Alexander V. Laskin http://www.alexanderlaskin.com Survey of the Investor Relations Officers 2008 Preliminary Research Results TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I. INFORMATION COMMUNICATED.... 2 PART II. TACTICS USED FOR COMMUNICATION.... 5 PART III. PRACTICE OF INVESTOR RELATIONS.... 7 PART IV. INVESTOR RELATIONS ENVIRONMENT.... 15 PART V. SURVEY RESPONDENTS... 16
PART I. INFORMATION COMMUNICATED. 1.1 Frequency and Importance of communication of financial and non-financial information. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Communication Importance Financials 8.7 9.3 Non-financials 5.4 5.9 2
1.2 Frequency of communication of various types of non-financial information. 10 8 6 4 2 0 Corporate Strategy Products & Services Market Position Organizational Capital Management Team Corporate Communications R & D Employees and HR 8.4 7.3 7.2 6.7 5.9 4.4 4.3 2.7 2.4 CSR 1.3 Importance of communication of various types of non-financial information. 10 8 6 4 2 0 Corporate Strategy Market Position Products & Services Management Team Organizational Capital R & D Corporate Communications Employees and HR 9.3 7.6 7.5 7.2 6.9 4.8 4.5 3.4 2.8 CSR 3
1.4 Importance vs. Frequency of communication of financial and various types of non-financial information. 4
PART II. TACTICS USED FOR COMMUNICATION. 2.1 Tactics used for communication of financial and non-financial information. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 One-on-one SEC filings Company media Special events Mass media Small group Financials 8.5 8.1 7.6 7 6.5 6.5 Non-financials 8.5 6.3 7.2 7.1 6.9 6.6 5
2.2 Combined scales of personal and mass tactics used in investor relations. 10 8 6 4 2 0 Personal tactics Mass tactics 7.4 7.1 Personal tactics scale reliability: Cronbach α =.77. The scale includes: - One-on-one communications - Small group communications - Special events Mass tactics scale reliability: Cronbach α =.81. The scale includes: - SEC filings - Company media - Mass media 6
PART III. PRACTICE OF INVESTOR RELATIONS. 3.1 Description of the investor relations work. I explain my company to the investment community I answer requests from shareholders, analysts, media, or senior management I disclose information about my company I deliver information from the investment community to senior management I develop long-term relationships between investors/analysts and my company I keep senior management knowledgeable about our shareholders and analysts I keep up with the current stock price and volume fluctuations I write and edit texts and prepare presentations/speeches I am responsible for quickly finding information for somebody who needs it I develop goals and objectives for my company's investor relations program I manage all aspects of my company's investor relations program I cultivate long-term focus in stock ownership I handle technical aspects of my company's investor relations program I make sure that management considers investors' opinions in its decision I protect the reputation of senior management I defend my company's actions I provide earning's guidance and current financial results I conduct research to anticipate relevant issues I make sure that management acts in the best interests of shareholders I rely on planning and diagnosing needs/opportunities to do my work 9.73 9.4 9.37 9.35 9.25 9.17 8.93 8.91 8.81 8.66 8.51 8.33 8.26 8.03 8 7.84 7.61 7.48 7.12 6.76 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7
3.2 Direction of communication in the investor relations practice. I keep senior management knowledgeable about our shareholders and analysts 9.17 I deliver information from the investment community to senior management 9.35 I disclose information about my company -9.37 I explain my company to the investment community -9.73-10 -8-6 -4-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 49% 51% Toward company From company 8
3.3 Intended beneficiary in the investor relations practice. I make sure that management acts in the best interests of shareholders 7.12 I make sure that management considers investors' opinions in its decision making 8.03 I defend my company's actions -7.84 I protect the reputation of senior management -8-10 -8-6 -4-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 51% 49% Benefiting investors Benfiting management 9
3.4 Managerial/Technical tasks in the investor relations practice. I manage all aspects of my company's investor relations program 8.51 I develop goals and objectives for my company's investor relations program 8.66 I handle technical aspects of my company's investor relations program -8.26 I write and edit texts and prepare presentations/speeches -8.91-10 -8-6 -4-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 50% 50% Manager Technician 10
