PUBLIC COMPANY IR
BROAD PORTFOLIO OF SERVICES,
ALL PERFORMED THROUGH AN IR LENS
Capital Markets Advisory
We advise our clients on various elements of navigating the capital markets, and support them on financing/M&A transactions. We apply our extensive experience and relationships within the capital markets ecosystem to introduce and advise on selection of investment bank(s), and help them establish the right fit for their company. We provide transaction advisory, along with corresponding positioning and communications, outreach/engagement, and logistical support.
INVESTOR / ANALYST OUTREACH & Meetings
With approximately 6,000 publicly listed companies in the US and many others listed outside the US, it is imperative for companies to establish, and continually expand an audience of appropriate investors and analysts that will enable constructive dialogue, proper interpretation and fair valuation. We cultivate potential investors and analysts, leveraging our broad base of contacts, ongoing market intelligence on new contacts, and more than four decades of success matching clients with the most suitable buy and sell-side professionals.
- Direct Outreach. We have several decades of experience marketing our clients to the most relevant investors and analysts.
- Non-Deal Roadshows (“NDRs”). We arrange in-person and virtual NDRs with investment professionals throughout the world.
- Investment Conferences. We secure participation in appropriate investor conferences leveraging our relationships.
- Presentation and Q&A Coaching. We coach management teams and help them tell their company’s story most effectively. Additionally, we discuss potential questions and advise on responses.
- Investor Days. We organize and implement well-attended, effective Investor Days at company headquarters and other locations.
- Relationship-Building in Investment Community. We maintain ongoing contact with analysts and investors and serve as a trusted source of information.
- Investor/Analyst Relations Advisory. Having worked with many companies and engaged with investment community professionals over several decades, we leverage that experience to counsel clients on relations with their current and potential stakeholders.
IR Advisory
Drawing on roughly 300 years of combined experience, and the deep knowledge and perspective derived from our long client partnerships, we develop strategies and IR plans based on each client’s objectives. We advise clients on a wide range of corporate matters including:
- IR Plan Development
- Communications Strategy
- Disclosure & Materiality
- Investor/Analyst Relations
- Corporate Actions
- Crisis Management
- Assessing Firms & Programs
- Shareholder Activism
- Various Other Public Company Matters
Investor Communications
Communication is a vital component of the decision-making process for investors and analysts. Strong financial results are often not enough. Articulating strategy, key metrics and goals, and engaging in a clear, consistent, meaningful dialogue with investors and analysts allows them to develop a richer impression of management, their integrity, vision, and leadership. It is also critical to reassess a company’s investment thesis and messaging on a regular basis, and hone communications as appropriate.
- Investment Thesis & Messaging. We develop each client’s investment thesis, key messages and investor communications materials to effectively communicate the story to targeted audiences.
- Investor Presentation. We create investor presentations that reflect best practices and bring forth key themes and messages.
- Earnings Communications. We drive and manage the earnings process, including drafting/editing earnings releases, scripts and decks, preparing management for Q&A, and managing the calls.
- IR Website. We assess the IR website as compared to best practices, and/or help develop a new one.
- Investor Information Exchange. We serve as a trusted, knowledgeable source of information about our client companies for investors and analysts.
- Investor Communications Advisory. We advise on disclosure, communicating outlook and financial guidance, among other matters.
MARKET INTEL, ANALYSIS & REPORTING
Management teams must stay abreast of their company’s position in the public marketplace, as well as third party views of their company. At the same time, information overload is not productive. We provide the most appropriate market intelligence, tailoring content and format for each client.
- Customized Peer Monitoring & Analysis
- Shareholder/Peer-holder Analysis
- Pre-meeting Intelligence
- Post-meeting Investor/Analyst Feedback
- Institutional Holder Reporting
- Board Meeting Preparation & Reporting
- Other/Ad-hoc Market Intel & Analysis
Shareholder Activism IR
Shareholder activism has become a conventional investment strategy across all sectors. While the mainstream media extensively covers campaigns against larger, well-known companies, much of the recent investor activism has been related to micro and small-cap companies. We proactively support companies in preparing for activism.
- Counsel. We advise management and the Board on the activist perspective, common tactics, and identifying where they may be vulnerable to activist attention.
- Market Intel. We track positions taken in companies by activist investors, and provide intelligence on specific activists’ characteristics and campaigns.
- Perception Studies. We conduct Perception Studies to assess current investor sentiment.
- Strategic Planning. We develop a plan to implement in the event of activist engagement.
To the extent an activist investor(s) engages with a company, we provide the following activism counsel and communications services:
- Recommend/Collaborate with Advisory Team. This includes experts in the legal, proxy and investment banking fields.
- Communications Advisory. We advise management regarding initial communications in response to activist overtures.
- Communicate with non-activist shareholders. We assess the level of support for the activist proposal and deliver an analysis of findings.
- Establish and Implement Comprehensive Communications Plan. This spans all phases of the activist campaign.
MEDIA RELATIONS
For some clients, we expand investor and analyst awareness through proactive media relations.
- Strategic Earned Media. We secure interviews, feature stories and inclusion in industry pieces. While our primary focus is on business publications, we also gain traction for our clients by securing placements in respected regional and trade media outlets.
- Expert Positioning. Positioning our clients as experts in their field is one avenue we pursue for media coverage.
- Media Training. We prepare management for interviews.
- Media Events. We arrange for media attendance at various types of company events.
IR LOGISTICS & ADMIN
In conjunction with the IR programs we carry out for our clients, we also perform various logistical aspects of the IR function:
- News Release Issuance
- Email List Development and Maintenance
- Earnings Conference Call Preparation and Management
- Investor Conference Logistics
- Investor Day Planning and Coordination
- Investor Website Updates
- Fulfillment of Investor Information Requests
- Corrections to Outside Financial Databases and Websites
CORPORATE COMMUNCATIONS CAPABILITIES
- Corporate Positioning
- Website
- Social Media
- Management Transitions
- Transaction Communications
- Crisis Communications
- Employee Communications
- And More…
THOUGHTS FROM INVESTORS
“As an investor, The Equity Group is one of the better firms I’ve worked with.”
“Over the years, there have been many companies I would never have heard of if it weren’t for The Equity Group.”
“I’ve worked with Equity Group team members on a few companies…they’re embedded – true partners to their clients.”
“The way you’ve distinguished yourselves from other IR groups is by working with higher quality companies, companies you’re truly passionate about.”