Public Company Investor Relations Case Study

investor relations campaign case study | RPM International investor communications

Investor Relations Campaign Engages Retail Base for Global, NYSE-Listed Company

RPM International Inc.

Challenge:

At the time of this campaign, RPM International Inc. was a $5-billion, NYSE-listed global leader in specialty coatings, sealants and building materials. Its leading consumer brands include Rust-Oleum, DAP and Zinsser. Since its founding in 1947, RPM has long valued its strong base of individual retail investors who, in general, tend to be more loyal and less volatile traders compared to their institutional counterparts, in turn helping to stabilize stock pricing and provide balance to the shareholder mix. RPM charged its agency of record, Roop & Co., with developing an investor relations campaign that would engage its retail investor base.

Solution:

In order to determine a communications approach that would resonate best with retail investors, Roop & Co. surveyed 1,600 of RPM’s shareholders of record. Key findings of this survey shaped key messaging, communication channels and the strategic investor communications plan. The main campaign tactics included:

investor relations campaign case study | annual report, public company

TACTIC #1: Maintaining current efforts that have proven to be successful. These include an annual meeting of shareholders that attracts nearly 1,000 investors through a “show-time” atmosphere, free product samples and ample refreshments; an annual report that eschews the movement toward more “10k wraps”; printed quarterly reports to shareholders upon request; and regular news coverage in targeted media.

investor relations campaign case study | website redesign, public company

TACTIC #2: Enhancing RPM’s digital presence with a redesign of its corporate website, development of a mobile-friendly version and a significant boost in social media efforts.

investor relations campaign case study | trade shows, advertising, public company

TACTIC #3: Increasing participation in investor trade shows, as well as advertising aimed at retail investors.

Results:

Retail Investors

330

Website Page Views

Stock Price

In just one year, RPM’s individual retail investors increased by 19%. The goal to expand the public company’s retail base through digital communications was reflected in a 164% jump in website traffic and a 330% boost in page views during the eight-month period following the launch of RPM’s new website. In addition, RPM’s stock price and market cap were tracked as part of the investor relations campaign and, although much of their performance was directed correlated to the company’s financial results, our investor communications initiatives did have some impact. By our campaign’s conclusion, its stock price had increased by 28% and the market cap rose 30%.

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