expert guidance with integrity
Why us
Partnering with us means access to expert strategies that accelerate your company's growth. We take pride in always doing the right thing for our clients — without commercial or financial incentives. To ensure this, we are fully transparent about performance, outcomes, fees, and outside costs, and only advise expenditures when the value and benefit can be quantified, qualified, and measured. Additionally, we hold ourselves accountable for our actions, and hold others accountable for theirs. We do all of this because we are not only passionate about what we do, but we genuinely care about our clients, and their success.
Investor relations is all about insight, access, and a strong attention to detail, coupled with the power of narrative, to move markets and market makers. With extensive buyside and sellside relationships across North America, the UK and in the EU, we have access to a large network of institutional investors, high net worth individuals, family offices, hedge funds and industry-specific portfolio funds that are always looking for new ideas in the small to midcap asset classes. It’s this kind of knowledge, passion and real-world experience that drives results for our clients.
Our perspective on IR
Investor relations entails myriad activities from the development of strategic messaging, creating a compelling equity story to market perception, REG FD training, corporate actions, shareholder ownership analysis, ESG, ADR contract negotiations, and much more. Whether you need an IR strategy for an upcoming IPO, a capital raise or a recalibration of your capital market communications program, our multidisciplined team can advise you on the best course of action.
Our ability to advise, shape and deliver marketing-led investor relations programs is a cost-effective outsourced solution to hiring an in-house IRO. Essentially we function as your dedicated IRO. We also provide project-based consulting for US and Canadian companies and non-US issuers interested in tapping into the North American markets.
Why you need IR
Markets are more efficient through the timley creation and dissemination of accurate and relevant information delivered decisively across mutiple channels. The most crucial component of any successful investor relations program is a solid investment case. Corporate narratives are always changing, affected by news about the company — starting with earnings reports, financial filings and extending to announcements about strategy, investment, financing and dividend policy. The extend to which these announcements affect a company’s narrative and value will vary, and can change a story in positive and negative ways.
Reaction in the markets is more of a pricing game, and a news story can cause large pricing swings without much change to value. On the other hand, it could cause large value changes which may have little price effect. To the extent you can control things that are within your control, management must realize it plays an active role in setting company narrative. However, its important to note that outside news about a company can affect both value and price.
Void of research and planning, many companies make hasty and ill-advised decisions that adversely impact their enterprise value. This, like much of our advice, is grounded in real-world global experience and targeted research, namely talking directly with investors about your company, its value proposition, strategy, operations, and why your company is a good investment opportunity. We also provide comms training and support based on a candid feedback loop, that helps you effectively communicate your value proposition at every touchpoint with investors: from news releases to earnings calls to 1:1 meetings.
Building an Active Market: IR by HA
Adjust, pivot and charge forward: this is how our carefully calibrated, effectively executed and continually refined IR program can help you create a competitive edge that produces measurable results.
IR by HA is our 5-step approach to investor relations that is designed to compound impact over time. We proactively facilitate relationships between current and prospective investors, the senior leadership team and the broader financial community to create differentiated value through credibility, trust and understanding. It focuses on three core tenets: visibility, connection and optimization.
With IR by HA, smaller, less-known companies gain credibility, attract capital, and foster long-term relationships with key stakeholders. ucceed, we succeed.
Messaging & Communications
Constructing a strong value proposition that balances your current capabilities with your future aspirations is both an art and a science. It needs to be simple yet powerful and easily translated into any type of information investors may need as inputs into their valuation models.
One message does not suit every investor. By incorporating one or more key value drivers (growth, efficiency, and financial) into a specific message, you will have a better chance of breaking through the noise and reaching a specific investor audience (growth, value, and income investors).
IPO Planning & Roadshows
Pre-IPO planning is a crucial stage for any company wishing to tap the capital markets for funding growth and accessing liquidity. Harbor Access can guide you through the entire process starting by clearly articulating your investment value proposition before engaging the outside world. Leveraging our institutional relationships and using our state-of-the-art roadshow software can help your offering succeed in a crowded market.
Our expertise
ESG
The recent backlash against ESG in the US is unmistakable. More than one-third of states have passed anti-ESG laws in 2023, most ESG-related shareholder proposals failed to garner majority support, new lawsuits have been filed challenging companies’ ESG-related activities and decisions, and some companies seem to be distancing themselves from the term “ESG” itself. But despite a heavy stream of opinion and action, the business case for incorporating non-financial metrics into an evaluation of a company’s risk and opportunity profile (the very crux of ESG efforts) remains clear.
Coverage & Investor Access
Focusing on specific investors, conferences or geographical regions is often key to improved shareholder or geographical diversification. Investor Access has long been the domain of the sellside, with varying degrees of success. We know the right investors for our clients, whether hedge funds or long-onlys, and can arrange both in-person and virtual meetings or NDRs. Using the latest tech we aggregate investor engagements that take place across the capital markets landscape. The platforms we use can uncover the activity and behaviors of potential investors that matter, alerting your team to new investors and current shareholders who need attention.
Investor Targeting & Analysis
Investor targeting and analysis are key to finding, identifying, and reaching the right investors at the right time to maximize shareholder value. This is also helpful when prioritizing meetings at equity conferences. Our approach to investor targeting starts with an ownership analysis because the right ownership mix can contribute to an optimal market valuation. Next, we perform a mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis to derive better insights and generate actionable intelligence. Select meetings with investment bankers, analysts, and other market participants allow you to share your investment story which translates into greater value for all shareholders.
Outsourced IR Programs
From investor communications, presentations and meetings to earnings press releases, conference call scripts, annual reports, and content for IR websites, we build and run cost-effective investor relations programs for small and mid-cap companies who need to differentiate themselves in the market. We focus on five core areas: Strategic Positioning and Messaging, Communications, Investor Access, Capital Markets Feedback, Disclosure, Performance, and Measurement.