Equity Research

A DAY IN THE LIFE

I selected Equity Research…
because I really like financial modeling and wanted to learn more about industry analysis. The team was very impressive and I could tell that my contributions were valued by Analysts on the team.

As a Summer Jr. Associate in Equity Research…
my single greatest asset was my passion for Research—I really wanted to learn as much as possible. Succinct written and oral communication was also essential for success.. After I started work, the special skills and knowledge I needed were taught to me, such as evaluating the market and detailed financial modeling. It’s also important to note that the title “Analyst” in Research actually refers to experienced sector specialists, whereas recent college graduates are referred to as Jr. Associates.

A typical day…
started early with the Equity Morning Meeting.  Research Analysts presented investment ideas to the sales force.   During market hours, clients and the trading desk called in with questions about what was moving a stock or what was the key debate ahead of quarterly earnings.  The day often was spent working on a company specific project, using a "bottoms up" analysis and financial modeling, or a "top down" industry piece that focused on macro trends in a sector.  Team meetings were frequent throughout the day, as was collaboration with other groups within Research.  On my team I helped with a daily note and worked with our counterparts in London and Hong Kong to compile global news flow impacting our sector.

The best part of my summer experience at Morgan Stanley…
was the people I worked with. The management team acted as our mentors, which was very impressive, and they had a vested interest in my success during the summer. I was also blown away by the number of people ready to answer any questions I had. Attending the morning meetings gave me great insight into the department. Lastly, the reputation of the Firm speaks for itself. Morgan Stanley is extremely well respected in the industry and that was a huge differentiating factor.