2000+ Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

Golden rules of accounting and equities vs debt instruments

• Golden rules of accounting are: 1. Debit the receiver, credit the giver 2. Debit what comes in, credit what goes out 3. Debit expenses and losses, credit income and gains

• Equities are ownership shares in a company, while debt instruments are loans made to a company

• Equities provide ownership and potential for profit, while debt instruments provide a fixed return on investment

• Examples of equities include stocks and share...read more

Yes, I have experience communicating with international clients in my previous job.

• I have worked with clients from different countries in my previous job

• I am fluent in English and have basic knowledge of Spanish and French

• I am comfortable using video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype for communication

Basic shares are outstanding shares while diluted shares include potential shares from options and convertible securities. EBITDA is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, while EBITDA margin is the ratio of EBITDA to revenue.

• Basic shares are the total number of outstanding shares of a company's stock, while diluted shares include potential shares from options and convertible securities.

• EBITDA is a measure of a company's financial performance that ex...read more

Bonds are debt instruments issued by companies or governments, while equity represents ownership in a company.

• Bonds are loans made by investors to companies or governments, who promise to repay the principal amount with interest.

• Equity represents ownership in a company and gives shareholders the right to vote on company matters and receive a share of profits.

• Bonds have a fixed maturity date, while equity has no maturity date.

• Bonds typically have a lower risk and lower return ...read more

Quality score is a metric used to evaluate the quality of something, often used in advertising to measure the relevance and performance of ads.

• Quality score is typically used in online advertising platforms like Google Ads to measure the relevance and performance of ads.

• It is based on factors such as click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.

• Improving quality score involves optimizing ad content, targeting relevant keywords, and improving landing page expe...read more

Agile Manifesto subsets include customer collaboration, responding to change, and working software.

• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

• Responding to change over following a plan

• Working software over comprehensive documentation

Yes, a well-designed model can better execute in the Indian market.

• A model that takes into account the unique characteristics of the Indian market can perform better.

• Factors such as cultural nuances, language, and consumer behavior should be considered.

• For example, a model that incorporates regional languages and dialects can better connect with consumers.

• Similarly, a model that accounts for the importance of family and community in Indian culture can better target marketing ...read more

Balance sheet errors refer to mistakes in reporting assets, liabilities, and equity.

• Errors can occur due to incorrect data entry, miscalculations, or misinterpretation of accounting standards.

• Examples of balance sheet errors include misclassifying expenses as assets, failing to record depreciation, and omitting liabilities.

• Balance sheet errors can have serious consequences, such as misrepresenting a company's financial health and leading to incorrect decision-making.

• To preven...read more

Multithreading in Java refers to the concurrent execution of two or more parts of a program for maximum utilization of CPU.

• Multithreading allows multiple threads to run concurrently within a single program.

• It improves the performance of the program by utilizing the CPU more efficiently.

• Java provides built-in support for multithreading through the java.lang.Thread class.

• Multithreading can be used for tasks such as background processing, animation, and network communication.

• Exa...read more

Tower Research does not align with my career goals and interests.

• I am looking for a company that aligns with my values and interests

• I have researched Tower Research and do not feel it is the right fit for me

• I am seeking a company with a strong focus on innovation and collaboration

• Tower Research may be a great fit for others, but it is not the right fit for me

Connecting a database with the backend involves establishing a connection, configuring the database settings, and using appropriate APIs or libraries.

• Establish a connection to the database using connection strings or configuration files

• Configure the database settings such as host, port, username, and password

• Use appropriate APIs or libraries to interact with the database, such as JDBC for Java or SQLAlchemy for Python

• Execute SQL queries or commands to retrieve, insert, update...read more

Encountered instrument malfunction during a critical data analysis project

• During a critical data analysis project, the software I was using to analyze the data suddenly crashed

• I had to troubleshoot the issue by restarting the software and reloading the data

• The malfunction caused a delay in the project deadline, but I was able to quickly resolve the issue and complete the analysis successfully

Goodwill is an intangible asset representing the excess purchase price over the fair market value of assets acquired. EPS is earnings per share, a financial metric. Capital gains are profits from the sale of assets.

• Goodwill is an intangible asset that represents the premium paid for acquiring a company over its fair market value.

• EPS (Earnings Per Share) is a financial metric that indicates the portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock.

• C...read more

Supervised algorithms learn from labeled data while unsupervised algorithms learn from unlabeled data.

• Supervised algorithms are used for classification and regression tasks.

• Examples of supervised algorithms include decision trees, random forests, and support vector machines.

• Unsupervised algorithms are used for clustering and dimensionality reduction tasks.

• Examples of unsupervised algorithms include k-means clustering, principal component analysis, and autoencoders.

A DP question where you have to find the prefix.

• Identify the common prefix among the given strings

• Iterate through each character of the strings to find the prefix

• Return the prefix once it no longer matches in all strings

Financial statements are reports that show the financial performance of a company.

