Analyst Hub, a New York-based independent “research infrastructure as a service” platform, recently announced that former senior Gaming, Lodging and Travel analyst, Brian McGill, has partnered with the firm to launch new independent research firm, Morning Line Research.
New Analyst Partners with Analyst Hub
Brian McGill, an equity research analyst with close to 20 years of sell and buy-side research experience, recently launched his own independent research firm, Morning Line Research (MLR), in partnership with Analyst Hub.
Prior to launching his new firm, Brian spent 2 years with Telsey Advisory Group as Managing Director covering the gaming, lodging and travel sectors. Previously, he worked for more than ten years at Janney Montgomery Scott, Buckingham Research Group, and Wachovia. Earlier in his career, McGill spent 2 years as a senior sell-side analyst at Susquehanna International Group and 5 years as a junior analyst at Wellington Management. Brian graduated Magna Cum Laude from Villanova University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance.
Mike Kronenberg, CEO of Analyst Hub announced the new partnership, “The research paradigm continues to shift faster and faster towards high quality independent research that can be delivered with low overhead costs, and we couldn’t be more excited that Brian acted on this and partnered with Analyst Hub to launch a high quality gaming and lodging research boutique.”
“In the current shrinking trading commission environment, I knew it was time to strike out on my own and there’s no better partner than Analyst Hub. They are the leader in scaling independent institutional research boutiques,” said McGill. “Their senior salespeople, innovative and proprietary technology and distribution tools are exactly what I need.”
Our Take
Founded in early 2018, Analyst Hub offers outsourced research infrastructure and organizational support to facilitate the publishing and distribution of sell-side research. The firm provides former sell-side analysts with a wide range of infrastructure tools, as well as compliance, experienced institutional sales, corporate access support and marketing.
The addition of Mr. McGill to the Analyst Hub platform makes sense for both firms as MLR can focus on producing high quality institutional research without having to directly bear the costs of hiring institutional sales, marketing, and compliance staff, as well as licensing the research distribution technology needed to succeed in today’s research marketplace. In addition, MLR provides another high quality sell-side research product that the Analyst Hub team can push through their distribution channel to their existing and prospective client base.
The partnership with McGill marks the fifteenth boutique research team that Analyst Hub has struck a deal with to market to the buy-side, including former sell-side analysts Frank Mitsch, Heather Jones, Kevin St. Pierre, and Satis Group.
MLR’s decision to partner with Analyst Hub is a growing sign that the firm’s business model is gaining traction and may be approaching a tipping point where high quality sell-side analysts see going off on their own as a viable career option compared to working for an investment bank – particularly in today’s challenging post MiFID II environment. However, Analyst Hub will continue to have to work hard to convince experienced sell-side analysts, particularly those who aren’t entrepreneurial, that Analyst Hub provides a turnkey solution that will eliminate many of the headaches associated with setting up their own research shops.