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The question sets bring together the most common topics asked in Investment Banking , Corporate Finance , and Private Equity interviews. This allows you to focus your practice on the areas interviewers test most frequently. They help you strengthen your fundamentals, internalize typical ways of thinking, and become more confident in delivering clear and structured answers.

How do the question sets differ from traditional case studies?

Case studies usually simulate complete business problems, while the question sets focus on highly targeted technical interview questions. They are shorter, more structured, and designed to test your technical knowledge efficiently. This makes them particularly useful for preparing for the technical rounds of finance interviews.

How can I best practice the question sets?

You can start by working through the question sets on your own to get an initial feel for the structure and logic of the questions. Afterwards, it’s best to practice them in a real interview environment with other members, you’ll find new invitations on the Meeting Board every day. If nothing suitable is available, you can use the Candidate Listing or post your own invitation. To take your preparation to the next level, you can also schedule coaching sessions with our experienced coaches who have helped many candidates secure their dream job offer. Our tip: Review the Finance Interview Basics beforehand to build a stronger foundation and deepen your overall understanding.

What is the difference between Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced?

The difficulty levels help you gauge how deep the questions in each set go. Beginner sets cover foundational topics such as simple definitions or basic calculations, while intermediate and advanced sets focus on more complex concepts, modeling logic, and connections between financial metrics. This allows you to tailor your preparation to your current skill level.

How do I know if I answered a set correctly?

Each question in the set includes a dropdown with the complete solution path or a model answer. This allows you to check whether your reasoning, structure, and explanation align with what interviewers typically expect. However, we recommend not opening the solution too quickly – give yourself time to think and work through the question on your own first.

Are the question sets modeled after real finance interviews?

Yes, the sets are based on the types of technical questions typically asked in Investment Banking, Private Equity, Corporate Finance, and Audit interviews. They cover both theoretical concepts and short mini-cases that closely mirror real interview situations. The goal is to prepare you for the question style, depth, and expectations of actual interviewers.

What does the star rating under each set mean?

The star rating reflects how other users have evaluated the question set – including its quality, difficulty, and overall usefulness. It helps you gauge how challenging or helpful a set is compared to others on the platform. The higher the rating, the more valuable past candidates found it for their interview preparation.

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Energy Sector Valuation & Interview Questions for Finance

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Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

< 100 Ratings

Times solved: 100+

Mergers & Acquisition

Valuing energy and natural resources companies is very different from other industries. Commodity price swings, capital intensity, and the role of reserves make traditional models harder to apply directly.

In interviews, you’ll be expected to show that you can adapt standard finance tools to the specifics of oil & gas, midstream, and renewables. This set covers the most common technical questions so you can demonstrate both solid finance fundamentals and an understanding of sector nuances.

Practice makes the difference

Practicing alone helps – with a partner it’s even better. Solve this question set in a realistic mock interview.

How would you value an oil & gas company?

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What happens to an oil producer’s financials if oil prices drop by 20%?

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How does valuation differ across upstream, midstream, and downstream companies?

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What are 1P, 2P, and 3P reserves, and why do they matter?

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Which multiples are most relevant in energy, and why not EV/EBITDA alone?

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How do ESG and the energy transition impact valuation?

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How would you model an LNG project differently from an oilfield?

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Why do integrated majors trade at different multiples than pure-play E&Ps?, they miss the difference in risk and cash flow structure.

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How do you account for decommissioning liabilities in valuation?

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Related Finance Interview Basics Articles

Multiples

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Multiples are a key analysis tool within the market-based valuation approach. Instead of projecting a company’s future cash flows, this method determines value by comparing a business to similar companies or past transactions. The idea is simple: if comparable firms trade at certain valuation ratios, such as EV/EBITDA or P/E, the target company should trade at a similar level.This makes multiples a relative valuation method, in contrast to income-based approaches like the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis, which estimate intrinsic value by discounting future cash flows. By focusing on observable market data, multiples provide a quick and practical way to assess value, but they also depend heavily on finding truly comparable companies or deals.

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Market Approach

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The market-based approach is one of the three primary methods of business valuation, alongside the income approach and the asset-based approach. Instead of projecting future earnings or adjusting balance sheet values, it determines value by comparing a company to similar businesses (Comparable Company Analysis) or transactions (Precedent Transactions Analysis) in the market. The underlying idea is straightforward: the market prices paid for comparable firms provide a benchmark for what the target company should be worth.This approach typically relies on valuation multiples such as EV/EBITDA, P/E, or EV/Sales, derived from public company data or recent M&A deals. By applying these multiples to the target’s financials, analysts can estimate its market value under real-world conditions. The challenge lies in carefully selecting and interpreting the peer group, since differences in growth, risk, and profitability can significantly affect the outcome.

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Leveraged Buyout Model (LBO)

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A Leveraged Buyout (LBO) Model is a popular financial analysis tool for private equity firms, typically built in Excel. It’s used to assess whether a company is worth acquiring primarily with debt. In an LBO, private equity firms or investors purchase a company by combining equity, or their money, with debt. The model projects the target company's financial performance, including revenue, expenses, and cash flow, post-acquisition to show how its cash flow will be used to service and pay down the large amount of debt taken on. The main purpose of building an LBO model is to determine the potential returns for the equity investors, like the private equity firm, by calculating metrics such as Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Multiple on Invested Capital (MOIC) at the time of an eventual sale or exit. It also helps assess the company's ability to handle the debt burden.

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Buy‑Side M&A

Processes in Finance

In finance, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) refers to the process where companies are combined or acquired to achieve strategic growth, efficiency, or market advantages.Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions have a buy-side and a sell-side. The sell-side team represents the seller and works to market the business to potential buyers, while the buy-side team represents the acquirer. For the buyers or acquirers, the focus is on acquiring the right target with minimal risk and maximum strategic or financial upside. So it requires a lot of due diligence, valuation analysis, and strategic assessment.Read on to understand the entire buy-side M&A process and get some practice questions to prepare for finance interviews.

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Dividend Discount Model (DDM)

Valuation Models

The Dividend Discount Model (DDM) is an income-based valuation method used to estimate the fair value of a company’s stock. It assumes that the value of a stock today equals the sum of all its future dividend payments, discounted back to their present value. By focusing on dividends as the key return to shareholders, the DDM directly links a company’s payout policy to its valuation.Within the broader landscape of valuation models, the DDM is part of the income approach, alongside methods like the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis or the Gordon Growth Model (GGM). Unlike market-based valuation approaches that rely on relative comparisons, the DDM seeks to determine a company’s intrinsic value by analyzing fundamentals and the time value of money.

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Finance Interview Questions – Prepare for Your Finance Interview Like a Pro

Practice with our curated Finance Interview Question Sets and get ready for your upcoming interview in Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, or Private Equity.
Whether you are applying to an investment bank, a Big Four firm, or a corporate finance department, these questions will help you build confidence and master your finance interview skills.

A comprehensive selection of Finance Questions
Our collection covers the key areas of typical finance interviews – from Accounting, Financial Modelling, and Valuation to M&A transactions, Capital Markets, and Corporate Strategy.
The sets vary in difficulty, allowing you to train both fundamental and advanced concepts.
Many of the questions are based on real interview experiences from top firms such as Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Deloitte and PwC, giving you authentic insights into what to expect.

Practice alone or team up with other candidates, compare your answers, and refine your problem-solving approach.
Get fully prepared for your next Finance Interview with PrepLounge!