So what does an investment bank actually do? Several things, actually. Below we break down each of the major functions of the investment bank, and provide a brief review of the changes that have shaped the investment banking industry through the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Click on each section to learn more.
Goldman Sachs Tower
Raising Capital & Security Underwriting
Banks are middlemen between a company that wants to issue new securities and the buying public.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Banks advise buyers and sellers on business valuation, negotiation, pricing and structuring of transactions, as well as procedure and implementation.
Sales & Trading and Equity Research
Banks match up buyers and sellers as well as buy and sell securities out of their own account to facilitate the trading of securities
Retail and Commercial Banking
After the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999, investment banks now offer traditionally off-limits services like commercial banking.
Front office vs back office
While the sexier functions like M&A advisory are “front office,” other functions like risk management, financial control, corporate treasury, corporate strategy, compliance, operations and technology are critical back office functions.
History of the industry
The industry has changed dramatically since John Pierpont Morgan had to personally bail out the United States from the Panic of 1907. We survey the important evolution in this section.
After the 2008 financial crisis
The industry has not fully recovered from the financial crisis that gripped the world in 2008. How has the industry changed and where is it going?
Related topics
I-banking FAQs
I-banking vs Private equity
I-banking vs equity research
Day in the life of an IB analyst
I-banking salaries
I-banking interviews
List of investment banks
