Credit Analyst

Key Responsibilities:

• Analyse financial statements: Analyse financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, quarterly, half yearly and annual reports, including press releases to assess the financial health of the companies under coverage. Identify key financial ratios, build financials models, find trends and anomalies that may impact the credit quality.
• Perform fundamental analysis: Conduct thorough fundamental analysis of companies, focusing on financial statements, capital structure and liquidity, business models and industry trends, competitive positioning, recent events and future plans. Evaluate credit risks, credit ratings and default probabilities to assess the ability of issuers to meet their financial obligations.
• Conduct industry research: Evaluate the impact of changing economic conditions and market dynamics on credit risk. Stay abreast of industry trends, market conditions, regulatory and economic changes affecting companies, sectors, and the high yield market. Conduct research and analysis on specific sectors and issuers to identify potential risks and opportunities. Attend online conferences and seminars whenever possible.
• Prepare credit reports: Prepare comprehensive credit reports summarizing your analysis with detailed breakdown of company financials, profitability, liquidity, industry dynamics, capital structure and valuation. Clearly communicate the key factors influencing credit quality, potential risks, valuation and mitigating factors in the report.
• Ad hoc work: Work on and assist with, various weekly, monthly, quarterly, credit reports and/or special reports, including data reports and ad-hoc projects. The above responsibilities will be given over time depending on performance, quality, ideation and analyst s ability to do more. Detailed coverage may include 10 companies in one or two sectors, which would change as per market conditions.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

• Education: Bachelors degree in finance, economics, or a related field is required. A masters degree in a relevant discipline or a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation is a plus.
• Experience: Preferably 1-2 years of experience as a Credit Analyst, with a focus on high yield bonds. Familiarity with fixed income markets, credit analysis, and bond valuation methodologies is a plus. Lesser experience with impeccable knowledge might be considered.
• Industry knowledge: Understanding of debt and equity securities and how news impacts prices of financial instruments. Knowledge of high yield bond market, including issuers and market participants and familiarity with credit market trends, yield spreads, and credit risk indicators is a plus.
• Financial analysis skills: Strong knowledge of accountancy and finance (financial statements: income statement, balance sheet and cash flows) through degree course, work experience or graduate training programme. Ability to interpret complex financial statements, assess credit risk, and understand market dynamics. The candidate needs to be naturally curious and driven to analyze complex situations, should have strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills and be tenacious in obtaining information.
• Excel skills: Comprehensive knowledge of Excel and ability to use Excel formulas and build models. Proficiency in financial modelling, valuation, credit ratings and risk assessment ratios.
• Automation and Coding: Have knowledge and understanding of current AI tools, working knowledge of Python (preferred, not required), SQL and PowerBI, with ability to use them to automate wherever possible, including data scrapping, cleaning, storing, and visualizing the same using PowerBI or other tools.
• Attention to detail: Strong attention to detail and ability to identify and assess risks accurately. Thoroughness in conducting research and verifying data.
• Written skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to present complex credit analysis in a clear and concise manner. Ability to build thesis and articulate a report in a structured way. Ability to read fast and comprehend information, including quarterly and annual reports, and financial & legal terminologies.
• Teamwork: Reliable, helpful and a team member with good work ethics with ability to work in a team-based environment, with a sense of teamwork and cooperation.
• Deadline: Ability to manage workflow under strict deadlines.
• Software Proficiency: Proficiency in financial softwares such as Eikon, FactSet is a plus.