of factors like cost of equity or change in risk-free rate on the price of a company’s share. It is but […]

Since investment banking is such a hot topic of discussion among finance aspirants, I thought of taking this discussion to a detailed level. It is important for us to know what various types of investment banks are available out there. In this article, I am going to tell you about the top and best boutique […]

There is a huge demand for resources in the space of asset management careers, and therefore, today in this article I am going to tell you all you need to know in order to start a career in asset management.

But...let us first get a hang of what asset management really is.

Equity Research is a rewarding career. To keep up, you need a strong foundation with the judgment to think critically, act independently, and be relentlessly analytical. That’s why I wrote this guide — to empower you with the equity research(ER) report writing skills to stay ahead in the equity research career. There is almost NO guide […]

Finance is one of the best choices for your carrier to make as the pay is quite high, and growth opportunities are also excellent. Once you have completed your education, it is necessary to know which the best entry level finance jobs and careers are; so that you can focus your efforts in that direction. […]

The best way to start a career in any field is by joining a firm as an intern. You can concentrate on learning during internships without thinking of money as a reason to work. You should start your internship as a student and get properly trained by the time you are ready for a real […]

If you are associated with finance domain, either as a professional or as a student, you must have often heard the terms - Buy Side vs Sell Side in your day to day interactions. But do you know exactly what these terms mean in the relevant context? This article is aimed at providing you with […]

Financial Modeling Using Excel and VBA: Automation is the buzz word in today’s corporate world. Whether it is the manufacturing industry or the service industry, all businesses are aiming to reduce the human element for critical processes and tasks to improve efficiency and output. As a finance aspirant, you will see this trend in finance […]

So you have already decided that you want to build a career in equity research. You also know, perhaps from reading my previous articles or watching my YouTube videos, that a great way to get your foot in the door is by getting an equity research internship. But the big question that arises now is […]

In the current times, we all are surrounded by numbers in our lives. Whether you are a student, a working professional, a businessman, or a housewife, numbers are something that we cannot do without. And quantitative analysis is using these numbers to arrive at a conclusion or a decision. Each one of us, in our […]

Ever wondered what do investment bankers do? Here is an article that explains in a simplified manner all that you need to know about the operations of bulge bracket investment banks (Like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) and the roles and working schedules of investment bankers. What Is an Investment Bank? “ An investment bank […]

In this post, I am going to explain what is private equity and how does it work? Let's say; I own a company. And it needs funds. And, you are an investor on the lookout for an alternative source of investment that will earn a good return. As an investor, how will you know that […]

Investment Banking Internships Applying Online Want to know how to get an investment banking internship? Read on. In the last couple of years, due to the global economic slowdown, there aren't as many jobs available in the corporate world as a few years back. And investment banks are no different. These banks are holding their […]

After all these years in the finance domain, I have come across a very frequent question from finance aspirants: “What's the best way to learn financial modeling?" Since an understanding of the financial model is one of the key tasks involved in any finance profile, every aspiring investment banker, financial analyst or any finance professional, […]

An investment banking pitch book is a marketing device/sales book created by investment banks/firms. It is a sales presentation that details the main attributes of the firm, to secure a deal for the investment bank with the potential client. The primary purpose of the pitch book is to stimulate discussion between the potential client and […]

In this post, I will focus on the investment banking career path and how an aspirant can build a successful career. Unlike the investment banks of the 20th century, modern-day investment banks are much more structured, technologically advanced, and well-networked. They attract a large pool of skilled talent from countless universities that churn out investment […]

One of the essential components of financial risk analysis happens to be the evaluation of potential risks like credit risk, liquidity risk, and operational risk. This is important for it is known to effectively assess the ability of a borrower when it comes to repaying the loan to his or her creditor. Analysing the financial […]

Are you looking for a detailed investment banking interview guide? OK…Let me give you the first tip – 10 most common investment banking interview questions: Investment banking interview questions: Tell me about yourself? Why do you want to work for our bank? How do you value a company? Why do you want to do investment […]

How many of you want to make a career in Oil and Gas modeling? Those who are interested in making a career in Oil and Gas financial analysis, read on. I researched the requirements of financial analysis in the Oil and Gas sector. Glassdoor, Monster, and SimplyHired websites gave me the requirements as below: Requirements […]

How many of you want to make a career in real estate or REIT Valuation Model Excel or REIT modeling? Those who are interested in making a career in real estate financial analysis, read on. I researched requirements of financial analysis in real estate or REIT sector. Glassdoor, Monster and SimplyHired websites gave me the […]

"What is financial modeling?" "Do you teach discounted cash flow modeling?" "Can you give me a sample financial model that I can fill with numbers and present in the interview?" "How to build a financing model?" "How to get into financial modeling careers?" I'm constantly bombarded with such questions about best practices. And, the funny […]

After reading my last article, financial analyst job description, many readers got in touch with me through email. After discussing with them, I think many of you want to know the criteria for entry-level financial analyst jobs, salary, and resume and how to find these jobs. I've done in-depth research on this topic, and you […]

Yesterday I got an email with this simple question: “How to become a financial analyst?” I get that question almost ten times a month. I thought people who are doing MBA, CFA, CAIA, CPA, CA would already know what is the job profile of financial analyst. But, when I did a search on Google, I […]

This guide will help you understand Marketable vs Non Marketable Securities. What Are Marketable Securities? People invest for financial security. Financial securities are instruments that guarantee a certain return on investment (ROI). To be a successful investor and maximize monetary returns, you need to invest in both non-marketable and marketable financial assets. It is essential to […]

Though I’m in financial education space for the last 12 years, I continuously search for new things that I can share with FinanceWalk readers like this KPO Jobs guide. I get a lot of inquiries from graduates and post-graduates about making a career in financial KPOs. So, today I decided to write a post on […]

Welcome to Excel for Financial Analysts post. Many of you might be wondering why this post? Why a separate excel post for how to use Excel in financial analysis? What’s so special about it?

In this article, we will cover credit rating agencies sites in the world.

Want to know more about the financial advisor career path? Read this guide completely to know about how to become a financial advisor. Last Monday, I visited my insurance company office to inquire about insurance products that suit my needs. There, I met a senior financial advisor, who gave his valuable time and made me […]

For anyone new to investing, or possibly a veteran investor who's using valuation techniques, you may have noticed that there two different numbers (Equity value vs enterprise value) used to calculate the total value of a company - the equity value (or market capitalization) and the enterprise value. While both serve the purpose of putting […]

In my last article, I covered how to predict the earnings of a company and today I am going to write about how to do industry analysis. The Need for Industry Analysis Industry analysis is an essential responsibility for an equity research analyst. As an equity research analyst, you need to analyze a particular industry, […]

A Private Equity Analyst or PE Analyst is a person who does research and analysis of private companies. Financial modeling techniques are used by the analyst to determine the merits and demerits of investing in the stock of a certain private company. As the term implies, a private equity analyst works with private equity firms. […]

If you want to know how to become a mutual fund manager, read this definition given by Investopedia, A fund manager is responsible for implementing a fund's investing strategy and managing its portfolio trading activities. The fund can be managed by one person, by two people as co-managers, or by a team of three or more people. Candidates with […]

In this post, I’m going to cover how to become a hedge fund analyst. In my previous article, I covered the Investment Banking Analyst’s role and responsibilities. Let’s begin with the definition of a hedge fund. What Is Hedge Fund? Hedge Fund is the pooling of investments from high net worth individuals. These funds invest […]