How to Maximize Value from Company-Sponsored Equity Research

Corporate-funded stock research has turned out to be a key tool for narrowing the information asymmetry in today’s cutthroat financial environment. Funded research reports give companies a chance to report on details about their activity, future opportunities, and position, thus generating trust in the market. To fully leverage this research, businesses must study the topic well and take the right steps.

Understanding Company Sponsored Equity Research

Company-sponsored equity research firm provides analysis and recommendations on a stock and the company pays for the research. In contrast to other methods of research, the institution does not produce the reports on its own but focuses on the sponsoring company intensely at all stages of this process. There are arguments about objectivity but ethical firms and companies are committed and follow a set of guidelines to make a strong research pool.

The Advantages of Company-Sponsored Equity Research

Enhanced Visibility:
Small and mid-cap firms require greater market visibility to attract analyst attention, which has been established in prior studies. Sponsored research draws the attention of investors to these businesses making them easily noticeable among all the other existing ones.

Improved Investor Relations:
Their credibility ensures existing and potential investors trust the firm and invest in the long run because the reports present all the necessary information.

Strategic Positioning:
The reports outline the competitive advantages of a company in a certain location, its substantial financial standing, and the plans of the company in terms of expansion.

Strategies to Maximize Value

Partner with a Credible Research Firm:

Not all research firms are the same; there is a high level of variation between the research firms. Hiring the service of a credible, independent, and professional equity research firm helps enhance investors’ confidence in the issuing company. When one searches for such firms, one must choose firms that have a good record, specialize in that particular industry, and firms that have respect for the laws governing such industry.

Provide Comprehensive Information:

The credibility of the study depends on the information given. Report the results of financial performance and market analysis and provide insights into management and operational achievements to support analysis in detail.

Target the Right Audience:

Investor demographic is another important factor that you should consider during investment. At any level, institutional or retail or specific interest groups, the research should cater to their needs and worries.

Leverage Multiple Channels:

To optimize outreach, publish the results of a study on the official website of the company, so people could find it easily. Also, it will be shared on other social media platforms to reach out to the various investors demographically and enhance exposure. Sharing this information in investor meetings or conferencing also provides the company with strengths that help build confidence among investors.

Align Research with Corporate Goals:

Always leverage the sponsored research to explain the vision, mission, and direction of the company. To support their credibility, the message should be aligned with the company’s strategic goals and objectives.

Addressing Concerns About Bias

Choose Ethical Firms: Select firms that boast an ethical standard of policy and practice.

Maintain Transparency: It is crucial to reveal the sponsorship of the survey and stress the impartiality of the study findings.

Focus on Facts: To reduce skepticism the research should be grounded in available data and hard facts.

Case Study: Success through Sponsored Research

Let’s look at an example of a mid-sized technology company that needs to attract international investors. They enlisted the services of a consultancy company that has a research arm and came up with a report on their innovations in products as well as an increase in market size. Due to the right placement, the report got into the hands of the foreign investors hence increasing the stock activity and massive expansion of international funds shareholding.

Sustained improvement on a fresh approach

Regular Updates: Schedule the next research when there is a new achievement, a new product, or when there is any change in the market.

Feedback Integration: Collect data from investors and ensure that expectations formed from the reports are contained in the following reports.

An effective company-sponsored equity research program is a boon for organizations that want to scale up their market exposure and investor outreach. Therefore, when engaging a credible firm, offering detailed data about their operations and adequately marketing the research, corporate entities can reveal a lot of value.

All in all, transparency, credibility, as well as strategic alignment, are the key success factors that allow businesses to establish sustainable investor trust and fulfill financial objectives.

AN TRAN SHELMIRE

Research Analyst

SAVANNAH BEAVER

TOM BAKER

Senior Advisor, IR & Communications

Tom is the CEO and cofounder of Reportable, a corporate communications and competitive intelligence software and service. Reportable is helping companies across all industries ranging from top venture-backed startups to publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. Tom has more than 20 years of experience working in corporate communications and investor relations for biotech and medical device companies. Tom graduated UCSD with a B.S. in Pharmacological Chemistry. An avid surfer, Tom grew up in San Diego and currently lives in the Boston area with his wife Melissa and 3 young boys.

LOUISE SHELMIRE

Compliance Advisor

Louise has been employed at Stonegate Capital Markets since 2018 as an independent contractor for compliance functions. Louise was previously with Tradestar Investments and Stockcross Financial Services. She has served as a Sales manager and Compliance Principal. Louise graduated with a BA from Louisiana State University. She currently holds FINRA Series 7, 63, 24, 53, 4, 65 and 9/10 licenses and is currently on a roster available to serve as a FINRA arbitrator.

TABER WETZ

M&A Due Diligence

Taber is a seasoned finance executive with relevant experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and system implementations. He specializes in helping small and midsize companies grow by developing actionable recommendations for operational improvement. Taber has held senior roles such as CFO and COO for public companies ranging from $1 million to $100 million, and President of a merchant bank that raised over $75 million for an alternative energy startup. He earned his BS in Finance/Accounting from Oklahoma State University. Additionally, Taber has led four reverse mergers into public markets, developed and raised over $75 million in seasoned offerings, and successfully implemented POS and accounting systems for multiple companies. His expertise includes financial planning, risk management, and business development, driving significant growth and operational efficiency.

