Investment Banking Division (IBD)

Investment Banking Division (IBD) is a particular investment bank division that provides corporate finance and advisory services. It is responsible for providing a wide range of services, including capital raising assistance, underwriting, debt, mergers and acquisitions or M&A advisory, etc. 

• IBD can be further subdivided into different groups. The most common ones are- Technology Media and Telecommunication (TMT), Financial Institution Groups (FIG), Energy, Mining, Healthcare, Industrials, and Real Estate.
• It carries out all different deals for the firms within that sector. For example, the FIG team in this division will work with clients to raise debts, IPOs, acquisitions, etc., but will only work with clients within that sector.
• On any given day, the work of the Investment Banking Division includes advising a company on the cross-border merger, structuring the initial public offering of a subsidiary, refinancing an outstanding bond, and many more.
• Some investment banks are well known for being good in particular sectors like Goldman Sachs TMT (Technology Media and Telecommunication), Morgan Stanley M&A (Merger and Acquisition), and Bank of America LevFin.

Investment bankers act as advisory to a wide range of clients for capital raising and Merger and Acquisition needs. Their clientele includes:

• Governments - This division works with the governments to raise money, trade-in securities, and buy and sell crown corporations.
• Corporations - Investment bankers work with private and public companies known as corporations to help them offer Initial Public Offering (IPO), raise additional capital for business growth, making acquisitions, provide research and general corporate finance advice, etc.
• Institutions - IBD works closely with institutional investors who manage other people's money (known as institutions) to help them trade in securities and provide detailed financial research.

An investment banking division provides multiple services. Let us get a clear idea of them.

#1 - Mergers And Acquisitions Services

M&As take place when owners of organizations wish to take over another company or merge with another business, sell the business, or want to become a subsidiary company. Investment bankers provide advice such company owners regarding hostile takeovers, takeover defence, buyouts, and joint ventures. These professionals play a key role in assisting companies in assessing, finding, and completing acquisitions and mergers.

Generally, investment bankers take these steps as part of the M&A process:

• Determining the acquisition criteria and strategy
• Searching for potential target companies
• Acquisition planning
• Assessing and valuing
• Documentation and negotiation
• Conducting due diligence
• Financing and execution

#2 - Financial Advisory Services

Professionals in investment banks carry out a scrutiny of markets and provide clients with advice while factoring in the current global economic affairs. Their clients often include hedge funds, unit trusts, mutual funds, and private equity funds. The information given by the investment bankers helps the entities structure deals. Moreover, an IBD is responsible for analyzing credit risk with regard to loan syndication and bond issuance to help clients maximize profits.

#3 - Underwriting Services

Underwriting refers to a process that involves risk evaluation and the establishment of a market for stable and fair financial transactions. In an IBD, underwriters are responsible for examining applications concerning initial public offerings or IPOs and loans. Moreover, they decline or approve such applications following thorough research and assessment.

 Besides the above services, IBD provides assistance in the following areas:

• Leveraged Finance - lending money to companies to help with the financing of acquisitions
• Equity Capital Market - providing advice on equity and equity-derived products like shares, options, futures, etc.
• Debt Capital Markets - providing valuable advice on raising and structuring debt to finance acquisitions.
• Restructuring - improving the overall structure of a company to make it more profitable in the long run.

Investment bankers who work in the IBD require a lot of financial modeling, valuation, and excel skills to prepare research reports, advise clients, and complete deals. The major skills required are mentioned as follows:

• Business valuation
• Financial modeling
• Pitchbooks and Presentations
• Transaction Documents
• Relationship management
• Negotiation skills
• Sales and Business development

If you wish to develop the key skills required to become a top investment banker, completing the Investment Banking Mastery Program (IBMP) can surely help. This comprehensive package includes an extensive range of courses, like financial modeling and Excel for Finance, to help you gain the expertise and specialized knowledge required to build an illustrious career. All these courses include real-world examples to make sure you learn how to apply key concepts and techniques in real-world scenarios. 

There is a particular job hierarchy within the IBD. The most common job titles starting from junior to the senior position are as follows:

• Analyst - An analyst focuses exclusively on companies' financial modeling, valuation work, and pitchbook support.
• Associate - An associate's job is to manage the analyst, do financial modeling, and draft pitchbooks.
• Vice President - The responsibility of the Vice President is to manage the associates, design pitch books, and go to client meetings.
• Director - The director leads the team, meets the clients, and structures the deals.
• Managing Director - He is focused solely on acquiring new clients and business for the division.

The Investment Banking Division (IBD) acts as a bridge between large enterprises and investors. They play an important role in advising businesses and governments on overcoming financial challenges and procuring finance, whether from stocks, bond issues, or derivative products.