Investment Banking Financial Analyst | Chicago, Consumer (Class of 2027)

Business Unit:

Corporate Finance

Industry:

Consumer

Overview

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com.

Corporate Finance

Houlihan Lokey has extensive expertise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, activist shareholder and takeover defense, and other related advisory services for a broad range of U.S. and international clients. Our experience in M&A has earned us consistent recognition throughout the industry. In 2025, LSEG ranked our firm the No. 1 investment bank for all global M&A transactions.

Overview 

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Houlihan Lokey serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm’s commitment to client success across its advisory services.  

The firm is the No. 1 investment bank for global M&A transactions under $1 billion, the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past eight consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past nine consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 25 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by Refinitiv. 

Corporate Finance  

Houlihan Lokey has extensive expertise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, activist shareholder and takeover defense, and other related advisory services for a broad range of U.S. and international clients. Our experience in M&A has earned us consistent recognition throughout the industry. In 2022, we were ranked the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions. 

Consumer Group

Houlihan Lokey’s CFR group is the No. 1 consumer M&A team in the United States, according to data from Refinitiv. Combining extensive market capabilities with in-depth industry knowledge, the Consumer group guides companies on M&A, restructuring, and financial advisory matters and assists in raising debt and equity capital. Houlihan Lokey's Consumer team has helped maximize shareholder value for its clients historically and completed over 135 deals globally throughout 2021 and 2022, solidifying the group’s reputation as a trusted advisor to companies in the Consumer industry.

Job Description

As an Analyst, you will work on corporate finance engagements. The group's engagements principally include M&A, capital raising, fairness opinions, and strategic advisory assignments. As a dedicated member of our transaction team, you will be responsible for supporting these assignments, with the following responsibilities:

• Prepare, analyze and explain financial information of a given company and related companies within the respective industry;

• Perform valuations of companies using traditional valuation methodologies;

• Prepare confidential offering memorandums, management presentations, buyers lists, marketing pitches, and other presentations; and (iv) assist in the marketing and planning of engagements, on a limited basis.

Basic Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have prior investment banking internship experience, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. While teamwork is essential to the firm’s success, creativity, and new ideas are encouraged.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Undergraduate coursework in accounting and finance required

• Strong analytical capabilities

• A fundamental understanding of valuation theory, methodologies, and applications

• Strong financial and computer (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) skills

• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with all levels of staff

Compensation and Benefits

Houlihan Lokey is committed to providing its employees with an exciting career opportunity and competitive total compensation package, which may include other components such as discretionary incentive compensation. The firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible salary range for this role at the time of posting is:

Actual salary at the time of hire may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant qualifications, skills, and experience and the location where this position may be filled.

Houlihan Lokey provides a competitive benefits package. Our current benefits offerings can be found here:

2026 Benefits

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.