Financial Communications
WE HELP YOU TO WIN AND KEEP THE TRUST OF THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY
You would like to raise equity or debt capital in the foreseeable future, perhaps want to go public or you are already listed and want to intensify communication with the financial community? Your equity story needs new ideas, or you need support with the concept and text for the annual report? Are you planning to take over or sell a company and want to convince all stakeholders of the advantages of the sale or acquisition? You are an investor, financial service provider or service provider close to the capital market and want to reach your target groups with the help of the business and financial media? Then talk to us!
The team for financial communication includes former company spokespersons as well as investor relations managers and financial journalists – experienced in capital markets, well networked and with strong writing skills. The spectrum of tasks performed by us ranges from advising management to continuous or hands-on support for IR and communications departments to assuming complete functions as an outsourced press officer or contact person for IR.
Investor relations and IPO communications, in particular, are subject to a strict set of rules, making it all the more important to master mandatory requirements at the same time as freely chosen, individual aspects one wants to stress. This applies to the IR presentation and financial publications as well as to communication with all target groups – from institutional investors and analysts to the financial media and private investors. Only through continuous dialogue with the financial community can management prepare its target groups for future corporate developments, “manage” expectations and thus strengthen its credibility and reputation.
The equity story is the linchpin of investor relations. It should make clear to investors why they should invest their money in a certain company. This includes the convincing presentation of the business model, the distinguishing features (USP’s) and the company’s strategy as well as the preparation of facts relating to market position and competition.
- Preparation of the equity story / IR presentation
- Critical appraisal and, if necessary, revision of the equity story / IR presentation
- Research and preparation of relevant additional information
- Creation of supplementary question/answer catalogs
Trust must be earned – not least through continuous and transparent communication. Moreover, investors do not appreciate surprises. Good IR (consulting) always has the expectations of the capital markets in mind and depends on the dialogue with target groups.
- Development of the IR strategy (fundamental and event-related)
- Formulation of core messages
- Analysis of capital market expectations
- Support in formulating the forecasts (guidance)
- Drafting ad hoc announcements or corporate news
- Creation of specific Q&As for investor calls or roadshows
- Addressing analysts and financial journalists
- If required, functioning as the contact person
The annual report still is the most important business card of the companyNowadays, less is often more. Reduced stock market requirements for quarterly reporting have recently also led to a streamlining of the reports, which in many cases have already resulted in shorter quarterly reports.
- Development of a concept for the annual report
- Preparation or editorial revision of all annual report texts
- Project management
- Preparation or editorial revision of quarterly reports or quarterly announcements
The aim of media work is, on the one hand, to make the company and its strengths known, to report continuously and comprehensibly on its development and to shed light on its background. However, on the other hand, it is also a matter of presenting relevant topics or shedding new light on them to highlight one’s competence. Business journalists expect facts and figures, but also pointed views on markets, technologies, and future developments – prepared in such a way that they can use this content for their daily work without great additional effort and offer their readers added value.
- Establishment and maintenance of media contacts
- Media monitoring
- News flow planning and development of topic ideas
- Targeted journalist approach
- Organization of interviews and background talks, possibly also press conferences
- Drafting or editing press releases
Company owned publications for directly addressing target groups offer great potential – provided they offer the reader real added value, are professionally written and designed. Well-prepared content with news value can also be used several times for different communication channels, ideally even for media work.
- Preparation of annual reports and quarterly publications
- Concept and text of customer magazines (design together with design partners)
- Concept and text of newsletters online and offline (design together with design partners)
Acquisitions and sales are exceptional situations for companies – and how the transaction is perceived by the various target groups (stakeholders and, if applicable, shareholders) and the general public is a decisive factor for the future success or failure of the company. Professional communication minimizes the reputational risks associated with such a transaction.
- Development of communication concept and process plans
- Development of target group-specific formats and content for the various stakeholders (capital markets, customers, suppliers, employees, media)
- Preparation of question/answer catalogs
- Accompanying press work
Communication around an IPO (Initial Public Offering) is all about convincing potential investors of the equity story and communicating the investment highlights. The more coherent the story and the more professional the communication, the better the prospects for a successful IPO. The IPO is an exceptional situation for the company, and all parties involved must work closely together: company representatives, lawyers and issuing houses as well as the accompanying communications agency.
- Development of a communication strategy and equity story
- Support in the creation of contents for the securities prospectusCreation of factsheets
- Formulation of the contents of the IPO website
- Preparation of presentations for analysts, for the roadshow and the IPO press conference
- Formulation of ad hoc announcements or corporate news
- Creation of press distribution lists and initiation of media contacts
- Media training for management