CHRIS GAUVIN

M&A Due Diligence

Chris is a strategic finance executive with extensive experience in accounting, finance, information systems, and strategy. He specializes in helping small and medium-sized companies grow by clarifying strategic vision and creating scalable processes. Chris has held senior roles such as Divisional CFO for a $200 million P&L, VP of Finance at a healthcare startup, and Director of M&A for a $1.5 billion public entity. He earned his Master of Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and a BBA from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Chris has led financial planning models for companies scaling rapidly, managed over 250 business valuation and due diligence transactions, and spearheaded strategic planning processes for entities with revenues exceeding $1 billion.

PAUL WHITLEY

Strategic Advisor, Stonegate Inc.

Managing Member CFO / COO / CRO
C‐Suite Support Inc.

Paul is a strategic Fractional CFO and Transformational Technology Leader. He joined Stonegate Capital Partners in 2024. His primary responsibilities include driving business growth through financial, operational, and digital transformation initiatives, as well as implementing quality of earnings assessments, preparing Confidential Information Memorandums (CIM), and providing valuation methodologies. Paul previously held senior roles in various high-profile companies, including Senior VP at a $2 billion hedge fund and CFO/COO at a $180 million public company. He earned his MBA in Internet Technology and E-Commerce from the University of Dallas and a BBA in Finance/Accounting from the University of North Texas. Paul is also known for his extensive experience in growing and sustaining shareholder value, system implementations, and mergers and acquisitions.

BOLTON CORWIN

Analyst, M&A Group

Bolton joined Stonegate in 2024. He attended the University of Oklahoma and studied in the school of Business. Bolton works with the Stonegate’s M&A group, interacting with private equity firms and family offices on Stonegate’s buy-side and sell-side transactional business.

ROBIN AGIR

Associate, Institutional Sales

Robin is an institutional sales associate. He joined Stonegate in 2022. He was formerly with SRG Capital Partners. He graduated from The University of North Texas with a degree in marketing and communications.

ROBERT LYNCH

Associate, Institutional Sales & Research

Robert joined Stonegate in 2024. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Economics with Finance Applications, and minors in French and Advertising.

BEN DOSSETT

Vice President, Institutional Sales

Ben is a Vice President. He joined Stonegate in 2022. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in general business with a sales certificate. He was formerly with Liberty Mutual Insurance.

LAURA ENGEL, CPA

Senior Advisor,
Research

Laura joined Stonegate in 2011. Her background spans over 20 years in financial services, having held diverse roles in public and private accounting, consulting, and executive leadership. She has broad industry experience within the healthcare, medical technology, and private equity sectors among others, partnering with high-growth organizations as a senior financial officer and consultant. She graduated from the University of Virginia and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

QUENTIN HARRAH

VP, Institutional Sales

Quentin is a Vice President. He joined Stonegate in 2021. He graduated from Louisiana State University with degrees in marketing and professional sales.

JUSTIN MARTIN

Managing Director,
Institutional Sales & ESG Advisory

Justin is a managing director and helps lead the institutional sales effort. He also advises issuers on ESG rating policies and best practices. He joined Stonegate in 2012 and graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Justin is licensed with Stonegate Capital Markets, Inc. and currently holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses.

ZACH AMREIN

Head of
Business Development, CCO & CFO

Zach is the Head of business development, Chief Compliance Officer, and our CFO. He joined Stonegate in 2016. He formerly worked in Finance at Legacy Housing. He graduated from the University of Kansas with degrees in Finance and Accounting. Zach is licensed with Stonegate Capital Markets, Inc. and currently holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 27 licenses. 

DAVE STORMS, CFA

Director of Research
Stonegate Capital Partners

Dave joined Stonegate in 2022. He was most recently an equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs. He was formerly a Senior investment analyst at Beneficial Financial Group, an analyst at Valuation Research Corporation, and an investment analyst with The Board of Pensions (PCUSA) focused on public equities. He started his career at Vanguard after receiving his undergraduate degree from Rowan University and a Masters in investment management from Temple University. David is licensed with Stonegate Capital Partners and currently holds FINRA Series SIE, 7, 87.

PRESTON GRAHAM

Partner
Stonegate Capital Partners

Preston joined Stonegate in 2010. His primary responsibilities include managing the sales desk, overseeing our institutional outreach effort, and advising clients on capital markets strategy. He graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in finance. Preston is licensed with Stonegate Capital Markets, Inc. and currently holds FINRA Series 7, 63, 79, and 99 licenses.

JESSE SHELMIRE

Co-CEO, Partner
Stonegate Capital Partners

Jesse is Co-CEO/Partner of Stonegate Capital Partners/Stonegate Capital Markets(Member FINRA/SIPC), and a Co-Founder of Stonegate Healthcare Partners. Jesse spent the first decade of his investment career in 1981 at Smith Barney in retail sales and then later at Jefferies in institutional sales. In the mid-90’s, Jesse was the Managing Director of Investment Banking for First London Securities where he managed public and private transactions. In 1999, Jesse joined Stonegate where he’s managed ~100 transactions and currently provides advisory services for both public and private companies with a focus on healthcare. Jesse received his Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1979 from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Jesse is licensed with Stonegate Capital Markets and currently holds FINRA Series 7,24, 63, 79, 99 licenses.

SCOTT GRIFFITH

Co-CEO, Partner
Stonegate Capital Partners

Scott joined Stonegate in 1992 and is a co-owner of Stonegate. Prior to joining Stonegate, Scott was a Vice-President at Donaldson, Lufkin, & Jenrette from 1980 to 1988 and a Vice-President at Smith Barney from 1988 to 1992. He received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Florida State University in 1979. Scott is licensed with Stonegate Capital Markets and currently holds FINRA Series 7, 14, 24, 63, 79, 99 licenses.