News and analysis
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Earnings season: Navigating financial guidance amid macroeconomic uncertainty
In the current climate it is the transparency and rigor of guidance rather than the precise figures that matters most. And, as public companies prepare to report earnings for the March 2025 quarter, it is important to evaluate how best to communicate financial guidance and manage investor expectations in the context of ongoing market volatility and geopolitical disruption.
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Wall Street caught between a rock and a hard place as tensions between US and China rise
The trade war between China and the US has spiraled into unchartered territory. On April 10, Donald Trump’s administration imposed a tariff of 125 percent on all Chinese imports. China called the actions unfair and responded with similar measures. Within the broader debate around unravelling economic ties between the US and China, where economic interdependence has increasingly been viewed as a threat to US national security, this escalation raises questions about whether global finance is also reducing its presence in China.
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The role of investor relations during a spin-off
Number of IPO spin-offs doubled in US between 2023 and 2024 Stepping back from the constant stream of tariff news, this week I wanted to talk about a broader capital markets trend that has involved a good number of you in IR over the last few years: the growing number of corporate spin-offs. In recent […]
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Resmed names Salli Schwartz as chief investor relations officer
Other people moves come at Boston Scientific and FireFly Metals Healthcare technology provider Resmed has named Salli Schwartz as its chief investor relations officer. She will report to Mick Farrell, the company’s CEO and chairman of the board. Schwartz joins from biotech Illumina, where she was head of IR. Prior to that, she served as […]
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From policy ambiguity to price volatility: the hidden cost of indecision
Inconsistent debt policies can lead to higher investor ambiguity, suggests research In August 2022, Olympic Steel shifted from an inconsistently moderate working capital financing policy (WCFP) to a clear conservative policy. Within months, its stock price rose 22 percent, outperforming many of its competitors during a broader market decline, and its volatility of volatility (VOV) […]
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The CFO: ‘Managing spin-offs is like raising kids. You love them all, despite the challenges,’ says Kyndryl’s finance chief explaining how he leans on IR for corporate transactions
David Wyshner speaks about his involvement in six corporate transactions – and counting – in his career Most IR teams – and most CFOs – might be involved in one or two large corporate transactions in their careers. For David Wyshner, finance chief at NYSE-listed IT services provider, he’s up to six and still counting. […]
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Exports, exchange rates and trade: Brazil under the ‘cascading effect’ of US tariffs
What happens in Washington has significant repercussions in Brasilia The volatility of the Brazilian capital market is a natural consequence of its dependence on external factors. Global dynamics directly influence investments, making it essential for companies and investors to understand these impacts and adopt strategies to mitigate risks and seize opportunities in an environment of […]
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Legally speaking: IR, storytelling and the red pen
Though it might feel like legal qualifiers are ruining your work, they are there to make it bulletproof For IR professionals, the art of storytelling often feels like a delicate balancing act. You spend time to craft the perfect narrative — clean slides, compelling data, and a golden CEO quote that’s meant to inspire. Then […]
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People moves: Kemira brings in Kiira Fröberg as vice president of IR
Other people changes come at Manulife and Skyryse Kemira, the Helsinki-based provider of chemical solutions for water-intensive industries, has named Kiira Fröberg as its new vice president of IR. She will report to the company’s CFO, Petri Castrén. Fröberg joins from another Nasdaq Helsinki-listed company, crane manufacturer Konecranes, where she also served as vice president […]
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Eight takeaways from the IR Think Tank 2025
IROs gathered in New York to discuss the changing face of investor communications On March 26, more than 100 IR professionals gathered in New York for the IR Think Tank, brought to you by BofA Securities and IR Impact. The event offered the IR community the chance to take stock following two months of frenetic […]
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Navigating investor relations during a market selloff in a quiet period: dos and don’ts
For many public companies, a quarter ended on March 31, 2025, and management has entered an investor quiet period until the financial results are reported. This creates a unique challenge: how to address investor concerns during a market downturn while adhering to quiet period restrictions. Below are key dos and don’ts to guide companies through […]
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People moves: High Roller goes all in on Seth Young as head of IR
Las Vegas-based online casino operator High Roller Technologies has appointed Seth Young as its new senior vice president of corporate strategy and investor relations. Prior to joining the NYSE-listed company, Young served as chief innovation officer at PointsBet, where he was responsible for strategic corporate development efforts including fundraising, new market development, government affairs and regulatory affairs. Before that he worked as chief operating officer at FSG Digital, executive director of online gaming at Foxwoods Resort Casino, chief operating officer at Flower City Gaming and director of strategy for TexasHoldem.com.
