At Wedbush Securities, a Financial Analyst plays a vital role in driving the firm's financial, strategic, and operational success. As one of the largest independent financial services providers in the nation, Wedbush Securities operates across multiple high-impact divisions, including investment banking, wealth management, clearing services, and corporate finance. A Financial Analyst at the firm is not confined to a single back-office function; instead, they are positioned at the intersection of market analysis, strategic planning, and risk management.

Depending on the specific team—whether Corporate FP&A, Investment Banking, or Credit Analysis—analysts at Wedbush Securities are responsible for building complex financial models, evaluating credit risks, preparing pitch books, and providing senior leadership with actionable insights. The lean structure of the firm means that analysts enjoy a level of exposure and responsibility rarely found at larger bulge-bracket institutions. You will work directly with Managing Directors, portfolio managers, and corporate leaders, making your analytical output highly visible and directly impactful to the firm’s bottom line.

To succeed in this role, you must possess a unique blend of quantitative rigor, exceptional communication skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Wedbush Securities prides itself on its agile and entrepreneurial culture. The firm values professionals who can navigate ambiguous financial datasets, draw logical conclusions under tight deadlines, and present their findings with clarity and confidence.

The interview process at Wedbush Securities is designed to evaluate both your technical financial acumen and your behavioral alignment with the firm’s fast-paced culture. The following questions are compiled from real candidate experiences and represent the core topics you should prepare for.

Technical Finance & Accounting

These questions assess your foundational understanding of financial statements, corporate finance theory, and accounting mechanics. Depending on the division, these can make up to 40% of your initial team interviews.

• Walk me through the three financial statements and how they link together.
• If depreciation increases by $10, how does it affect the three financial statements?

To stand out in the Wedbush Securities interview process, you must prepare strategically across several key dimensions. The firm evaluates candidates on a holistic basis, looking for individuals who can immediately add value to lean teams.

Financial & Accounting Acumen – You must have a rock-solid grasp of corporate finance and accounting principles. Expect interviewers to probe your understanding of financial statement analysis, valuation techniques, and debt/equity structures. Be prepared to explain not just the "how," but the "why" behind financial concepts.

Quantitative & Analytical Rigor – Wedbush Securities highly values speed and accuracy in numerical calculations. You will face timed math assessments and analytical case studies. Practice mental math, basic financial arithmetic, and Excel-based modeling scenarios to ensure you can perform under pressure.

Communication & Executive Presence – Because analysts at Wedbush Securities frequently interact with senior leaders and clients, you must be able to articulate complex financial concepts clearly and concisely. Your ability to tell a cohesive story using data is just as important as the data itself.

Entrepreneurial Drive & Adaptability – The firm’s lean team structure means you must be a self-starter who can handle ambiguity and take ownership of your work. Demonstrate a proactive attitude, a strong work ethic, and a genuine passion for the financial services industry.

The interview process at Wedbush Securities for a Financial Analyst position is typically fast-paced, often wrapping up within one to three weeks. However, because the firm operates with lean teams, the coordination between HR and hiring managers can occasionally feel fragmented, making candidate persistence a key factor in navigating the pipeline successfully.

The journey generally begins with an HR phone screen to review your background, interest in the firm, and basic fit. Following this, candidates are typically required to complete a timed, basic mathematical and financial logic test. This test is designed to filter for quantitative aptitude before you advance to deep-dive interviews with team members, Associates, and Managing Directors.

Depending on the division (e.g., FP&A, Investment Banking, or Credit), subsequent rounds will involve a mix of technical interviews, behavioral panels, and interactive case studies. For investment banking tracks, this may culminate in a Superday format, whereas corporate roles focus heavily on one-on-one sessions with hiring managers and directors.

The timeline above represents the typical progression from initial application to final offer. Candidates should interpret this as a guide to pacing their preparation, ensuring they master quantitative basics early in the process before moving on to advanced behavioral and case-study preparation. Note that exact round structures and the inclusion of case studies can vary depending on whether the role is located in the Los Angeles headquarters or the New York office.

Technical Accounting & Finance

This evaluation area is designed to ensure you possess the foundational technical skills required to build models, analyze corporate performance, and contribute to transactions from day one. Interviewers will test your understanding of how corporate decisions flow through financial statements and impact valuation.

