BUY-SIDE VS. SELL-SIDE ADVISORY
BUY-SIDE & SELL-SIDE ADVISORY
In the realm of finance, the distinction between buy-side and sell-side advisory is fundamental. Broadly speaking, the sell-side is involved in the business of selling securities. It encompasses investment bankers that connect securities issuers and investors, researchers that analyze stocks and produce reports and recommendations, often publicly available, aimed at informing potential investors, and market makers who facilitate transactions. The interest of sell-side advisors is to sell as many securities as possible at the highest possible price.
The buy-side, on the other hand, comprises of the investors, especially institutional ones like mutual funds and hedge funds. Thus, a buy-side analyst would research and analyze investment opportunities solely for the benefit of the institution he/she works for. His/her recommendations are not publicly available like the ones of sell-side analysts. More information can be found in our Buy Side Vs. Sell Side blog entry.
SKILLS REQUIRED TO WORK IN FINANCIAL ADVISORY
Whether you want to work on the buy-side or the sell-side of the financial industry, the core skills that you will need are the same – technical skills in valuation and financial modeling to analyze investment opportunities and provide recommendations. In general, a sell-side advisor will have contact with a wider range of clients that a buy-side advisor, but nevertheless both fields require excellent communication and people skills.
HOW CAN THE IFI TRAINING COURSE HELP ME IN MY CAREER?
Our comprehensive IFI training course will equip you with all the fundamental skills and competencies required for a successful career in finance, for both buy-side and sell-side positions. By completing the IFI course, you will master financial accounting and learn to perform valuations and build financial models. Special time will be dedicated to the distinction between buy-side and sell-side advisory, and our experienced investment bankers will provide you with further insights into what a career in each field entails.