Sherwin-Williams and Jack in the Box walked away with the biggest smiles at the IR Magazine Awards US – 2017 last night. Both companies won three awards each, including the coveted awards for best overall investor relations in the large-cap and mid-cap categories, respectively.
Small-cap waste management firm Covanta picked up the final best overall IR award at the gala awards event, held at Cipriani Wall Street and attended by more than 400 members of the US IR community.
Click here to see a full list of the winning companies.
Visa’s Jack Carsky and Victoria Hyde-Dunn shared the prize for best IR officer at a large cap. In the small & mid-cap category, Carol DiRaimo of Jack in the Box and Julie Tracy of Wright Medical Group were joint winners. Elsewhere, JPMorgan Chase & Co also performed admirably, taking home two awards: best corporate governance and best in sector for financials.
As is the case each year, the awards were voted for by an independent survey of around 450 portfolio managers, buy-side analysts and sell-side analysts. They were asked for their opinion on a range of categories including best use of technology, best financial reporting and best IR for a corporate transaction.
View the full gallery of photos from the night.
‘I like the consistency and transparency delivered by Sherwin-Williams and the fact that it is always willing to engage with us,’ commented one survey respondent. Another said: ‘Jack in the Box communicates its message well to the Street, holds good analyst days and is always available.’
IR Magazine takes the scores from all the awards categories and combines them to create an overall ranking of IR performance in the US market: the US Top 100. Following last night’s developments, the positions have changed and Sherwin-Williams now sits in the top spot, up from seventh place last year.
JPMorgan Chase & Co retains its second-place ranking from last year, while Jack in the Box has jumped an incredible 62 places to take the third spot. Indeed, 2017 sees many companies shoot up the rankings, with four of the top 10 climbing 30 places or more.
For the second year, the awards also included a separate category voted for by the public: the people’s choice award for innovation. Companies could nominate themselves and eight made it to the final short list, with voting allowed right up until the awards ceremony began.
This year, the people’s choice prize went to the Estée Lauder Companies, which won for the redesign of its corporate website. The companies on the short list received more than 3,500 votes in total.
