For their great upside and the opportunity to be truly innovative in investment strategy, hedge funds represent the pinnacle of employment for many finance professionals. For many jobseekers, however, the industry is a mysterious one, as employers are relatively small and do not have structured hiring programs like investment banks or mutual funds. This Vault guide takes an inside look at employers and career paths in the industry.
Careers at private equity firms (which raise funds to invest in private companies) are considered plum jobs in the finance world because of the intellectual challenge and potentially huge financial payoffs. Although private equity is a relatively young business, now there are more than 2,700 such companies worldwide. In this new Guide, Vault guide brings the scoop on the industry.
Professional career guide from the Vault Career Library covering bond fundamentals, statistics, derivatives (with detailed Black-Scholes calculations, fixed income securities, equity markets, currency and commodity markets, risk management.
From the Vault Career Library covering the basics of financial statements, fit portion of interviews and equity and debt valuation techniques in a step-by-step process.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have become in their 25-year history one of the fastest growing segments of the investment management business. These funds provide liquid access to virtually every financial market and allow large and small investors to build institutional-caliber portfolios. Yet, their management fees are significantly lower than those typical of mutual funds. High levels of transparency in ETFs for holdings and investment strategy help investors evaluate an ETF’s potential returns and risks. This book covers the evolution of ETFs as products and in their uses in investment strategies. It details how ETFs work, their unique investment and trading features, their regulatory structure, how they are used in tactical and strategic portfolio management in a broad range of asset classes, and how to evaluate them individually.
The high-yield leveraged bond and loan market (“junk bonds”) is now valued at $3+ trillion in North America, €1 trillion in Europe, and another $1 trillion in emerging markets. What’s more, based on the maturity schedules of current debt, it’s poised for massive growth. To successfully issue, evaluate, and invest in high-yield debt, however, financial professionals need credit and bond analysis skills specific to these instruments. Now, for the first time, there’s a complete, practical, and expert tutorial and workbook covering all facets of modern leveraged finance analysis. In A Pragmatist’s Guide to Leveraged Finance, Credit Suisse managing director Bob Kricheff explains why conventional analysis techniques are inadequate for leveraged instruments, clearly defines the unique challenges sellers and buyers face, walks step-by-step through deriving essential data for pricing and decision-making, and demonstrates how to apply it. Using practical examples, sample documents, Excel worksheets, and graphs, Kricheff covers all this, and much more: yields, spreads, and total return; ratio analysis of liquidity and asset value; business trend analysis; modeling and scenarios; potential interest rate impacts; evaluating and potentially escaping leveraged finance covenants; how to assess equity (and why it matters); investing on news and events; early stage credit; and creating accurate credit snapshots. This book is an indispensable resource for all investment and underwriting professionals, money managers, consultants, accountants, advisors, and lawyers working in leveraged finance. In fact, it teaches credit analysis skills that will be valuable in analyzing a wide variety of higher-risk investments, including growth stocks.
