On average, small public companies struggle to raise capital at attractive terms, often hampered by low liquidity, a shrinking pool of investors and lower fees (hence incentive) for investment banks.
But some small public companies overcome that trend, effortlessly raising capital at attractive terms. While they make the process look painless, behind the success is years of preparation. Digging below the surface, a unifying theme among these companies is often long-term and consistent engagement with Wall Street, anchored by an effective investor relations program.
Unlike larger companies, smaller companies do not have the luxury of turning on the capital spigot at will. Without a sustained investor relations program, not much water comes out, and the water that does drip down might not be wise to drink. So, a small company must proactively build its own flow of educated investors to ensure that there’s a ready and willing audience when it’s time to raise capital.
Fundamental investors are more likely to invest at attractive terms, but desirable investors need high conviction and confidence to be comfortable investing in a microcap stock which frequently requires a longer term commitment. No matter how compelling a CEO is, the ability to instill that level of conviction in just one meeting is a tall order. More frequently, investor enthusiasm and confidence is built over time.
At IMS, we regularly help clients secure equity financing at extremely attractive terms. Some keys to this success are:
· Build and consistently refresh the stream of interested investors – Focus investor targeting on educating investors who can purchase shares in the open market. Importantly, these investors are also the best candidates to provide new capital down the road. Furthermore, selectively build relationships with larger investors who are limited in their ability to purchase open market shares, but can establish a position via block purchases.
· Tap into your ready-made pool of investors when capital needs arise – Consistent and credible investor relations groundwork pays huge dividends when it comes time to accessing capital. A few examples:
A client needed $15 million in equity to secure a transformative acquisition. Three shareholders who were introduced to the company by IMS welcomed the opportunity to enhance their ownership and moved quickly because they were educated about the business. The capital was raised at very attractive terms.
IMS was engaged by a small military contractor and quickly helped the company build relationships with numerous quality investors via roadshows and phone introductions. Months later, the company completed a small, fully-registered deal, with a meaningful percentage of the investors coming from its previous investor relations activity.
· Keep the capital structure simple – Complicated structures with preferred and convertible shares, while attractive on paper, can limit equity trading and become an easy excuse for an investor not to purchase common stock. Companies who employ simple capital structures raise capital faster and at better terms.
The right capital is out there. Effortlessly tapping into that capital at the right time can be a massive return on investment of a thoughtful investor relations program.
John Nesbett, President, IMS Investor Relations