Research & Analytics

We undertake detailed research for companies seeking entry into new markets/geographies or diversifying into new product lines/industry segments. We employ a micro-to-macro methodology examining microeconomic industry trends to better understand the broad macroeconomic drivers that shape the long-term structure of an industry. We focus on industry themes, investment opportunities, competitive structure, market share trends and risk factors.

Beyond submitting the final POV report, for no additional fee, we work with you to build a quick forecast model so as to bridge the gap between research findings, company strategy and hard financial performance data. We fully understand - the endgame is not the POV report, but a detailed test of the business case whose ultimate measure is financial return.

For business sellers we assist you to eliminate surprises, before the buyer does its due diligence -surprises that the buyer may use to bring down the sales price. For potential business buyers, we help you deduce the right purchase price by fully reviewing current and future financial and operational issues.

When reviewing a key investment decision, it is very easy for an internal research department to fall into re-affirming the views of senior executives. As an independent party, we help our clients to objectively evaluate the likely financial and economic benefits and costs of a specific investment, as well as assess potential performance across investments.

We always employ a structured approach, where all opinions and options are considered, researched, and analyzed carefully before recommendations are made. The paramount values which we uphold are independence of thought, accuracy and good judgment.

While the main objective is to test the current investment decision, we go further and review the logic behind the different data sets/forecast models used to arrive at the decision.
We derive the most fulfilment if we can improve on quality of data used and the integrity of the forecast model.

A business plan/information memorandum is the most efficient way of providing a large volume of insightful company information to financiers. From a financier’s point of view, a well researched and packaged document demonstrates the promoter’s professionalism and commitment - all important factors when deciding whether to finance a company.

Though the main purpose of a business plan/IM is to market your business to potential investors, it must contain full, true and complete disclosure of all information which may materially affect the value/future performance of your company.

We focus on making sure the business plan/IM fully captures what investors like to see in a potential opportunity!

In the current increasingly dynamic economic and business environment, a forecast model is a critical planning tool that helps management anticipate the outcome of its decisions. In addition to identifying trends based on past and present company specific, industry wide and economic data, the forecast model builds on management’s future expectations. The emphasis is not just on the mechanics of forecasting, but how to think about your company's future economics – this involves considering a range of outcomes by running sensitivity analysis on key variables.

A robust forecast model plays a pivotal role in aligning strategy and capital investment decisions. The forecast model helps management to logically determine how to allocate capital, whether to finance an investment with equity or debt, and when or whether to pay dividends to shareholders.

To refine and test the model’s predictive power, we carry out actual versus forecast reviews. In our experience, such reviews have proven to be an invaluable tool for management when it comes to understanding company performance (why revenue fell short, higher than expected costs, decline in margins, better than expected working capital results) and setting projections (since our 1Q revenue underperformed, do we need to revise our forecast volume numbers, selling prices or do we need to increase our marketing campaigns since we lost market share?)

A good forecast model is critical to having a clearly articulated business plan.

This service is tailored for lending institutions keen on reinforcing industry specific knowledge and monitoring industry developments, so as to identify new lending opportunities and most importantly recognize early signs of stress on loan portfolios.

Between 2005 and 2015, banking sector credit to the private sector has more than quadrupled to USD 20.5bn – 39% of GDP. Over this period, many industries have undergone significant transformation, with nimble local enterprises emerging to challenge the dominance of well entrenched government funded enterprises and cash rich multinationals.
As if this was not enough, rapid change in technology now means the leaders of today will not necessarily be leaders of tomorrow as barriers to industry entry evaporate and multi-use substitutes overtake well-established focused brands.
This dynamism in industries demands financiers undertake rigorous screening of borrowers and more importantly remain vigilant to changes in industry structure. This is where we come in!

At the initial stage of reviewing funding proposals, we work closely with you to ensure you gain full insight regarding; industry structure, competitor positioning, evolution of industry sales and margins, technological demands, key suppliers and customers, structure of key export markets and drivers of competitive advantage. Beyond loan approval, to continuously understand your borrowers’ industry positioning, we help you monitor; changes in entry & exit barriers, regulatory changes, competitor actions, emerging disruptive technologies, customer trends, change in availability/pricing of key production inputs and changes in business models/strategies.

Is your internal/outsourced investor relations team made up of former analysts or asset managers? If not, then how effective is your interaction with investors? As an outsider with vast experience in issuing investment recommendations and interacting with global money managers, we work closely with you to ensure you clearly distinguish Investor Relations from Public Relations.

Leveraging on our extensive sell side research experience, we author independent research reports giving you an unbiased feel of how the market/potential investors view your firm vis-a-vis comparable companies and how this influences assigned valuations.

To ensure all your investor interactions yield optimal results, we closely monitor new industry trends, change in investor expectations, assist in developing industry themes and monitor relative valuation multiples so as to anchor management’s expectations of future price movements, and pricing & timing of capital offers.

A fully resourced Investor Relations team should play a critical role in business strategy formulation, are you exploiting this opportunity fully!