Winners of IR Awards 2020 voted by investors in the large capitalisation category at a ceremony held in HCM City on September 22. — VNS Photo Xuân Hương

 HCM CITY — Fourteen listed companies were honoured with IR Awards for having the best investor relations in 2020 in HCM City on September 22.

The awards were decided by votes from investors and financial institutions, and given in three categories based on market capitalisation, large, medium and small and micro.

The investors’ votes for the top three went to Hòa Phát Group JSC, Novaland Investment Group Corporation, and Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (large capital), Đất Xanh Group, Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corporation and Hoa Sen Group (mid cap), and Digiworld Corporation, MBG Group JSC and NaFoods Group JSC (small and micro cap).

The financial institutions’ votes went to Mobile World Investment Corporation, VinHomes JSC and Vietnam Dairy Products JSC; Đất Xanh Group, Petrovietnam Drilling and Well Service Corporation and Văn Phú-Invest Investment JSC; and CIC 39 Corporation, Digiworld Corporation and MBG Group JSC.

Given by online newspaper Vietstock and financial and life online magazine FiLi.vn published by the Việt Nam Association of Financial Executives, the annual awards seek to promote information transparency on the stock markets, improve the quality of information disclosed and investor confidence, raise awareness of the role and importance of IR activities and honour companies with excellent IR activities.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Nguyễn Như Hùng, editor-in-chief of Fili.vn, said, “The stock market plays an important role in mobilising medium- and long-term capital for the development of the economy.

“Transparent information is one of the key factors in ensuring sustainable development of the stock market.”

The award is based on a survey of compliance with stock market information disclosure obligations by the 729 listed companies.

This time 329 met all the requirements, according to the organisers, meaning they have increased from just 3 per cent in 2011 to over 45 per cent now.

Then, based on their liquidity, compliance in terms of treasury stock, foreign investment and dividend payment policies, 45 were nominated for the awards, they said.

To win, a company had to fully comply with information disclosure regulations, pass a rigorous evaluation of investor relations by financial institutions and receive a lot of votes from investors.

The high compliance rate is a good signal and indicates companies are paying attention to information disclosure requirements, the basic requirement for treating shareholders and investment communities fairly, they added.

Nguyễn Hoàng Linh, head of research at Vietcombank Fund Management, said having good investment relations helps improve companies’ brand value.

Nguyễn Anh Đức of SSI Securities Corporation said enterprises should have their own IR team and clear KPIs to measure the team’s performance efficiency.

“This is a trust-building activity that cannot be achieved in a day or two, and requires a long-term strategy.”

In addition, foreign investors are paying increasing attention to ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance), the three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of investment in a company.

This requirement puts pressure on Vietnamese companies. But if they want to attract foreign capital, they must meet ESG factors, he said. — VNS