By The Equity Group

Considering an IR firm to expand or enhance your investor communications and engagement? Explore the 10 questions companies should ask an IR firm and our responses to these questions.

How long has the firm been in business

Since 1974. Bob Goldstein, one of the pioneers of Investor Relations, founded The Equity Group in 1974. Due to Bob’s background in finance, including an MBA from Harvard, Ernst & Young audit experience and Board service for several public companies, our firm’s history is deeply rooted in finance. While our practice of Investor Relations certainly has evolved over the past four decades, some important aspects remain the same:

Do clients have similar characteristics as my company?

The Equity Group works with companies in a range of industries, typically with market caps spanning $20 million to $4 billion.

Visit Our Clients page for more information.

Who will supervise our program and will I work directly with that person?

Each Equity Group client works directly with a senior executive that has at least ten years of experience. The client team also includes an Associate, Analyst and/or a Senior Client Coordinator. Our overall team averages 12 years with our firm.

Visit Our Team page to learn more.

Do you arrange investor meetings and calls directly, or coordinate with third parties?

The Equity Group arranges virtual and in-person meetings directly with investors and analysts throughout the world that are relevant for each individual client. We also coordinate with firms that cover our clients in research to optimize the Non-Deal Roadshows that they arrange for our clients.

Are the services bundled or can I select among them?

Most clients sign on for our full range of services, but some start with a more limited program, for example focusing only on investor communications or investor outreach. We are also available to work on a project basis.

Visit Our Capabilities page for more information.

What is the average tenure of the firm’s clients?

The average tenure of The Equity Group’s current client relationships is 7 years.

Many of our client relationships span 10-20 years. We have represented one client since 1989.

What do clients say about the firm?

Our Client Testimonials speak for themselves.

What can I expect in the first few months of the engagement?

We hit the ground running. As we indoctrinate ourselves to the client, and develop a complete understanding of the company’s business, markets, drivers, strategic direction, prospects, corporate culture, management goals and philosophies, we are also preparing a plan to ensure that our activities are moving the IR program in the right direction.

The plan encompasses upcoming developments, announcements, and targeted investor meetings and conferences. All represent an opportunity to communicate and strengthen corporate messages to existing and new audiences. Going forward, we stay in very regular contact with management, and remain abreast of corporate and industry developments and their impact on management’s expectations so we can fine-tune the communications program and adapt investor outreach as appropriate.

How and how often will the firm communicate activities to me?

At the end of each month our clients receive a detailed summary of activities performed on their behalf. Also, we are in continuous contact with our clients via phone and email and are available 24/7.

We are extremely responsive and transparent to our clients. They never have to wonder what we are doing for them.

Under what circumstances has the firm been disengaged?

Of the ones that got away, the great majority were acquired by larger companies. Some clients have fallen on hard times and IR, along with other discretionary costs, was cut. We rarely lose clients to another IR firm.