Plan Now for the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
For 31 years running, the mosh-pit that is J.P. Morgan’s Healthcare Conference kicks off the new year. In addition to the more than 400 companies that officially present, the conference attracts countless other healthcare companies looking to meet with the investment community. It is also the only event that attracts sell-side analysts and investment bankers from all corners of Wall Street.
With all the players in the healthcare investment community converging on San Francisco in early January, the upcoming conference, held January 13 to 16, 2014, is what Forbes referred to last year as “the Burning Man of biotechnology” — that is, it’s “more relevant than ever.” To help you make the most of your time, consider these tips, and start planning today.
Refresh your investor deck. As the first event of the year, the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is a prime time to roll out a reworked and re-energized investor presentation to best reflect your current story. Take a look at one of our other posts, Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Corporate Presentation, for pointers. Essentially, you have two months to get your investor deck in order, and Westwicke can help.
Strategize your schedule. Don’t just rely on the institutional meetings arranged by the conference coordinators. Use the week to meet with analysts and bankers, as well. Every analyst in the healthcare space will be in San Francisco, so you can catch up with analysts who cover your stock or meet with those analysts you hope will start covering you.
Broaden your network of banking relationships by scheduling meetings with bankers you want to know, and those you already know. While we recognize that everyone is busy during the day, attendees are always interested in evening events. Reach out to an analyst to see if they would like to host a small group event, like a dinner or cocktails, for investors.
Don’t leave your business development team at home. In addition to your investor relations efforts, J.P. Morgan’s Healthcare Conference is a great opportunity for business development. Many companies bring along not only senior management but also their business development team to meet with and assess potential opportunities. We suggest working with your banker in advance to line up meetings that would be interesting from an acquisition or partnership perspective.
Although J.P. Morgan can be a grueling and demanding schedule, it can also be an effective way for any public or private healthcare company to start the new year. Since the vast majority of the healthcare ecosystem will be in attendance, this is your chance to schedule many interactions with your bankers, analysts, shareholders, potential shareholders, acquisition targets, and, yes, even your competition.
With proper advanced planning and a pair of comfortable walking shoes, you can make J.P. Morgan 2014 one of the most productive weeks of the year. Please give us a call and let us explain how we can help you plan for a highly productive week in San Francisco. Get in touch with Westwicke.
Asher Dewhurst is a Managing Director on ICR Westwicke's healthcare services and healthcare technology teams. He has extensive experience in equity research with a focus on all aspects of healthcare services. He has a BS in finance from the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida.
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