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Are LBO questions common in BB interviews?

I’m preparing for summer analyst interviews and was wondering whether I need to prep for LBO questions at bulge bracket banks. I thought those were more common in PE or top boutiques, but a friend said they came up even in generalist BB interviews.

Should I expect LBO questions, and if so, what level of depth is expected at the analyst level?

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Rita
Coach
23 hrs ago
Excel in Finance | FREE 15 Minutes Intro Call | Personalised Preparation

Yeah, good question. LBO questions can come up in BB interviews, but they’re not super common, especially for generalist summer analyst roles. They're much more typical in PE interviews or at top boutiques like Evercore or PJT.

That said, some BB interviewers might ask a basic LBO question, especially if they have a private equity background or you're speaking with a LevFin team. So I’d say you don’t need to go super deep, but it’s smart to know the basics. Things like:

  • What is an LBO?
  • Why do PE firms use leverage?
  • What drives returns in an LBO (entry and exit multiple, leverage, growth, margins)?
  • Maybe be ready to walk through a very simple structure, not building a model, just the logic.

You definitely won’t be expected to go technical at the summer analyst level, but having a high-level understanding can help you stand out and shows you're thinking like an investor.

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