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Amid a game of tariff chicken, companies focus on what they can control
Walmart’s announcement this week reminds investors about its resilience in tough times IR teams are just one of the many groups currently caught up in the global game of tariff chicken taking place between the US and countries across the rest of the world, especially China. This article is guaranteed to be out of date […]
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How IR teams can benefit from AI — starting with data quality
We are all asking ourselves: ‘How are we leveraging AI to get better and smarter?‘ For investor relations teams, the potential is certainly there. But before getting too excited about AI capabilities, IR professionals should give serious consideration to the fact that everything starts with data quality AI is an immensely powerful tool to categorise, summarise, and […]
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Build your onramp and sell-side tactics: What we learned at the IR Impact Think Tank – West Coast 2025
In an increasingly complex market, the audience was reminded about the importance of keeping your message simple There was plenty for IROs to get their teeth into at the IR Impact Think Tank – West Coast 2025, which took place on March 20 in San Francisco. With US policy in a state of dramatic flux, […]
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Enhancing decision quality through advanced investor intelligence: the hidden engine of competitive advantage
In today’s volatile and hyper-competitive markets, the difference between a market leader and an also-ran often comes down to one crucial factor: decision quality. While product innovation, brand recognition and capital access are still important, it is the consistency and accuracy of decisions — particularly strategic, operational, and financial ones — that sets enduring winners apart in terms of valuation. For public companies, this is especially true at the management team and IR level, where every choice can ripple across long-term growth trajectories, investor perception and ultimately valuation.
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Small (and a mid) caps hit big: Aecon, Calian and TransAlta take three apiece at the IR Impact Awards – Canada 2025
In an event packed with the highest achieving IR teams in Canada, it was two small-cap companies and a mid-cap firm that punched hardest, with Aecon Group, Calian Group and TransAlta Corporation each taking home three IR Impact Awards at the black-tie ceremony in Toronto last night. TransAlta took the trophy for best overall investor relations and best investor relations officer for Tamara Cook – both in the mid-cap category – as well as winning its sector award in utilities. The two small-cap companies also won some of the most prestigious awards of the night, with Aecon claiming best overall…
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People moves: Eric Hill to pilot IR at Boeing
Other people changes come at Karman Space & Defense and Gold Road Resources Boeing, the NYSE-listed global aerospace company, has appointed Eric Hill as its new vice president of IR. Most recently, he was vice president of finance for a Boeing division focused on mobility, surveillance and bombers. Hill has been with Boeing for nearly […]
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‘We’re thinking about what AI is going to destroy as much as what it’s going to create’: Jonathan Knowles of Compound Equity Group
Compound Equity Group (CEG) was founded in 2024 and seeks high-conviction, long-term ideas in global equities. The founder and portfolio manager in charge, Jonathan Knowles, spent more than 30 years managing money at Capital Group. At his time of retirement in December 2024, he was in charge of some $50 bn in assets and was the chief investment officer of the firm’s $70 bn small-cap fund – the largest such fund in the world. CEG has recently raised $500 mn in capital and is deploying a very long-term, highly concentrated approach: to have 20 to 25 investments with some positions…
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What does Trump’s so-called ‘Liberation Day’ mean for IR?
After weeks of warnings, Donald Trump finally revealed his full suite of new industry tariffs from the White House Lawn on Wednesday. Announcing the slew of trade measures as ‘Liberation Day’, the US president said that the economic policies would mark the day American industry was ‘reborn’ and the day the country was ‘made wealthy again’. For many IROs, it will herald a period of volatility and uncertainty as they scramble to find out what the implications of those moves will be on their companies.
