IHS Markit analyzed how Investor Relations can be a competitive advantage for a public company similar to great products, talent, science, assets or operations. The analysis focuses on best-in-class IR programs, identifying what makes these teams stand above the rest, quantifying their success, and understanding how companies can maximize valuation, thereby creating a lower cost of capital and a competitive business advantage. The key findings of the study are:

• Highly effective IR maximizes valuation by supporting a premium of 15% and lowering volatility by 5%, as measured by Beta. (Conversely, ineffective IR leads to a discounted valuation of 10% or more.)
• Valuation has a direct impact on the company's access to (and cost of) capital, which contributes significantly to sustainable business growth, particularly versus lesser competitors.
• These 2 factors taken together provide companies with a significant competitive advantage over time, enabling the firm to invest in business growth for the future. Companies with highly ranked investor relations programs benefit from an optimal valuation and reduced cost of capital.

Any management team wishing to build or enhance its IR function and benefit from these competitive advantages should continue reading . . . download the full report

Posted 17 September 2020 by Michael Miller, Executive Director, Investor Relations Advisory, S&P Global Market Intelligence

S&P Global provides industry-leading data, software and technology platforms and managed services to tackle some of the most difficult challenges in financial markets. We help our customers better understand complicated markets, reduce risk, operate more efficiently and comply with financial regulation.

This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.