Research Analysts Guide: Reports, Ratings and TTM Insights

1779 reads · Last updated: February 5, 2026

A research analyst is a professional who prepares investigative reports on securities or assets for in-house or client use. Other names for this function include securities analyst, investment analyst, equity analyst, rating analyst, or simply "analyst."The work conducted by the research analyst is in an effort to inquire, examine, find or revise facts, principles, and theories for internal use by a financial institution or an external financial client. The report an analyst prepares entails the examination of public records of securities of companies or industries, and often concludes with a "buy," "sell" or "hold" recommendation.If the research analyst is involved with an investment bank or a securities firm controlled by a member organization of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), they may be required to register with a self-regulatory organization (SRO) and/or take certain exams.

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