Post a Salary or Review

Join Now or Sign In

Advanced

Morgan Stanley Investment Banking Analyst Interview Questions & Reviews

Post an Interview

Web: www.morganstanley.com | HQ: New York, NY

Connections

Updated Feb 10, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.

Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 13 ratings

3.4

“Difficult” Interview

Interview Experience [?] Based on 13 ratings

Positive	38%
Neutral	46%
Negative	15%

See who your friends know who've worked at Morgan Stanley and could give you an inside look.

See who your friends know who've worked at Morgan Stanley and could help you prep for an interview.

Hide Filters

1–10 of 13 Morgan Stanley Interviews

Sort by

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jan 2012 in Menlo Park, CA (took a day)

Two associates interviewed me.

walk me through your resume.

two brainteasers

asked me about the general market

why morgan stanley

Interview Questions

why morgan stanley

Answer Question

if you were to change one thing about the US., anything, politics or economy, anything, what would you do to save our economy?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jan 2012 in Menlo Park, CA (took a day)

Process:
- Began with an info session
- On campus coffee chats
- On campus interview that lasted about 30 minutes
- Interviewer was nice, progressed through the process as though it was a casual conversation
- Asked a variety of behavioral, technical and even a market sizing question
- Overall, people at the office are nice, chill, but smart and hardworking

Interview Questions

What sport do you like most? What team is your favorite? How many fans do you think there are for that team in the entire world?

Answer Question

If you were spreading comps and you were looking at the market cap and the enterprise value, which do you think would be higher and what would cause you to raise a red flag?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Dec 2011 (took 2 weeks)

Applied online, and got couple of email notifications about scheduling interviews, also got a call directly from an interviewer to schedule an interview. First round interviews are phone interviews, then superday in NY office (but not MS's main office, which is weird).

Interview Questions

Why investment banking?

Answer Question

Some probability questions & brain teasers

Answer Question

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Nov 2011 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) (took a day)

Phone interview consisted of 5 phases - 30 minutes each
First phase was with Executive Director: General market outlook questions, competency questions, CV coverage, investment banking industry/asset questions
Second phase was with Vice President: Detailed questions on each point on the CV (you should know your CV inside out), why business and finance questions, general valuation technique questions
Third/Forth/Fifth with Associates: Very detailed valuation technique questions (DCF, LBO & Multiples) you should know valuation in depth and understand each step as sometimes your questioned about the method you use.

Interview Questions

Walk me through a DCF valuation

Answer Question

What discount rate do you use when discounting free cash flow?

View Answers (1)

How do you get the discount rate?

View Answers (1)

What is beta? and how do you derive it?

View Answers (1)

Why do you adjust EBIT for tax? What do you use for return on debt? Why do you use after-tax yield?

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Mar 2011 in New York, NY (took 2 days)

Had a phone interview where I answered some techical questions, then two in person interviews. It all went very well, not sure what happened. Should be noted that this was not an on campus interview but lateraling in after a year of work experience.

Interview Questions

Which type of modeling will produce the highest/lowest valuation?

View Answers (1)

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview and a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Oct 2010 in London, England (United Kingdom) (took a day)

Started off by attending a Morgan Stanley event at my Uni got to talk to a number of ppl on the panel and made sure to write down their names as I intended to us them in my cover letter. Applied through the Morgan Stanley Web site, was given a numerical reasoning test and a speed and accuracy test. Interview was conducted by VP, and two associates, interviews were three 30mins. VP started with background, what you'd add to the company what deals have you followed in the last 3months and finished with some brainteasers. Associates were more technical, valuation, deals, share prices, hedge funds and private equity. Associates also gave brainteasers.

Interview Questions

Can you give me the share price of that company after the deal?

Answer Question

Talk me through Beta and what it means and how it works and how you'd use it.

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Sep 2010 in Tokyo (Japan) (took a day)

Interview was conducted entirely in Japanese, and half an hour each by two interviewers. The first interviewer seemed impatient with my non-native Japanese language skills and decided to terminate the interview early on by asking me if I had questions for him. The second interview showed more patience and went through all his questions. It seems that it would be impossible to get a job in investment banking in Japan unless you are a native speaker because the majority of their clients don't speak English at all.

Interview Questions

Give an example of working under pressure (in Japanese)

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jan 2010 in New York, NY (took 2 weeks)

First round interview screen on phone. Simple "why morgan stanley" and "why investment banking" questions. Second round interview was on campus. Longer interview (25-30 minutes) with a university alum working for MS. They asked me some accounting questions like "how does the net income flow through the accounting statements". Also asked questions regarding what IBankers do.

Interview Questions

What does and Investment banking analyst do on a day to day basis?

Answer Question

How does the Net Income carry through the basic accounting statements?

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview and a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Dec 2009 (took a day)

I think it was a nice experience. I got a call from the United Kingdom for a phone screening. It was about why I wanted to do Investment Banking and we talked about the US market and other international markets. Through the end, I was asking questions about the employers Investment Banking experience and it was a very informational call.

Interview Questions

What do you think about current MAs ?

Answer Question

Why IB ?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Declined Offer

Interviewed Oct 2009 in New York, NY (took 3 weeks)

I submitted a resume and cover letter to Morgan Stanley for an Investment Banking Analyst position via my college's office of career services. Several days later, I was notified that I was accepted for an on-campus first-round interview for the position. The first-round interview was 30 minutes with two Investment Banking Associates, who asked me a combination of technical and fit questions. A few days following the first interview, I was told that I had advanced to the final round interview, an on-site superday. The superday consisted of four one-on-one 30-minute interviews with Investment Banking Associates and VPs from a variety of industry groups.

The culture and the people at Morgan Stanley are incredible. Senior members of the team are very invested in the personal and professional development of the junior members and will go out of their way to help them reach whatever kind of exit opportunities they are aiming for, whether it be private equity, business school, hedge funds, etc. Plus, the headquarters is in a great location -- right in the middle of Times Square!