What is a Wall Street Analyst?

Sometimes referred to as a self-side analyst, the Wall Street analyst is charged with the task of managing customer accounts. Generally, a Wall Street analyst is employed with a brokerage firm, and may be assigned to specific clients of the firm. The main purpose of Wall Street analysts is to protect the best interests of their clients, offering advice on investing strategies and in general advising customers on market conditions and possible trends that could impact the client’s portfolio.

Like all types of financial analysts, the Wall Street variety will spend a great deal of time evaluating the current status of various investment markets. Drawing on his or her understanding of historical data and the current market conditions, the analyst can craft recommendations that are intended to assist clients in increasing the value of their portfolios. In some instances this will involve recommendations to buy certain securities, sell others, and perhaps give consideration to some future actions that may be necessary in order to make the most of future trends.

The Wall Street analyst will not only prepare recommendations for specific clients, but also contribute to the public announcements and recommendations that are issued by brokerages on a daily basis. This is in contrast to some other types of financial analysts, especially those that work with mutual funds, where the research and recommendations are available to clients only. The typical Wall Street analyst will make it a point to notify clients of the releases, calling attention to portions of the daily releases that will be of special interest to the customer.

As an employee of a specific brokerage firm, the Wall Street analyst will always seek to provide the most comprehensive and practical advice to the clients of the firm. It is not unusual for a Wall Street analyst to become rather well known in financial circles, base on the accuracy of his or her assessments of the market and the subsequent recommendations that are provided to customers and the general public.