Which Is The Best – Merchant banking vs investment banking

Merchant banking vs Investment Banking both are the financial institutions that provide a different kind of services. However, there are some key differences between merchant banking vs investment banking

Before we move the to explain merchant banking vs investment banking, let us learn the basics

• What is meant by Investment Bank?

• What is meant by Merchant Bank?

Investment Banking Basics

Investment Bank is a financial institution that helps to government, corporate, HNI (High Net Worth) individual in raising capital. Investment banks provide various kinds of ancillary services like

1) Research Services

Investment banks provide research services to its clients .it includes giving buy and sell recommendation of stock, financial statement analysis, financial forecasting, financial modeling. Also, Investment banks provide not only equity research services but also it provides fixed income research, financial research, economic research and analytical support across various asset classes, markets and client segments.

2) Sales and Trading

This sales and trading activity in an investment bank is much different from what you will find in research. Investment banks deal with sales and trading of securities in the secondary market.

3) Raising capital

As a financial intermediary investment bank helps his clients for raising capital through IPO and FPO process or private placements. They primarily help their clients for raising money through debt and equity offerings. As above mentioned this includes raising capital through IPO (Initial Public Offerings), Private placements, or others on behalf of the client. Investment banks earn revenue through consulting fees. Client’s taken help of investment banks for capital raising.

4) Underwriting

Investment banks provide underwriting of securities and booking related services for their clients.

When an investment bank underwrites equity or any debt instrument, then investment banks ensures his clients that investors will purchase his new issue of stocks. Investment banks play an intermediary role between his client and the investors. Also

5) Merger and acquisition

This is one of the major functions which are performing by an investment bank.

Investment banks provide advice regarding merger and acquisition to its clients. Investment banks create different merger and acquisition models. Investment bankers do accretion or dilution analysis to analyze a company. Also, Banks check synergies analysis.

6) Restructuring

Investment Bank plays a very important role in restructuring and reorganizing of capital. Investment banking performs restructuring of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable.

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What Is Merchant Banking Basics

Merchant Banking Definition

what is Merchant Banking is a combination of Banking and advisory services? It provides advisory to its clients in various scenarios like in financial, marketing, and legal matters. The merchant bank is a private financial institution that deals with international financial activities such as foreign corporate investment, foreign real estate investment and trade finance. Merchant bank provides services like issuing of LC (letters of credit), transferring funds across the border, trade advises etc. Generally merchant banks clients are middle sized organizations. Merchant banks do not provide depositary services like commercial banks to the general public. The core source of revenue of a merchant bank is a fee for the advisory that they provided.

Merchant bank provides various kinds of services.

1) Project Promotion

Project Promotion or project advisory services helps corporate/companies to analyze the profitability of a project. Merchant bank prepare a project report for its client, Report including capital structure, Liquidity analysis, profitability analysis and also economical as well as technical parameters.

2) Syndication of Loan

Merchant Bankers organize Term (short, medium, long) loan for their clients. It mainly includes estimating capital requirements for the particular project. Merchant bank estimate loan proposal, perform step by step activities like primary discussions with financial institutions, preparation of loan application and others etc.

3) Underwriting of securities

Merchant banks provide services to the client in order to ensure full or minimum subscription of the issue.

4) Corporate Counseling

Merchant bankers offer customized financial solutions to their clients. They are providing different kind of advisory services.

5) Venture Capital

Merchant bank assists venture capital services to their clients. It includes discussions with various venture capital firms; make an arrangement of all documents like presentation of the project, preparation of application, negotiating terms and conditions and finally obtaining their approval letter.

6) Placement of securities

The merchant banker helps in placement and distributing various securities. They assist in distribution of equity shares, bonds, insurance products etc.

Differences between Merchant Banking vs Investment Banking

Summary in Infographics

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