Guggenheim Superday Technical Drill: 30 Minutes

Use this free spoken-practice plan before a Guggenheim first round or Superday. It is a practice structure, not a prediction of what any interviewer will ask.

The drill

5 minutes - accounting. Explain one three-statement change without notes. End with the cash impact.
7 minutes - valuation. Pick a company. Say which methods fit, which do not, and what drives the range.
6 minutes - deal reasoning. Summarize one recent firm-relevant transaction, the strategic logic, and one risk.
6 minutes - RX mechanics. If the role is restructuring-related, explain creditor priority, liquidity pressure, and one restructuring tradeoff.
6 minutes - repeat. Mark every answer that wandered. Repeat it in 60-90 seconds with a clear opening and conclusion.

Need more firm-specific reps?

The Guggenheim workbook has 34 technical and objective prompts mapped across 2025-2027 First Round, Superday, and RX sections.

See the Guggenheim guide

What to prepare outside the workbook

A specific answer for why Guggenheim and why the group

One recent Guggenheim transaction you can discuss clearly

Your resume walkthrough and two concise experience stories

A current market view relevant to the team

Three answers, open

Three Guggenheim technical answers

Work the prompt first, then compare your setup, math, and statement links.

First RoundAccounting

Asset sale through the statements

Sell an asset with a $160 book value for $220 at a 20% tax rate.

Income statement

The $60 gain raises taxes by $12 and net income by $48.

Cash flow statement

Start with net income up $48, subtract the $60 gain from CFO, and record $220 of sale proceeds in CFI. Cash rises $208.

Balance sheet

Cash rises $208 and PP&E falls $160, so assets rise $48. Retained earnings rises $48.

Check: $220 proceeds less $12 tax equals a $208 cash increase.

First RoundAccounting

Debt write-down

Walk through a $140 debt write-down at a 20% tax rate.

Income statement

Assuming the gain is taxable, the gain is $140, taxes rise $28, and net income rises $112.

Cash flow statement

Subtract the non-cash $140 gain from net income. Cash falls $28 for taxes.

Balance sheet

Cash falls $28 and debt falls $140, so net assets rise $112. Retained earnings rises $112.

Interview check: state the tax assumption before walking the statements.

First RoundDCF & WACC

EBITDA to unlevered free cash flow

How do you go from EBITDA to UFCF?

StartEBITDASubtract D&A to reach EBIT

Cash operating profitEBIT × (1 - tax rate)Apply cash taxes to EBIT

UFCFNOPAT + D&A - CapEx - increase in NWCAdd back non-cash D&A

Interview check: do not subtract interest because UFCF is pre-debt cash flow.

This is independent interview practice. It is not official firm material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Guggenheim.