• Income statement: shows revenue, expenses, and net income/loss

• Balance sheet: shows assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time

• Cash flow statement: shows cash inflows and outflows during a specific period

• Statement of changes in equity: shows changes in equity during a specific period

• Notes to financial statements: provides additional information and context

Python has several major libraries including NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and Scikit-learn.

• NumPy is used for numerical computing and data analysis.

• Pandas is used for data manipulation and analysis.

• Matplotlib is used for data visualization.

• Scikit-learn is used for machine learning and data mining.

According to the GE McKinsey Matrix, focusing on growth or margin depends on the specific business unit's position in the matrix.

• In the GE McKinsey Matrix, businesses are categorized into four quadrants based on market attractiveness and competitive strength.

• For businesses in the high market attractiveness, low competitive strength quadrant, focusing on growth may create more value by increasing market share and competitiveness.

• For businesses in the high market attractiveness...read more

Answering questions related to SQL queries, joins, guesstimates, and shortest distance along a cuboid.

• Case study involves analyzing a specific scenario or problem to make data-driven decisions.

• WHERE clause filters rows based on a specified condition, while HAVING clause filters groups based on a specified condition.

• Types of joins include INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN, each combining rows from two or more tables based on a related column.

• Guesstimates involve...read more

Call option gives the holder the right to buy an asset at a specified price, while put option gives the holder the right to sell an asset at a specified price.

• Call option is bullish, while put option is bearish

• Call option profits when the underlying asset price goes up, while put option profits when the underlying asset price goes down

• Call option has unlimited profit potential, while put option has limited profit potential

• Examples: Buying a call option on Apple stock gives th...read more

Apache is a popular web server and Tomcat is a widely used application server.

• Apache is an open-source web server that supports multiple operating systems and is known for its stability and security.

• Tomcat is a Java-based application server that is used to deploy Java web applications and supports servlets and JSPs.

• Other popular web servers include Nginx and Microsoft IIS.

• Other popular application servers include JBoss and WebSphere.

• Web servers handle HTTP requests and respon...read more

Optimized version of given code

• Use efficient data structures and algorithms

• Avoid unnecessary loops and conditions

• Minimize function calls and variable assignments

LC-MS/MS is a technique used for the identification and quantification of small molecules in complex samples. Method validation ensures accuracy and precision of the results.

• LC-MS/MS combines liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to separate and detect molecules in a sample

• Method validation involves testing the accuracy, precision, specificity, and sensitivity of the analytical method

• Validation parameters include linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, a...read more

Analytics is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to make informed decisions.

• Analytics involves using statistical and mathematical methods to analyze data

• It helps in identifying patterns, trends, and insights from data

• Analytics can be used in various fields such as business, finance, healthcare, and sports

• Examples of analytics tools include Excel, Tableau, and Python

• Analytics can help in making data-driven decisions and improving business performance

FIFO and LIFO are inventory management methods used to track the flow of goods.

• FIFO stands for First-In, First-Out, meaning the first items added to inventory are the first ones sold.

• LIFO stands for Last-In, First-Out, meaning the most recently added items to inventory are the first ones sold.

• FIFO is commonly used for perishable goods, while LIFO is used for non-perishable goods.

• FIFO results in lower taxes and higher profits, while LIFO results in higher taxes and lower profi...read more

Investment banking is a type of financial service that helps companies and governments raise capital by underwriting and selling securities.

• Provides financial advice to clients

• Underwrites and sells securities

• Assists in mergers and acquisitions

• Helps clients raise capital

• Examples: Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley

Nifty and Sensex are stock market indices in India.

• Nifty is an index of National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Sensex is an index of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

• Nifty comprises of 50 large-cap companies while Sensex comprises of 30 blue-chip companies.

• Both indices are used to measure the performance of the Indian stock market.

• Investors use these indices to track the overall market sentiment and make investment decisions.

Migrating from onprem to cloud using IaC involves planning, provisioning resources, deploying infrastructure as code, testing, and monitoring.

• Plan the migration strategy including selecting the right cloud provider and defining infrastructure requirements

• Provision resources in the cloud environment based on the defined infrastructure needs

• Deploy infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools like Terraform or CloudFormation to automate the setup

• Test the migrated infrastructure to e...read more

Answering questions related to Selenium and software testing concepts.

• Wait in Selenium is used to pause the execution of the script for a certain amount of time or until a certain condition is met.

• Relative xpath is a type of xpath that starts from a particular node and searches for the element relative to that node.

• Load testing is used to test the performance of a system under normal and peak load conditions.

• Stress testing is used to test the performance of a system under ext...read more

I want to learn Python and JavaScript.

• Python for data analysis and machine learning

• JavaScript for web development and creating interactive user interfaces

Use the Sieve of Eratosthenes algorithm to find prime numbers between 1 to 1 million.

• Implement the Sieve of Eratosthenes algorithm which marks multiples of each prime number as composite.

• Start with a list of numbers from 2 to 1 million, mark 0 and 1 as non-prime.

• Iterate through the list, starting from 2, mark all multiples of each number as non-prime.

• The numbers left unmarked after the iteration are prime numbers.

I have used techniques like hyperparameter tuning, feature engineering, and model selection in Databricks for optimization.

