IR program planning
7 Investor Relations “Things to Do” Before Your IPO
If you’re the CFO of a pre-IPO company, the months leading up to your S-1 filing can be exhausting. You’ve read your registration statement so many times you have it memorized. And you cannot even begin to imagine a time when you won’t be spending every waking moment with your bankers. But now that you’ve left…
Crisis Communications: Preparing for the Unexpected
When you do work in crisis communications, you’re often asked to share war stories alongside other communications professionals on conference panels. The cases that are analyzed run the gamut of private and public companies, from small start-ups to large multinationals, in industries from consumer goods and high tech to pharmaceuticals and financial organizations. But there…
Life Sciences: Communicating the Investment Story
If you have ever tried telling a life sciences investment story, chances are, you’ve encountered one of three responses: “Wait. Slow down. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” This is sometimes communicated nonverbally as a blank stare. “Okay. That makes sense. So when do you expect commercialization?” “What’s the mechanism of action? And…
Three Step Approach to Social Media for Investor Relations
By Dennis Walsh, Vice President I recently moderated a webinar hosted by NIRI on social media strategies for investor relations. On the panel with me were David Jackson, CEO, Seeking Alpha; RJ Jones, Investor Relations Officer, Zillow; and Andrew Shapiro, Founder, President and Portfolio Manager, Lawndale Capital Management. The discussion made clear that professional investors…
How Investor Relations Can Support the Buy Side’s Investment Process
By Dennis Walsh, Vice President “Buy-side analysts truly value a company with a responsive investor relations program led by an informed IRO,” shares John Barr, Co-Manager of the Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX) and Manager of the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX). Most strategic investor relations programs aim to increase institutional ownership with new long-term shareholders.…
Employee Training: From Reg FD to “Wall Street 101”
By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner, Sharon Merrill Associates When the SEC last month charged First Solar’s former head of investor relations with violating its fair disclosure rules, the announcement gave more than a few IROs pause. And for good reason. Lawrence Polizzotto paid a $50,000 fine for the violation. Although corporate IROs and the…
Sell-Side Coverage – A Small Cap’s White Whale?
By Dennis Walsh, Vice President I recently was interviewed for an article for IR Magazine titled, “Sell-Side Analysts: The Many and the Few.” The article discussed how some companies manage a full roster of covering sell-siders, while others struggle to maintain or attract just a few. In today’s market, it seems more common that IROs…
Time to Revamp the Quarterly Earnings Call?
By Dennis Walsh, Vice President & Director of Social Media And the Award for Best Quarterly Earnings Results Conference Call goes to…. Giving awards to recognize production of an earnings call may be a little premature, but several companies are spicing up what is generally considered an uneventful quarterly ritual by the investment community. It…
REIT IR: This Investor Pool Isn’t Big Enough for the Two of Us
By Andrew Blazier, Senior Associate A good friend and colleague of mine used to describe the universe of real estate investment trusts – REITs – as an “us girls” industry. It was difficult to break in, but once you did, the REIT community was so small, and so interconnected, that working within the industry could…
Integrating Social Media into Your Investor Relations Program
By Howard Berkenblit, Partner, Sullivan & Worcester LLP By Maureen Wolff, President and Partner, Sharon Merrill Associates As you may have heard, the SEC has stated that public companies may announce material, non-public news on social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, provided that companies take appropriate steps to alert investors which outlets they will…