Investor Relations (IR) teams and corporate issuers are facing significant challenges and uncertainty as they plan for 2023, according to a new S&P Global Market Intelligence report released today. The newly published report, 2023 Issuer & Investor Relations Outlook, is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Big Picture 2023 Outlook Report Series.  

The new report highlights critical challenges corporate issuers are facing, including global stock market declines, recessionary fears, budgetary constraints, and other macroeconomic challenges. The report also provides insights into five key areas that Investor Relations teams and corporate issuers should focus on as they enter next year.

“The challenging macroeconomic environment, fears of recession and market volatility driven by institutional, hedge fund and retail activity will result in intense competition for capital next year,” said Kelly McGeehan, Global Head of Issuer Solutions & Broker Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “At the same time, Investor Relations teams are actively looking for ways to optimize investor interactions in a post-pandemic world, continuing to focus on sustainability-related narratives and preparing for the possibility of shareholder activism.”

Key highlights from the report include:

• Investor outreach will require both offensive and defensive strategies to ensure that companies are targeting effectively to attract the right investors to match their equity story.
• Executive time and resources will be limited, so teams will need to balance in-person and hybrid shareholder engagement to keep investors updated on their business performance and strategic outlook.
• Companies will be required to provide a robust and up to date ESG plan, integrating existing business and risk management strategies, benchmarking against peers, and managing regulatory and market expectations.
• Shareholder activism campaigns reached a record high of 777 in the first half of 2022, of which 75 percent included an ESG component. Shareholder activism will continue to play a significant role in 2023, and corporate issuers will need to prepare for the possibility of activist interest in their company’s stock.