Guides

Finance interview guides

Worked examples for the questions interviews actually ask — the full math, the shortcuts, and the mistakes to avoid. Each guide is paired with a graded drill so you can practice the moment it clicks.

Paper LBO: Step-by-Step Example

LBO

Walk from entry equity to IRR by hand, with the MOIC→IRR shortcuts interviewers expect.

Accretion / Dilution: Worked Example

M&A

Compute new shares, pro-forma EPS, and % accretion — plus the P/E shortcut that answers it in seconds.

DCF Valuation: The Perpetuity Method

Valuation

Value a business from a single Gordon-growth perpetuity and see why r and g swing the answer so hard.

LBO Returns Attribution: The Value-Creation Bridge

LBO

Split an LBO's equity gain into EBITDA growth, multiple expansion, and debt paydown — the buckets always tie.

Trading Comps: EV/EBITDA to Share Price

Valuation

Apply a peer multiple to EBITDA, cross the net-debt bridge to equity value, and land on an implied share price.

Three-Statement Linkage: Walk Me Through the Statements

Accounting

The iconic 'depreciation goes up $10' question — trace it through all three statements and prove they tie.

LBO Modeling Test: Full Build with Sources & Uses

LBO

The fuller LBO build interviewers watch — capitalized fees, a balanced sources & uses, and the equity plug.

Merger Model: Accretion/Dilution with Financing

M&A

A fuller M&A build — a cash/stock/debt mix and after-tax interest, all the way to pro-forma EPS accretion.

Three-Statement Build: Revenue to Change in Cash

Accounting

Build from revenue drivers down to net income, then to cash flow and the change in cash.