Investment Banking In Los Angeles

Last Updated :

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Blog Author :

Kartik Sharma

Edited by :

Ashish Kumar Srivastav

Reviewed by :

Dheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM

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What Is Investment Banking In Los Angeles?

The investment banking industry for the US market has been generating approximately $133 billion. The sector, globally, has generated revenue of over $200 billion. The top four companies developed the lion’s share of this revenue in 2017. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the concentration level with selected few companies has substantially increased.

investment banking in los Angeles

In this article, we discuss Investment banking in Los Angeles in detail. . The place has developed as a major financial hub in the US for various financial services, including investment banking, in order to cater to individuals and businesses. Good networking in the industry and experience in this field will provide an advantage for entry.

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Investment Banking In Los Angeles Explained

Investment baning in Los Angeles is an important and interesting topic of discussion especially because the place has become one of the most sought after financial hub in the entire United States. It is home to many big and famous investment firms having their main offices located in the city.

These firms specialize in various areas like healthcare, technology, real estate, etc. The city of Los Angeles has a very large industry related to media and entertainment, which attracts investment banking opportunity to a great extent.

A lot of merger, acquisition and financing for the purpose of growth and expansion is common in this place that leads to investment banking activity. Technologically also, Los Angeles investment banking is quite advanced, which makes tech-related deals very common.

The investment banking landscape of the place has also developed a lot due to development of private equity. The private equity companies contribute in development of the financial sector in the city by providing funds used for acquisition, growth, and restructuring. They need to work with close cooperation with investment banks to close any important deal.

Networking becomes an important criterion if any professional wants to establish themselves as an investment banker in the city of Los Angeles. Building good relations with clients, giving top-class customer service.

Services Offered

Los Angeles investment banking are broadly classified into the “sell-side” and “buy-side.” As the name suggests, the sell-side of assistance refers to trading securities for cash or other financial securities in exchange. The buy-side of services pertains to mergers and acquisitions, institutional investors, private equity fund houses, mutual fund houses, and hedge funds. Unlike conventional commercial banks, investment banks do not take deposits from their creditors.

Another way of classifying investment banking activity is based on the type of operations, namely the front office, middle office, and back office.

  • The front office is mainly responsible for generating revenue investment advising, sales and trading, and market research.
  • The middle office is responsible for treasury management, internal corporate strategy, and maintaining internal controls on the bank.
  • The back office checks requests for transactions initiated and subsequently processes them. In most cases, investment banks outsource this job to third parties, increasing their efficiency.

List Of Top Investment Banks

Mentioned below are some of the top companies in investment banking in Los Angeles: -

  1. BCC Capital Partners
  2. Global Capital Markets, Inc.
  3. NewCap Partners Inc
  4. WestPark Capital
  5. Boustead Securities, LLC
  6. Peter A Sokoloff & Co.
  7. DelMorgan & Co.
  8. FocalPoint Partners, LLC
  9. DealSource Partners, LLC
  10. 41 North, LLC

The institutions given above are the top ranking ones in the industry who approach their clients by keeping in mind the client’s interest and not merely trying to close a transactional deal. The investment banking jobs in Los Angeles has a client-centric approach leading to a lot of discipline and tailor made solutions related to merger, acquisition, capital raising, restructuring etc. They try to use the maximum level of their skill set and sector expertise to provide best services.

Recruitment Process

Getting a job at an investment bank in Los Angeles is hard to crack. Most of the work starts during graduation years, and the first step for someone wanting to land a job at an investment bank would be to get themselves enrolled in events run by the companies. Many banks offer live talks, on-campus dinners, and insight days to keep an eye on promising candidates.

Many of these events lead to students landing internships at these firms, which is the next best thing to getting a job there.

Applying for a job commonly consists of an application form, but the biggest investment bank, Goldman Sachs, has always preferred a CV and a cover letter. So, highlighting one inclination in a cover letter becomes highly critical as recruiters put a lot of weight on it.

The process of investment banking jobs in Los Angeles does not end here. Next, one can surely expect themselves to go through a psychometric test. The main objective of conducting these tests is to assess the candidate’s personality and ensure that a candidate's stressed behavior aligns with the company’s tolerance bands.

Following the psychometric test, one can expect a call for a telephonic or video interview wherein pre-recorded questions are asked to candidates. Investment banks use the computer algorithm to analyze the answers and score them accordingly, but that should not be the reason for giving pre-prepared answers or trying to rig the interview. A scripted response would not give much leverage to a candidate.

Following the telephonic/video interview, successful candidates receive an invite for a second interview. In the industry, this interview is termed a “super day interview,” wherein a candidate is supposed to meet five to six people within the bank in one to two hours. However, these more rigorous interviews aim to analyze the candidate's character.

Salaries

Investment Banking is the most rewarding industry worldwide and across any time zone. While the same lucrative remuneration often becomes the cause for criticism, it surely is in appropriation with the number of grueling hours investment bankers put in to profit for their respective clients.

If we look at the average starting salaries of analysts or junior analysts, in investment banking firms in Los Angeles, the ballpark figure in Los Angeles will be around $75,000. That excludes the joining bonuses. The joining compensation depends on the company one is employed in and the job position. But on average, the typical bonus is around 20% of salary and falls between $15,000 to $20,000.

As one can see, there are two parts of salary for an investment banker: base salary and bonus.

The bonus component of one’s salary is usually the lion’s share, especially on senior levels where the same can be many folds of the base salary.

  • The salary figures for a Vice President of an investment bank in Los Angeles usually fall from $120k to $150k. The bonus is mostly the same level, with average bonuses falling between $100k and $150k.
  • For the management level, base salary figures for the managing director can range from $300k to $1million, excluding the bonus. The bonus component averages from $200k to $10million+.

As it is evident, the sky’s the limit, and bonuses make investment banking the best-paid industry.

Exit Opportunities

A job as an investment banker in Los Angeles can be taxing physically and mentally. One must work for 100+ hours per week consistently, and the error for margin is almost next to zero. As a result, many bankers look to exit investment banks after a successful run for a few years. Some conventional exit options include strategy consulting, where banks employ consultants to increase their efficiency and improve the bottom line.

The fin-tech industry is another popular shift where the technical abilities acquired during investment banking take the front role. One is expected to leverage technology to make businesses more profitable.

Roles of in investment banking firms in Los Angeles, as regulatory compliance officer and advisory also appeal to the masses as a switch where companies seeking mergers or buyout seek advice and guidance on regulatory compliance.