Annual Reports
In recent years, highly-produced corporate annual reports have been at least modestly marginalized, if not superseded completely by the increasingly ubiquitous "10-k Wrap." There is little question that production costs are a factor, as well as the conventional wisdom that the Financial Community is only concerned with "the back of the book."
Stern And Company's view is that appropriate structure and discipline applied to production schedules will maintain the production budget, i.e. eliminate rush or overtime printing charges. But more importantly, a well-written, appropriately informative annual report will potentially add the "color" that just might attract institutional investors, as well as securities analysts to consider the company. We also believe that an annual report should be treated much like a news release and should be "merchandised" to a company's key publics. Without that component, it's simply another of piece of mail.
In order to make an annual report a more compelling document, Stern And Company designs the content to provide elements key constituencies require to make informed decisions. Among those components:
Annual Reports Corporate Annual ReportsFinancial Communications Corporate Strategies Stern And Company A Stern Glance Las Vegas PR Firms
Stern And Company's view is that appropriate structure and discipline applied to production schedules will maintain the production budget, i.e. eliminate rush or overtime printing charges. But more importantly, a well-written, appropriately informative annual report will potentially add the "color" that just might attract institutional investors, as well as securities analysts to consider the company. We also believe that an annual report should be treated much like a news release and should be "merchandised" to a company's key publics. Without that component, it's simply another of piece of mail.
In order to make an annual report a more compelling document, Stern And Company designs the content to provide elements key constituencies require to make informed decisions. Among those components:
- A specific discussion of the company's strategy. This component is often incorporated in the Chairman's or Chief Executive Officer's message, and as such is frequently vague or platitudinous. The discussion of strategy must communicate how the company's approach is nimble and dynamic enough to take advantage of turns in the business and economic environment. Consideration should be given to making this discussion a prominent sidebar or even a separate page.
- Economic Drivers: Rarely do we see specifics regarding the economy in annual reports. For example, each month unemployment, new orders for manufactured goods and retail sales are reported by the Federal Government. Often these economic indicators have an impact on the stock market as a whole, but do they impact your company specifically. A discussion of those indicators that do or can have an effect can mitigate, or enhance that impact, if investors have a clear understanding of the company's drivers. There's an argument to be made that all economic drivers impact business. However, defining the subtleties inherent, as well as the specific drivers will, over time, provide a company with the best possible opportunity for greater control over investors' perceptions derived from the economy.
Stern And Company has substantive experience in developing and writing annual reports for companies of all sizes, at remarkably cost-effective fee structures. Please feel free to contact us through our websites, Stern And Company or A Stern Glance.
Annual Reports Corporate Annual ReportsFinancial Communications Corporate Strategies Stern And Company A Stern Glance Las Vegas PR Firms
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