Through our work with listed companies around the world, we have distilled what we believe are the twenty-five most important questions investors expect a public company to answer. A large majority of these questions were addressed in the award-winning Annual Report of UK-listed Norcros.
Traditionally, companies have responded to these questions across sections such as the Business Overview and Management Discussion & Analysis. Increasingly, however—particularly across Europe—companies are moving away from this conventional structure. Instead, they are choosing to address these questions more directly, either by grouping content around key thematic areas or by adopting a clear, conversational Q&A format with the management team.
Using our interactive Annual Reports platform, we equip companies with the tools to structure and answer these critical questions effectively. We work with investor relations teams to decide on the key questions, and then executive teams complete their responses directly within the platform. Next, our editorial team refines the content to ensure it is clear, consistent, and publication-ready for annual or interim reporting. Finally, our design team enhances the narrative through high-quality visual storytelling, bringing the content to life for investors and stakeholders.
The key questions for investors
Strategy & business model
1. What problem does the company solve, and for whom?
2. How does the company make money today?
3. What are the company’s key competitive advantages (and how defensible are they)?
4. What markets does the company operate in, and how attractive are they?
5. What are the key strategic KPIs and how did they perform this year?
6. What is the long-term strategy, and how has it evolved this year?
Performance & financial health
7. What are the key financial KPIs and how did they perform this year?
8. What are the main drivers of revenue growth or decline?
9. How sustainable are margins and profitability?
10. What is the company’s cash flow position and capital allocation strategy?
11. What return is the company generating on invested capital?
Risk & resilience
12. What are the principal risks facing the business today?
13. How exposed is the company to macroeconomic, geopolitical, or regulatory change?
14. How resilient is the business model under stress scenarios?
15. What dependencies (customers, suppliers, technology, talent) pose concentration risk?
16. How is risk identified, monitored, and mitigated by management?
Governance & leadership
17. Who is running the company, and do they have the right experience?
18. How aligned is executive compensation with long-term shareholder value?
19. How independent and effective is the board?
20. What is the company’s culture, and how does leadership reinforce it?
21. How does the company ensure ethical conduct and regulatory compliance?
ESG & stakeholders
22. How does the company manage environmental and social impacts material to the business?
23. How does the company engage with key stakeholders (employees, customers, regulators)?
Outlook & capital markets
24. What does management expect over the next 12–36 months, and why?
25. Why should an investor own this company versus alternatives today?
Contact us to start a conversation about enhancing the content, design, and impact of your interim and annual reports—and make the reporting process simpler for your team.