Paperless Reports Shunned

BUSINESS TRENDS
The vast majority (81%) of investors, portfolio managers and securities analysts preferred receiving printed annual reports rather than electronic ones, according to an October survey by WithumSmith+Brown ( www.withum.com ). Among the managers and analysts, the sentiment was almost unanimous (94%).

Respondents said printed reports are easier to read, file for future reference, highlight, mark up and take notes on—and they’re surely more portable.

Nearly 79% of survey respondents agreed annual reports are an important tool in making investment decisions, and fully 90% said the reports should go beyond financial and shareholder issues to also include topics such as environmental sustainability and corporate governance.