Be ready to go over:

• Three-Statement Integration – How changes in balance sheet items flow through the cash flow statement and ultimately impact the income statement.
• Valuation Methodologies – The mechanics of Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) models, Comparable Companies Analysis (CCA), and Precedent Transactions.
• Capital Structure – The differences between debt and equity financing, the cost of capital (WACC), and leverage ratios.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Debt schedules, purchase price allocation (PPA) in M&A, and deferred tax assets/liabilities.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "If a company purchases $100 of equipment using 50% cash and 50% debt, how does this impact the three financial statements at the time of purchase and at the end of Year 1?"
• "Walk me through how you would calculate the terminal value in a DCF model using both the perpetuity growth method and the exit multiple method."

Quantitative Aptitude & Case Analysis

Wedbush Securities places a heavy emphasis on your ability to process numerical information quickly and accurately. This is evaluated through a timed math test and, in later rounds, structured case studies where you are presented with raw financial data and asked to perform a strategic analysis.

Be ready to go over:

• Timed Arithmetic & Financial Logic – Percentages, ratios, simple and compound interest calculations, and basic algebraic problem-solving.
• Data Interpretation – Extracting key insights from dense financial tables, balance sheets, or performance reports under a time constraint.
• Scenario Modeling – Structuring a basic financial forecast or credit assessment based on qualitative and quantitative inputs provided by an interviewer.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo simulation concepts, and advanced Excel lookup/index formulas.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "You have 45 minutes to complete a 30-question math test covering percentage increases, currency conversions, and basic interest rate calculations without the use of a financial calculator."
• "Here is a summary of a mid-market manufacturing company's performance over the last three years. Analyze their leverage and liquidity ratios, and tell me if you would approve them for a $10M line of credit."

Behavioral Fit & Professional Motivation

Because of the lean team environments at Wedbush Securities, team cohesion and cultural fit are critical. Interviewers want to ensure you are highly motivated, resilient, and capable of representing the firm professionally.

Be ready to go over:

• The 'Why Wedbush' Narrative – A clear, compelling explanation of why you want to work at this specific mid-market firm rather than a bulge-bracket competitor.
• Work Ethic & Time Management – Concrete examples of how you have managed intense workloads, tight deadlines, and competing priorities in the past.
• Collaboration & Conflict Resolution – How you work within small teams and resolve disagreements with colleagues or supervisors.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Handling ethical dilemmas in financial reporting and managing client relationships under stressful market conditions.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time when you had to complete a complex financial analysis with incomplete information. What assumptions did you make, and how did you validate them?"
• "How do you handle a situation where a Managing Director gives you last-minute feedback that requires you to completely rebuild a financial model overnight?"

The day-to-day responsibilities of a Financial Analyst at Wedbush Securities vary by division but share a core focus on quantitative analysis, reporting, and strategic support.

In a corporate FP&A or Credit role, you will spend your days analyzing departmental budgets, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), performing variance analyses, and building forecasting models. You will collaborate closely with accounting and operations teams to ensure financial data is accurate and aligned with corporate strategy. Your reports will go directly to senior directors to guide budgeting and capital allocation decisions.

In an Investment Banking or Wealth Management capacity, your focus shifts toward transaction execution and market research. You will perform company valuations, build detailed financial models, draft pitch books, and prepare confidential information memorandums (CIMs) for client presentations. You will work alongside Associates and Managing Directors, often participating in client calls and strategic brainstorming sessions. Regardless of the division, you will be expected to manage database maintenance, historical data tracking, and ad-hoc analytical requests from senior leadership.

To be competitive for the Financial Analyst position at Wedbush Securities, you must demonstrate a strong academic background and a robust technical skillset.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Education – A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Mathematics, or a highly quantitative field.
• Technical Skills – Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, pivot tables, and basic macro structures) and PowerPoint for pitch book creation.
• Financial Knowledge – A deep understanding of corporate finance, GAAP accounting principles, and financial statement analysis.
• Analytical Skills – Strong mental math and quantitative reasoning capabilities, with the ability to pass the firm's standard timed math assessment.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience – Prior internship experience in investment banking, corporate finance, equity research, or credit analysis.
• Certifications – Progress toward a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter or relevant FINRA licenses (such as the SIE, Series 7, or Series 79).
• Advanced Tools – Familiarity with financial databases and data tools such as Bloomberg, Capital IQ, SQL, or PowerBI.