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Building from a baseline: how IR teams are using new data sources to unlock smarter decision-making
As any IR professional knows all too well, the market is awash with a wealth of data from myriad sources. Everything from earnings calls to websites to press releases – both from your company and from your peers – can help inform strategic IR work. But where do you start without becoming completely overwhelmed? This was what panelists Erik Carlson, chief operating officer at Notified, Glenn Schulman, founder and head of IR at Z3 BioCommunications, and Amanda Tang, head of IR at TMX Group, tackled in a recent IR Impact Webinar, held alongside Notified.
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‘Err on the side of transparency’: Dave Bezanson on how to execute a successful earnings
Ahead of our upcoming IR Impact Forum – Canada, set to be held in Toronto on April 3, we have caught up with some of the event’s leading speakers to understand their outlook for investor communications in Canada.
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Fluent in the language of IR: Duolingo wins big at IR Impact Awards – US
Language-learning giant Duolingo was the big winner among a room full of IR excellence at the IR Impact Awards – US in New York on March 26. The firm took home two of the most coveted gongs of the night: best overall investor relations (mid-cap) and best investor relations officer (mid cap) for Debbie Belevan. Duolingo also topped its sector category, winning the best in technology trophy against fierce competition.
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SEC releases decisions on DEI proposals under new 14a-8 guidance
The SEC’s initial decisions on whether companies may exclude shareholder proposals under new guidance continue to suggest no blanket indicators of how the agency’s staff will land on certain topics – including in the high-profile diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space. That’s according to another provisional analysis by IR Impact sister site Governance Intelligence of 14a-8 decisions published by the division of corporation finance since it released Staff Legal Bulletin (SLB) No 14M on February 12
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People moves: Debbie Hancock joins Lamb Weston and Caroline Dawson moves to Reckitt
Debbie Hancock, the former senior vice president of investor relations at toy maker Hasbro, has taken up a new IR role at French fry producer Lamb Weston. Hancock, who left her position at Hasbro in February 2024 after 15 years at the company, has a career in investor relations that spans 30 years, including a 15-year stint as director of IR at APC by Schneider Electric. She has been a member of NIRI since the mid-90s.
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Amid such a complex environment, IR’s job is to keep things simple
It’s certainly a wild time to be an IRO. While uncertainty is always present in the market, companies are dealing with major surprises far more frequently at the moment. On any day, corporate strategies and financial guidance could be thrown into doubt by a policy announcement, geopolitical shift or another factor.
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‘Driving sustainability means changing organizational culture’: Aecon’s Prabh Banga on the challenges of ESG
Ahead of our upcoming IR Impact Forum – Canada, set to be held in Toronto on April 3, we have caught up with some of the event’s leading speakers to understand their outlook for investor communications in Canada.
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The CFO: ‘You need to have a stomach of iron during times of volatility,’ says Block’s Amrita Ahuja
Many IROs hope that their time in the profession might set them up well for a C-suite position well one day. But for Amrita Ahuja, CFO and COO for payments company Block, the transition happened directly during her time as head of IR for interactive entertainment firm Activision Blizzard, where she was called upon to become finance chief of its video-game publishing wing Blizzard Entertainment in 2018. Fast forward a few years and she now holds the dual posts of CFO and – for the past two years – COO at Block, the financial technology company founded by Jack Dorsey,…
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How long do you have to be ‘short’? Recent debate puts spotlight on the movements of short sellers
Short seller reports can have a huge impact on the stocks they target. Everyone from regulators to law firms and even Netflix are looking to the impact of shorting stocks – with one law firm arguing free speech is being put at risk In the stock market, the traditional way to make money is to buy shares in a company and wait for the share price to rise. Another way is to short a company and wait for the share price to go down and buy back the cheaper shares. If the share price goes up, those shares must quickly…
Spotlight Content
Off-season engagement highlights shifting views on ESG
Companies ponder how to keep talking about sustainability We’re coming to the end of ‘off season’ – when many companies go out on the road to engage with key institutional investors ahead of their annual shareholder meeting. According to a recent IR Magazine survey, around two thirds of IR teams say they have a program…
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