3.5 Proactive/Reactive tasks in the investor relations practice. I rely on planning and diagnosing needs/opportunities to do my work 6.76 I conduct research to anticipate relevant issues 7.48 I am responsible for quickly finding information for somebody who needs it -8.81 I answer requests from shareholders, analysts, media, or senior management -9.4-10 -8-6 -4-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 56% 44% Proactive Reactive 11
3.6 Long-term/Short-term focus in the investor relations practice. I cultivate long-term focus in stock ownership 8.33 I develop long-term relationships between investors/analysts and my company 9.25 I keep up with the current stock price and volume fluctuations -8.93 I provide earning's guidance and current financial results -7.61-10 -8-6 -4-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 48% 52% Long-term Short-term 12
3.7 Continua of the investor relations practice. 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 From the company Toward the company 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 Benefiting management Benefiting investors 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 Technical tasks Managerial tasks 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 Reactive work Proactive work 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 Short-term focus Long-term focus 13
3.8 Two types of investor relations officers: Managers and Technicians. 10 6 2 2 6 10 From the company Toward the company 10 6 2 2 6 10 Benefiting management Benefiting investors 10 6 2 2 6 10 Technical tasks Managerial tasks 10 6 2 2 6 10 Reactive work Proactive work 10 6 2 0 2 6 10 Short-term focus Long-term focus - Managers - Technicians 14
PART IV. INVESTOR RELATIONS ENVIRONMENT. 4.1 Views on professionalism in investor relations. IR professional associations must be supported 8.3 I have a real "calling" for IR work I make my own decisions abour IR work 7.0 7.3 My fellow IROs know each other's competence 6.1 IR is more vital to society than other professions 4.6 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 4.2 Senior management involvement in investor relations. Senior management participates in meetings with investors/analysts 8.4 IR is among senior management priorities 8 Senior management is easily accessible to the investment community 7.6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15
PART V. SURVEY RESPONDENTS. Most IROs in this survey are male (56%), between 40 and 49 years old (39%), with 10 years of experience in investor relations and 9 years at present company. IROs typically have a graduate degree (69%) and a business-related educational background (73%). IROs typically hold titles of a vice president (44%) or a director (33%) and work in a standalone investor relations department (56%). The average respondent most likely reports to a CFO (62%), works for a mid-cap company (35%) in the manufacturing industry (32%). Experience Mean Median N Standard Error of Skewness Standard Error of Kurtosis In investor relations 10.11 9.00 180.181.360 At company 9.16 7.00 179.182.361 Age N % Cumulative % 30 39 51 28% 28% 40 49 71 39% 68% 50 59 49 27% 95% 60 and above 9 5% 100% 16
Department N % Cumulative % Investor relations 100 56% 56% Communication/Public relations 16 9% 65% Finance/Treasury 50 28% 93% Other 13 7% 100% Report to N % Cumulative % Chief executive officer 38 21% 21% Chief financial officer 111 62% 83% Chief operating officer 1 1% 84% Chief communication officer 13 7% 91% Other 16 9% 100% 17
Titles N % Cumulative % CEO 1 1% 1% CFO 5 3% 3% VP/Senior VP 79 44% 48% Director/Senior director 58 33% 80% Manager/Senior manager 22 12% 93% Specialist/Coordinator 5 3% 96% Associate 4 2% 98% Other 4 2% 100% Market capitalization N % Cumulative % Micro-cap 20 11% 11% Small-cap 54 30% 42% Mid-cap 62 35% 76% Large-cap 38 21% 98% Mega-cap 4 2% 100% 18
Industry N % Cumulative % Division A (Agriculture, forestry and fishing) 3 2% 2% Division B (Mining, oil and gas) 8 5% 7% Division C (Construction) 1 1% 7% Division D (Manufacturing) 54 32% 40% Division E (Transportation, communication, electric, gas and sanitary services) 33 20% 59% Division F (Wholesale trade) 3 2% 61% Division G (Retail trade) 14 8% 70% Division H (Finance, insurance and real estate) 32 19% 89% Division I (Services) 19 11% 100% Education N % Cumulative % High school 0 - - Some college 2 1% 1% Undergraduate degree 53 30% 31% Graduate degree 124 69% 100% 19