• Hyperparameter tuning using GridSearchCV or RandomizedSearchCV

• Feature engineering to create new features or transform existing ones

• Model selection using techniques like cross-validation or ensemble methods

Securitisation is the process of pooling various types of debt and selling them as securities to investors.

• Securitisation involves bundling together various types of debt, such as mortgages, auto loans, or credit card debt.

• These debts are then sold to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which issues securities backed by the cash flows from the underlying assets.

• Investors purchase these securities and receive payments based on the performance of the underlying assets.

• Securitisatio...read more

Data types in data structures and algorithms include integers, floating-point numbers, characters, strings, booleans, and pointers.

• Integers: whole numbers without decimal points

• Floating-point numbers: numbers with decimal points

• Characters: individual letters, digits, or symbols

• Strings: sequences of characters

• Booleans: true or false values

• Pointers: memory addresses that point to other data

Questions related to database concepts and project experience

• Self join is a join where a table is joined with itself

• Polymorphism is the ability of an object to take on many forms

• Primary key is a unique identifier for a record in a table

• Foreign key is a field in a table that refers to the primary key of another table

• Example project: Developed a database for a retail store to manage inventory and sales

Capital refers to the financial assets or resources owned by a company, and it is recorded in the balance sheet under the equity section.

• Capital represents the funds contributed by the owners or shareholders of a company.

• It can include common stock, preferred stock, retained earnings, and additional paid-in capital.

• Capital is recorded in the balance sheet under the equity section, which shows the company's total assets minus its total liabilities.

• For example, if a company iss...read more

The peak bandwidth of 5G network is around 10 Gbps.

• Peak bandwidth of 5G network can reach up to 10 Gbps (Gigabits per second).

• 5G technology offers significantly higher peak data rates compared to 4G networks.

• The actual peak bandwidth may vary depending on network conditions and deployment.

• 5G networks use advanced technologies like massive MIMO and beamforming to achieve high data rates.

DCF, valuation approach, EBITDA, turnover cost, and amortization are financial terms used in business valuation and accounting.

• DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) is a valuation method used to estimate the value of an investment based on its future cash flows.

• Valuation approach refers to the method used to determine the value of a company or asset, such as market approach, income approach, or asset-based approach.

• EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization)...read more

Macro indicators track markets by providing insights into economic conditions and trends.

• Macro indicators such as GDP growth, inflation rates, and unemployment rates are used to track overall economic performance.

• Stock market indices like the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrial Average are used to monitor the performance of the stock market.

• Interest rates set by central banks can impact borrowing costs and investment decisions, affecting market trends.

• Currency exchange rates refl...read more

The fundamental pillars of Cyber Security include confidentiality, integrity, availability, and resilience.

• Confidentiality: Ensuring that data is only accessible to authorized individuals or systems.

• Integrity: Maintaining the accuracy and trustworthiness of data throughout its lifecycle.

• Availability: Ensuring that systems and data are accessible when needed by authorized users.

• Resilience: Ability to withstand and quickly recover from cyber attacks or incidents.

• Examples: Encry...read more

I have extensive experience in market research and analysis, and can leverage data-driven insights to drive market mining.

• Proficient in using various market research tools and techniques

• Ability to analyze market trends and identify opportunities for growth

• Experience in developing and implementing marketing strategies based on market research

• Skilled in data analysis and interpretation to drive decision-making

• Examples: Conducting customer surveys, analyzing sales data, monitori...read more

The threshold for suspending accounts varies based on the severity of the violation.

• Suspension threshold depends on violation severity

• No fixed threshold

• Examples: fraud, harassment, repeated policy violations

I am most interested in the intersection of intellectual property law and technology business.

• I am fascinated by the evolving landscape of intellectual property rights in the digital age.

• I am drawn to the challenges of protecting innovations and creative works in a rapidly changing technological environment.

• I am interested in how legal frameworks can support and regulate the development and commercialization of new technologies.

• Examples: patent law, copyright law, technology ...read more

Analysing the operations of a Breakfast Restaurant

• Analyze menu offerings and pricing

• Evaluate food quality and presentation

• Assess customer service and wait times

• Review staffing levels and scheduling

• Examine inventory management and waste reduction

• Track sales and revenue trends

• Compare performance to industry benchmarks

Various techniques are used to study protein-protein interactions.

• Yeast two-hybrid assay

• Co-immunoprecipitation

• Surface plasmon resonance

• Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)

• Proximity ligation assay (PLA)

Loops are used to execute a set of statements repeatedly until a certain condition is met.

• There are three types of loops: for loop, while loop, and do-while loop.

• For loop is used when the number of iterations is known beforehand.

• While loop is used when the number of iterations is not known beforehand.

• Do-while loop is similar to while loop, but it executes the statements at least once before checking the condition.

• Example: for(int i=0; i<10; i++) { //statements }

• Example: while...read more

Perfect numbers within a given range

• A perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper divisors

• The first few perfect numbers are 6, 28, 496, and 8128

• To find perfect numbers within a given range, iterate through the range and check if each number is perfect