Equity Research Association

Learn & Apply Value Investing at UIUC

  • Collaborate within research teams
  • Learn the basics of value investing
  • Produce industry-standard equity reports
Fall ’24 Recruitment

Overview

The Equity Research Association (ERA) is a dynamic student-led organization dedicated to advancing financial knowledge and fostering the skills necessary for creating industry-standard equity reports. With a mission to equip students with the expertise needed for successful careers in finance and equity research, ERA provides a comprehensive learning platform that merges theory with practical application. Each report that our members produce is a collaborative effort, combining their analytical skills and creative insights.

At ERA, you will learn to perform valuations on companies, research economic and industry competitors, perform fundamental analysis, dig into management, project future growth for companies, and culminate it all into an investment thesis and analyst recommendation. After that, the research is yours to reference in job interviews, publish, or use as the basis for your own investment.

Careers in equity research and financial analysis are highly competitive and sought after, making the hands on experience that ERA provides invaluable. In becoming a part of ERA, you are effectively putting yourself ahead of the pack. ERA alumni have gone on to secure finance internships, join prestigious academies and professional fraternities within Gies, and secure post-grad jobs at competitive firms.

Learn Our Structure

Read our Reports

AbbVie (ABBV)

AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV)Download

Large Cap Banking Industry

Large Cap Banking IndustryDownload

Collaboration with Morningstar

Beginning the Fall ’24 Semester, ERA is proud to announce that we will be collaborating with Morningstar professionals to enhance our education materials and review your reports.

Morningstar provides independent investment research to help investors. At our meetings, their analysts will be reviewing your reports/pitches and giving guest lectures.

Check out Morningstar

FAQs

How competitive is admission into the Equity Research Association?

Admission into ERA is highly competitive and requires an application and up to two rounds of interviews. Those who seem the most well-balanced with respect to technical and behavioral questions in the recruitment process tend to be selected for membership in ERA. For more information on our recruitment process, click here.

Who is admission open to?

Admission is OPEN TO ALL undergrad students at UIUC. We encourage non-business students and freshman who have even the most remote interest in finance to apply to ERA. We want to create a diverse club with far-reaching connections, ideas, and styles.

How does ERA prepare me for the real world?

At ERA, we stress collaboration, fundamentals, and networking.

Through the onboarding process, you will grow comfortable working in a team environment and leveraging the resources and ideas that each unique individual brings to the table while building a strong technical base. These skills will allow you to propel yourself into a professional setting with ease.

Furthermore, we always encourage members to reach out to the executive board and use our connections to professors, industry professionals, and recruiters. In the past, members have also reached out to discuss concepts in greater depth, review resumes, or help with classes.

What’s the social environment like in ERA?

At ERA, we do two social events per calendar semester to encourage members to loosen up and meet their peers in a more casual setting, and we encourage members to collaborate as much as possible during lectures to build relationships with one another. Working with your friends tends to be a lot more fun, and the exec board at ERA hopes that each class can build that relationship.