Moelis is overrated?
deldeldel
Trending Content
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
May 31, 2024
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
I agree it’s kind of a surprising list - even if you consider places that aren’t MF but still super selective (Berkshire, Sixth Street, GA, a few others), it’s still like
Looks like a solid list to me.
Not everyone necessarily wants to work at a MF as opposed to the sentiment on the forum. Some people don't wanna work MF hours and gun for firms with better wlb. Most of the firms there are very reputable and by no means should be considered “lower tier exits”. I guess it’s more of a “pick your poison” type scenario because you will be working 60+ hours at most of these firms
But ppl at EBs likely self select for wanting large cap PE (because EBs are bad for non-finance exits) while people at BBs will exit to a wide variety of stuff
also that is a negative for Moelis. If the analyst experience is so brutal that it burns out analysts and makes them target lesser opportunities post banking, that is not a something that just can be hand waved away as "analyst could have got mega funds but self selected out".
That's what people at EBs think when they were recruiting for the ib job. Once they get worked a lot during the ib stint, people's perspective change and they might want better wlb; causing them to recruit for growth equity firms or hedge funds cause of better hours. You have to remember that for most high finance jobs you recruit months and even years in advance, something you thought you might've wanted might not be as appealing after you get worked a ton causing you to value your time differently
Not to pick on any one fund in particular (a few on this list like it), but name any good reason someone would choose HIG over any UMM/MF or a better MM fund. The WLB is as bad as anywhere, pay is below street, and reputation is just that they bid on every garbage CIM and pick up scraps.
My point is the whole “not everyone wants MF!!!” crowd on this site loves to yell that, and there are certainly cases where that’s true. If someone is joining some niche sector fund or a unique geography or a really great MM fund that’s one thing, but joining a MMPE fund in NY that has bad WLB just seems to me like someone who struck out recruiting other places (and there’s a few names that fit this description on this list).
Ok Ken.
Tbf I agree with your point, but all of the Moelis ppl I know are prestige whores. They def want to go MF. Tbf they are still interns, and perhaps they change over their stint but still...
Carlyle, Thoma, TPG Growth, General Atlantic all pretty top notch.
American Securities, BDT, Berkshire, Centerbridge, L Catterton, New Mountain are all well respected names (Centerbridge didn't do well with their last fundraise but they still pay very well and exit to HFs consistently). Sixth Street is a good platform as well, though not for everyone. Court Square, HIG, Littlejohn, Searchlight, Towerbrook are all legit names. Not even touching on the HFs (e.g., Citadel).
These aren't bad exits by any stretch. Maybe slightly underwhelming given the hype Moelis gets but there are plenty of non-MFs here that are solid funds.
Yup, just like how Houlihan Lokey/Nomura/William Blair/etc are respected. These exits are shit and anyone who says otherwise is coping
These (+ def some more as I don't know the space extremely well) are killer, coveted offers. Wouldn't just judge by MF or not. Sounds like you're an incoming analyst or intern, would recommend on reading up more on PE.
But given the amount of hype Moelis gets on WSO and how it's "top flight" for exits, youd think thered be people at Blackstone / KKR / Apollo / TPG / H&F / Warburg / Silver Lake / Vista / Bain ?
A few on this list are better than a few of those that you mentioned, many of which have been going downhill (e.g., Bain Cap, Warburg, TPG, Apollo etc.)
nice
Because when you’re working above-average hours you want a WLB improvement ?
I am at Moelis and declined to interview at KKR, CVC and BX. Large cap PE is not the end goal for everybody.
Above list is quite solid btw. Also given smaller sizes would think there are more variations YoY
thats every firm tho so you gotta account for that. Ive seen people from low BBs turn down MF interviews.
ppl at EBs likely self select for wanting large cap PE (because EBs are bad for non-finance exits) while people at BBs will exit to a wide variety of stuff
also that is a negative for Moelis. If the analyst experience is so brutal that it burns out analysts and makes them target lesser opportunities post banking, that is not a something that just can be hand waved away as "analyst could have got mega funds but self selected out".
