In the run up to the IR Magazine Awards – US 2016, a judging panel of senior editorial team members and institutional investors have short-listed seven companies chosen for their outstanding contribution to the practice of IR and the community of IR professionals.
IR Magazine readers are prompted to cast their vote to select the winner, which will be announced at the US Awards ceremony on March 31 in New York. Below is the list of this year’s seven contenders for the new accolade.
AMD has rebranded itself to the Street with a significant campaign wrapped around a financial analyst day coinciding with the rolling out of a new CEO and executive management team and the unveiling of the company’s long-term strategy, technology focus and financial targets. The financial analyst day attracted more than 130 in-person and more than 2,400 online webcast attendees.
Idera Pharmaceuticals’ head of IR has conducted a full corporate identity rebrand, moving Idera from a research and science-based firm to a clinical development company focused on commercialization. The successful implementation of this new initiative meant senior management could focus its attention on the science of saving and improving lives.
Juniper Networks introduced a CFO commentary PDF that it posts on its website and distributes via email when it releases its earnings press release – in advance of its earnings call. The commentary makes a positive contribution to the analytical process of members of the investment community as it frees analysts and others listening to the conference call to more rapidly digest and incorporate the information into their forecasts.
Old National Bank (ONB) took an interactive and original approach to its 2015 annual conference with investors and analysts by creating an innovative experience in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a market ONB entered in 2014 with the acquisition of United Bancorp. Attendees were invited to two iconic Ann Arbor locations: Zingerman’s Deli and The Big House, with most members of ONB’s leadership group and board of directors in attendance at both events.
Twitter takes a differentiated approach to communicating with shareholders by using its own platform for all corporate and financial announcements, maintaining an IR blog consolidating content from 30 Twitter blogs, making the quarterly shareholder letter available as an MP3 recording and streaming a live video broadcast of earnings via the Periscope app, among others.
WWE’s IR team had a rethink of its full suite of earnings reporting materials, using tech and infographics, with the aim of telling a more brand-oriented story with specific proof-points on strategic initiatives. The firm produced a new, results-oriented infographic providing an at-a-glance view of results and introduced live-tweeting during the earnings call.
Zillow Group has been an early adopter of new platforms and incorporated social media throughout the company. The company decided to use the #ZEarnings hashtag, leveraging Zillow’s Nasdaq stock ticker symbol ‘Z’, so investors and analysts could use it to submit questions during earnings calls. The IRO and chief marketing officer sat down for a Q&A, live-streamed on Periscope, to mark the announcement of Zillow’s new TV advertising campaign in June 2015.
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