IR Magazine has released a new report examining IR websites and their effectiveness for engaging with both institutional and retail investors. The report investigates what is typically included on IR websites and what features are considered the most popular. The report also looks at institutional investors’ and IROs’ views on website utility as well as adapting content to meet the needs of retail investors.
Findings are based on the IR Magazine Global IR Survey conducted from Q4 2021 to Q1 2022, as well as the IR Magazine Global Investor Survey conducted in Q4 2021. Data in the report is broken down by region, job title and company size.
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Key findings
- Corporate and regulatory press releases are the most commonly available feature on company IR web pages, found on more than nine in 10 IR websites.
- More North American companies provide email alert services on their website than do European or Asian companies.
- ESG information is most likely to be found on European websites, while information on policies specifically regarding social responsibility is most common on Asian sites.
- The likelihood of credit ratings appearing on a website increases substantially with company size.
- Approaching two thirds of institutional investors give a high utility rating of 8+/10 to the websites of companies they invest in and companies they are looking to invest in.
- When institutional investors are asked which key features they look for on IR web pages, a schedule of upcoming events and reports is the most mentioned, followed by corporate and regulatory press releases.
- Globally, 62 percent of IROs view their website as effective in engaging with retail investors, compared with 13 percent who consider them ineffective.
- While almost six in 10 Asian companies have updated their websites in the past two years to make them more retail investor-friendly, less than a quarter of North American companies have done the same.
- The most popular way for IROs to make sure their website content engages the needs of retail investors is through peer website analysis, while for institutional investors it is direct feedback from the investors themselves.