Hmm, I’m not 100% sure if that holds, I think you could have good opps in corp dev etc if you wanted to as well, I don’t think people “self select” so much more for finance vs. non finance (but agree it’s prob a bit harder)
Anyway these threads are always funny, you’re looking at a least of 30 people so every year it’s gonna look different. Also I would say for Moelis specifically exits are probably easier in debt than PE comparatively, so it could be that some people opportunistically go to HF more than PE I guess
But I think your interview prep / deal exp / personality matters a lot more than whether you’re at JPM vs Moelis vs PJT vs XYZ given you’re at a good place.
Does anyone have data for the LA office?
Bump
Bump
classic. This is almost identical to the EVR thread
Not everyone's gunning for UMM/MF + big-name funds at Moelis. Personally know someone who worked there who recruited specifically for MM firms in their region of choice.
Also, Consonance Capital is a very legit MM healthcare fund. Incredible returns in their last fund. I personally am familiar with one of their operators (within the operating council which I assume is essentially ops partners?) and can attest he's very knowledgeable. I'd imagine carry at Consonance at mid-senior level positions can be fairly lucrative.
thats every firm tho so you gotta account for that. Ive seen people from low BBs turn down MF interviews.
ppl at EBs likely self select for wanting large cap PE (because EBs are bad for non-finance exits) while people at BBs will exit to a wide variety of stuff
also that is a negative for Moelis. If the analyst experience is so brutal that it burns out analysts and makes them target lesser opportunities post banking, that is not a something that just can be hand waved away as "analyst could have got mega funds but self selected out".
People really want to end up at Apollo? I'm clearly not in the game but there's a lot of names I'd rather end up at on that list than Apollo
Agreed
You have never worked a day in investment banking if you think virtually every analyst in a class landing buyside jobs at the places you listed isn’t considered top tier exits. That is like as good as it gets. Has to be a higher success rate than pretty much any group on the street. So many prospects are going to be in for a rude awakening if they think the internship at GS means an auto spot at KKR. Might as well if the top analysts even want that.
Also met someone at Balyasny who I am positive is in that class from Moelis so not sure if that is old data
"as good as it gets" so 2-3 MF out of 30 people??? really???? Individual groups (like CS sponsors and a bunch of M&A at BB) get more MF than that
I think you’re getting too focused on mega funds. Looking at that list, I’d consider American Securities, Berkshire, Carlyle, Centerbridge, General Atlantic, L Catterton, New Mountain, Searchlight, Sixth Street, TPG, Thoma Bravo, and Towerbook to be A Tier exits. I don’t know hedge funds as well so someone else can correct me, but I assume Sculptor, Citadel, and Balyasny are also A Tier. That’s 16 out of 36 going to A Tier exits. I think you probably misunderstand how buyside recruiting works if you think the person who took a job at New Mountain or Berkshire did so because they couldn’t get a job at an MF.
Why have you commented this multiple times here?
Got a bit too much free time now after being down bad H1?
Prospects are so cringe… Moelis is definitely not overrated:
https :// youtu.be/ SE3Z3YobNV0
homie linked a youtube video
Currently work at Moelis and have absolutely no desire to go to MF PE. Based on the hours we work, many of my peers also seek out better WLB and would rather exit to MM funds. Having said that, there are of course those that are built for the grind but personally having worked with BX/KKR/Apollo on deals in the past I’m not interested in putting myself through that.
thats every firm tho so you gotta account for that. Ive seen people from low BBs turn down MF interviews.
ppl at EBs likely self select for wanting large cap PE (because EBs are bad for non-finance exits) while people at BBs will exit to a wide variety of stuff
also that is a negative for Moelis. If the analyst experience is so brutal that it burns out analysts and makes them target lesser opportunities post banking, that is not a something that just can be hand waved away as "analyst could have got mega funds but self selected out".
