Series 3: Ep 5: How Well-structured, Consistent Messaging can Help Companies Capture Investor Attention with Matt Hudson

Enquire, the Investor Relations podcast

Matt Hudson is a portfolio manager at River Global Investors, and he joins us today to explain his company’s priorities, processes, and outlook for the year ahead. We learn about River Global’s business cycle framework, its multi-cap approach, how the company conducts its research, and the way it processes large volumes of information in today’s digital age. Matt then shares some information on what IR departments and other companies could be doing to get noticed by River Global, including the importance of consistency. Our guest also walks us through his company’s process for interacting with RNS statements, dealing with adjustments, and how it optimizes channels of communication with clients. To end, Matt shares his thoughts on the current state of the UK equity market and what he expects in 2024, how the industry is coping with an unprecedented high-number of outflows, what he thinks about current government interventions, and his parting words of advice.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Matt’s investment process, and the focus of River Global’s UK Equity Income Fund.
• A bit more on his business cycle framework and the idea behind his multi-cap approach.
• How River Global goes about its research, how it handles large volumes of information.
• What companies can do to increase their chances of being noticed by River Global.
• The specifics that Matt and his team are looking for in investor presentations.
• How he interacts with RNS statements, and how River Global deals with adjustments.
• The value of capital markets days and site visits.
• Why face-to-face is River Global’s preferred method of interaction with other companies.
• Matt’s advice for what to do before and after a meeting with River Global.
• Guidelines for optimal communication.
• His thoughts on the current state of the UK equity market and his outlook for 2024.
• How the market is dealing with record-high outflows.
• River Global’s IPO selection process, and its views on current government initiatives
• Matt’s parting words of encouragement and advice.

Quotes:

“It’s about thinking about which areas of the market are going to outperform over the next two to three years, and then moving the portfolio in that direction.” — Matt Hudson [0:01:28]
“If you want feedback that’s useful, ask specific questions.” — Matt Hudson [0:21:00]
“The quality is higher, the leverage is lower, and the sustainability of [UK] dividends is a lot higher than it has been.” — Matt Hudson [0:28:11]
“UK equity income has been quietly outperforming the companies space over the last three years, five years, even over ten years. UK income, having had its challenges, is beginning to outperform even within this UK investor base.” — Matt Hudson [0:28:34]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Matt Hudson on LinkedIn
River Global
Equitory