WESTPORT, Conn., Dec. 9, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rivel Research Group's third biannual Intelligence Council Conference attracted a record turnout of senior-level investor relations professionals who gained a wealth of insight on IRO compensation, best practices in IR and capital deployment, among others. "This event was by far the most attended conference we have held here at Rivel, and the topics we covered were considerably relevant to what IROs are dealing with in their profession today," said Rivel President Brian Rivel.
"Compensation is always a hot topic that transcends any industry, so for us to have preliminary research for the investor relations space was very insightful for the audience," added Rivel. While the final report will not be available until after the New Year, conference attendees were able to learn about IR budgets, salary and bonus structures, IR industry demographics and how an IRO's performance should be judged.
This third installment of the IC conference held December 6, 2010 in Times Square, also included the Inaugural Rivel 5.0 Awards, which honor management teams and IR executives who excel in their profession, according to the investment community. Among the 19 award winners, Entergy won four 5.0 awards (and two honorable mentions), Cognizant won three 5.0 awards to go along with one honorable mention, and Philip Morris International took home two 5.0 award wins.
"Our Rivel 5.0 program encompasses senior executives that excel on management characteristics like credibility and capability and IR professionals who exhibit best-in-class investor relations practices," said Rivel. "And performance on these measurements is determined solely by the investment community through our perception studies. This is not simply a popularity contest, it's Wall Street that is distinguishing who is the best of the best." Learn more about Rivel 5.0 here.
Other highlights from the conference included:
- The overarching message the investment community needs to see in company communications
- The necessary components of guidance
- Elements that make an earnings call a success in the eyes of the buy-side and senior-level IROs
- IR's evolving role in determining company valuation
In addition, the day was highlighted by insights derived from a distinguished buy-side panel, offering attendees the opportunity to discuss the buy-side's views on earnings calls, capital deployment and best-in-class IR programs. Panelists included: John Barr of Needham & Company, Michael Dion of UBS, Rasmus Gerdeman of Neuberger Berman, John McMillin of Lord Abbett and Randy Simpson of Glenview.
"Taking nothing away from our previous conferences, the information coming out of this event was extremely valuable to any person working in investor relations today," remarked Rivel's Executive Vice President and Head of Research Jim Peebles. "Having the buy-side analysts working alongside such senior-level IROs was highly productive and informative, plus we were able to reach solid conclusions on what comprises the best practices in the IR industry today."
The conference provided Rivel Research Group with a mandate to further leverage the Intelligence Council by expanding the IC program to include representative European buy-side interviews into the quarterly pool of U.S. buy-side institutional investor sentiment. For its next conference in late June 2011, Rivel will investigate the importance of quiet periods, the best crisis management practices, the most valued aspects of IR websites and guidance practices.
For a summary of the event's discussions or for information about Rivel's Intelligence Council, please contact Barbara Sullivan, Director of Marketing, at (203) 635-4383 or bsullivan@rivel.com.
About Rivel Research Group
Rivel Research Group specializes in delivering actionable insight based on in-depth measurements of the global investment community. Gathering, analyzing and interpreting investment community feedback is our only business. Rivel's highly experienced staff provides the well-informed, unbiased and strategically relevant intelligence companies need to effectively communicate with such important constituencies as sell-side analysts, buy-side analysts, portfolio managers, the financial media and other influential audiences. The comprehensive information that Rivel supplies enables companies to evaluate performance, formulate strategy and identify opportunities to achieve corporate objectives directed toward these groups. Additional information concerning Rivel is available on its website at
The Rivel Research Group logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7269
About the Intelligence Council
Rivel's Intelligence Council is the only program of its kind that involves the perspective of the buy-side in the discussion of what is best-in-class investor relations. Most programs that exist today use peer-based information to uncover what is a "best" practice, which is more of a "common" practice rather than a "best" practice. By understanding buy-side needs, the Intelligence Council provides a better platform to connect with peers on discussion. It is no longer about what everybody else is doing, rather the question becomes, "What does the investment community expect and how does this correlate with what is currently provided?"
CONTACT: Rivel Research Group Barbara Sullivan, Director of Marketing (203) 635-4383