By Dominic Jones
THE National Investor Relations Institute’s (NIRI) annual conference is in full swing at the Grand Lakes Resort in Orlando,
Florida, and once again it’s time for vendors to trot out their new products and make major announcements.
So here are the annual conference news releases from a variety of vendors (with notes from me in italics.)
Most overwritten, hype-filled release
Disclosure Advisory Board Advocates Full Disclosure of All Public Company Shareholders
… the Board contends that lack of shareholder identity disclosure is negatively affecting the U.S. capital markets by allowing destructive behaviors to go unchecked, putting the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage on the world stage… Lack of investor information exposes shares to potential price manipulation from unknown holders with unknown intentions, increasing a company’s vulnerability to takeovers and proxy fights. This cloak of investor secrecy also makes companies susceptible to the agenda of hedge funds and other short-term holders who may provoke actions not favorable to longer-term business objectives. … In an era of ‘right to know’ advocacy, U.S. public companies should have the right to know who their shareholders are. …As shareholders cry out for majority voting or for a “say on pay,” the embargo on direct communications with investors is disadvantaging companies and corporate boards of directors, and even shareholders themselves.
(Will someone please remind the insecure ingrates that shareholders have rights and companies have obligations born of the privilege of being allowed to use the public’s money. Companies should stop whining and just be grateful they have shareholders to begin with. And, oh, public companies belong to the shareholders, not to management. If shareholders thought confidentiality was a problem, they’d do something about it. — ed.)
Tackiest release
NASDAQ to Open Its Market Remotely From the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) Annual Conference
NASDAQ President & CEO Bob Greifeld and NIRI Interim CEO Linda Kelleher will ring the NASDAQ opening bell remotely from the NIRI Annual Conference at the Grand Lakes Resort in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday, June 5th at 9:30 a.m. (EST).
(I guess we’re doing this because U.S. exchanges don’t have any new listings to do the honors. — ed.)
Least interesting/most pitched release
CCNMatthews Now Called Marketwire
The decision to re-brand under the Marketwire name is a result of extensive research commissioned by CCNMatthews and underscores the company’s global strategy.
(Sent to me twice via email today — ed.)
Most interesting/least pitched release
Marketwire Becomes Exclusive Newswire Feed for Dashboard Mobile Financial(TM)
Dashboard Mobile Financial is the first RSS-based mobile reader designed exclusively for investment dealers, their staff and clients. It aggregates investment dealer research and makes it possible to open and read full reports, including charts and graphs, scan thumbnails, and open specific pages or images on BlackBerry mobile devices. In addition to the institutional marketplace, Dashboard Mobile Financial is now distributed to retail financial advisors and top retail clients of advisors.
(Ironically, this one I found on my own and it was not sent to me by Marketwire’s PR firm. Go figure — ed.)
Least transparent release
NASDAQ Announces Investor Analysis Service
Pinpoint Market Intelligence is an informed analysis of institutional purchases and sales of a specific stock. This analysis of trading is provided on a confidential basis to the issuer and is used for ongoing measurement and benchmarking of investor relations program effectiveness, and prioritizing management and staff time spent with investors. Pinpoint Market Intelligence will be available to all public companies and delivered to NASDAQ-listed companies through the Market Intelligence Desk (MID).
(Will somebody please translate this Shareholderdotcom-ese into plain English? — ed.)
Most surprising release
Roadcast Hits the Road in 2007; Puts CEOs and CFOs in Front of Analysts and Investors 24/7
Roadcast Group comprises a suite of online and video-based investor relations and corporate communications tools and services, such as virtual management presentations, which combine video of management’s pitch to investors with animated graphics and easy-to-use online interactivity, as well as interactive annual reports, which package video and graphics with an online version of an annual report. The Roadcast products have been in beta stage for over a year, including several successful client launches.
(It’s surprising because I’ve never heard of this company — ed.)
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