ICR Westwicke is the largest healthcare focused investor relations firm in the country. We provide customized investor relations programs and independent capital markets advice to small and mid-cap healthcare companies.
According to some experts, the past several months have created more change in the IPO market than the last 25 to 30 years. In the recent webinar hosted by ICR Capital and Davis Polk, those experts discussed what they’ve seen in the IPO market recently, changes to standard IPO processes, and what’s to come for IPOs during the remainder of the year.
There are many things public companies must consider when disseminating news. What is the most appropriate vehicle to disclose news to investors? In some instances, you will need to file a Form 8-K, the disclosure from the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). Sometimes, the news will necessitate issuing a press release. And sometimes, you will file both.
For much of the first half of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic ground most business to a halt. Biotech innovation, however, has continued in full force. Even during the turbulent first few months of the year, biotech companies have moved forward with successful IPOs.
The pandemic isn’t over, however, and cases continue to rise in parts of the U.S. What will that mean for IPOs in the second half of the year?
Today, potential investors who are interested in learning about your company will likely visit your website before anything else. To make a good first impression, your investor relations website should be informative, appealing, and easy to navigate. This will allow investors to quickly understand all the fundamentals of your business before setting up a time to meet with management.
Properly handled relationships with Wall Street analysts can play a key role in a company’s investor relations plan and overall success. However, missteps can create unnecessary problems — especially considering that analysts may share anything you say with the public markets — so executives should approach these relationships carefully. Use the checklist below to maintain effective analyst communications.
Guidance has long been a key component of any investor relations program. However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, companies in different industries are now in very different positions in regards to their ability to provide guidance. Some companies may be opting to make changes to their disclosures and areas of focus; others are choosing to suspend guidance until things return to some level of normalcy and predictability.
With coronavirus spread on the rise, we’ve only begun to see the impact in the U.S. and witness its full expression in the world. These are, without question, uncertain times. And people are actively searching for information online: “coronavirus” may be the largest Google search trend in history, and every 45 milliseconds someone searches the term “coronavirus” on Twitter. There is information overload and a serious appetite for more.
Over the past few weeks, cities, states, and businesses have begun taking measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19. For many companies, that means encouraging or requiring employees to work from home. For others, it means cancelling conferences, meetings, and investor days.
During the year (or more) before your company goes public, you’ll be in a constant state of activity, from building relationships with investors, bankers, and sell-side analysts, to engaging in test-the-waters meetings. However, once your S-1 flips public, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that you wait 15 days before your road show begins. That doesn’t mean you should sit back and relax, though. Use this checklist to maintain your company’s momentum and progress during this time.
Financial markets are notoriously difficult to predict. However, armed with decades of Wall Street experience, our investor relations professionals know what can create a strong IPO market — and what can close that window of opportunity.
As we enter the new year, there are several factors to consider for companies that may be considering an IPO. Based on our experience, here are our predictions for the life sciences IPO market in 2020.
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