No it's not "the same at every firm". Moco is well-known for crushing their analysts, doing even one year of that will change your perspective on your future career immensely.
You clearly haven't experienced it, which is why your generalizations that people at EBs self-select (a decision they probably made as a sophomore in college) into MF and expect that to remain the same after two years in the real world is laughable.
Again, EB’s and Top BB’s (GS/MS/JPM/CVP/EVR/PJT/PWP/LAZ) always have the OPTION to place MF/UMM. IB salary increases, W/L balances, diversified options are changing the traditional exit route straight to PE these days.
definitely not PWP, they have extremely little MF presence.
2-3 MF out of 30 is also pretty bad for Moelis. Credit Suisse Sponsors/BAML M&A/other top groups at other BBs place far better than Moelis on a % basis, which gives Moelis the benefit of the doubt because BB kids don't want PE as much as EB kids...
Are you going to comment on every message in this thread? I’m sorry you weren’t accepted to Moelis bro
People forget that with an analyst class this small exits are highly variable year to year. I know for a fact other years have had more large cap PE buyout exits than the year listed. Moelis still gets tons of headhunter interest- all of the headhunters that cover the firms mentioned above (ie: CPI covers American Securities and Berkshire, but also CVC, EQT, and H&F) also cover the Megafunds.
Imagine going through the WLB hell of moelis just to work at a place like HIG.
Its like spending a 50k a year to attend Harvard just to work at FTP.
Yeah, independently of the bank/exit oops in question, prospects don’t realize that once you’re on the job no one actually gives a shit which bank you’re at (unless you’re a finance weirdo with no life), and people don’t make future decisions solely based on which buyside firm has the most AuM.
There is a thing called life
This list is op
Citi literally has ZERO MFPE placement. I think 1 girl to Carlyle and that’s it.
This guy is clearly a salty Moelis intern this is what he replied to my other thread:
For some reason this guy thinks I work at Citi? Lol? I work at a different BB (credit suisse) which has more MF placements than Moelis...
for PWP, i couldnt find a single person at Silver Lake, Thoma Bravo, KKR PE, Blackstone, and Apollo in their main office. PWP is shit. Please show me ONE person from these firms, you wont find a single person. ZERO.
Go on LinkedIn and u won’t find any at Citi. Especially not PE associate.
You are basis your analysis on 5 firms, this is pretty irrelevant...
If your trying to say CS > Moelis just say it but I disagree.. but both are good but very different shops..
How is Moelis Sf tech compared to other tech banking groups?
Nihil itaque culpa natus debitis quam. Aliquam ipsa aut tempora dicta inventore corrupti. Minima sit voluptatem eos qui ea minima consectetur. Laborum labore dicta voluptas saepe dignissimos accusamus. Dignissimos quis praesentium repudiandae vel.
Et quis aut excepturi. Illo debitis qui in ut vel placeat modi. Tenetur reprehenderit qui sint exercitationem. Aliquam autem in itaque.
Tenetur expedita ut totam quo. Mollitia sunt quae reiciendis nostrum sunt expedita fugiat. Quos et et ducimus qui rerum inventore. Error cupiditate autem dolores. Vel nisi in et ullam illum ullam.
Ipsam deserunt quia consequatur est soluta consequatur tempore distinctio. Sit consequuntur ut esse eum. Dolor doloremque sed debitis. Repudiandae mollitia qui rerum ducimus quia repellat amet. Fuga magnam dolorem perspiciatis voluptates.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Molestiae qui vitae quibusdam earum incidunt natus. Modi quod aliquam id magnam vel quisquam iste est. Aperiam reprehenderit aut nam fuga quasi ut in.
Et dolor odit et unde sed molestiae. Corrupti voluptates eum soluta. Quia quam omnis incidunt quia corrupti suscipit. Iste qui sed ut a.
Perspiciatis ratione autem eum. Illo rem ratione quasi asperiores beatae eius. Omnis sed eveniet aut sed voluptatem.