Cowen Investment Banker / M&A Analyst Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 48 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Cowen.
Cowen
Investment Banking Analyst
Intern Average Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Onsite Technical screen Panel
Interview formats
Technical Coding Behavioral
There were three interviews back-to-back in the office, one with an associate and two with MDs. It was fine overall, but be ready for some brain teasers because they can be pretty tricky.
Confirmed questions1 question
- How do you cut a cake into eight pieces using only 3 slices?
Cowen
Investment Banking Analyst
Intern Average Positive experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
Lots of networking involved, started with phone calls with associates and an MD, plus an on-campus event. Then I had a screening call with an associate, followed by an online interview with an associate and an MD. It was mostly behavioral stuff but they threw in some technical questions too.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- Can you tell me about yourself?
- Why are you interested in investment banking?
- What makes you want to work for Cowen?
Cowen
Investment Banking Summer Analyst
Intern Easy Positive experience Accept offer 5 rounds
Interview process
Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
It was a pretty standard interview process. First, there was a technical and behavioral phone screen. After that, I had an in-person superday. This was back in summer 2019, so before COVID. I'm not sure if this is always the case, but I went through group-specific recruiting, which meant I got to meet pretty much the whole team during the superday.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- What are your motivations for pursuing a career in Investment Banking?
- Can you share an example of a situation where you had to show leadership?
- Describe a time you found yourself in disagreement with someone more senior.
Cowen Investment Banker / M&A Analyst Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Cowen interview reports.
“If depreciation increases by $100, what impact does this have on a three statement model?”
Read reports →“What is the meaning of a greenshoe option in the context of investment banking?”
Read reports →“How do you cut a cake into eight pieces using only 3 slices?”
Read reports →“How would you describe the Gordon Growth Method for calculating terminal value in a DCF analysis?”
Read reports →“What's the most precise method for company valuation, and which system tends to overvalue or undervalue the most?”
Read report →“Can you explain how a reduction in depreciation affects each line item across the three main financial statements?”
Read report →“Can you explain the cash flow statement and list some items under each section?”
Read report →“Can you name the three main financial statements and explain their connections?”
Read report →“Could you explain a scenario where the gross margin would be less than the operating margin?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 48 Cowen interview reports.