Analyst questions: Investor trends and sector-specific insights to consider.

We’ve analyzed more than 4,300 earnings events of 1,000+ companies over a 12-month period and identified the top trends in analyst questions that an IR team needs to prepare their C-suite for before their earnings events.

Here is a breakdown by sector with the topics covered and questions asked by investors and analysts during earnings calls. These sectors include: 

• Software and services
• Insurance 
• Consumer discrepancy
• Materials
• Healthcare

Software and services

Consistently, most questions asked during earnings calls for Software and Services companies revolve around factors that drive business, guidance, and capital expenditures.

In  2022, key topics discussed in analyst Q&As included:

• Macroeconomic outlook and growth potential
• Revenue growth and margin
• Product roadmap and adoption

However, in 2023, analyst questions regarding AI rose to the number two spot – following the macroeconomic outlook. 

Trending questions for software and services

Insurance

Analyst inquiries for the insurance sector have revolved around business drivers, guidance, and capital expenditures of companies.

Major topics of discussion include:

• Impacts on reinsurance costs
• Insurance pricing and dynamics as a result of macroeconomic factors
• Risk management and capital allocation

Trending questions for insurance

Consumer discretionary

Data for the consumer sector is only available for a single quarter, but analyst discussions have revolved around business drivers, guidance, and supply chain factors.

The most common topics of discussion are:

• Margin cycles and margin improvement
• Inventory planning and management
• Brand management and growth

Trending questions for consumer discrepancy

Materials

Analyst discussions are around business drivers, the macroeconomic environment, and guidance.

The most common topics of discussion are:

• Growth outlook and strategy
• Market for materials and global market sizing
• Pricing factors and profitability

Trending questions for materials

Healthcare

Primary topics for analyst questions in the healthcare industry have been around guidance, business drivers, and the macro environment.

Major topics of discussion have included:

• Company and revenue growth factors
• Global competition and geopolitical factors
• Demand for gene and cell therapy

Trending questions for healthcare

For more insights, check out the Q4 blog post, “Four trends in earnings events attendance“.