How can I find out when FutureValue will publish a Strategic Capability Report on a specific company?

If you list sector preferences when registering as a user we will endeavour to send you by e-mail details of relevant Strategic Capability Reports the moment they become available. Otherwise, log on to the website on a regular basis and visit the Reports Library.

Is FutureValue a substitute for other equity research?

FutureValue's Strategic Capability Reports are an 'extra financial investment' research resource providing a fresh perspective on UK-listed equities. These reports focus solely on extra-financial forward-looking disclosure. Investors should use them in conjunction with other familiar quantitative research resources.

Are Strategic Capability Reports investment recommendations?

No, definitely not. These evaluation reports are expert opinions. You should use them as just one input to your investment appraisal process, albeit an important one.

Why not just read the Annual Report or Review?

We recommend you do read the Annual Report and/or Annual Review as well, if you can, and refer to the FutureValue Strategic Capability Report for guidance as you go through these document(s). We prepare these Reports using an experienced and practised eye and applying our rigorous framework for assessment. What you get is a really focused opinion on the capacity to generate future value. You also get, through our standard format, the means to make effective comparison between companies in a sector and across the market as a whole, even without purchasing a Sector Subscription.

How many companies will FutureValue cover?

We will definitely cover most of the FTSE100 and FTSE 250 for the 2006 reporting year. We aim to cover most, if not all, of the approximately seven hundred companies in the FTSE All Share index in due course.

What do you mean by 'medium-term' and 'long-term' as applied in FutureValue's Strategic Capability Reports?

In our parlance, 'short-term' refers to the next six months or so, 'medium-term' is approximately six to eighteen months and 'long-term' is beyond that. In this fast-changing and turbulent external environment we are constantly reviewing how we apply terminology to describe time horizons.

Is forward-looking disclosure content time critical?

Our research of the last two years has indicated that there is definite correlation between forward-looking non-financial content in an Annual Report and the share price of the respective company - particularly at the margins in respect of very good or very poor reported strategic capability. If our research findings are correct then early action by investors on excellent or poor strategic capability, as assessed and evaluated in FutureValue's research, will be beneficial.

How soon will a Strategic Capability Report be available after a company publishes its annual reporting documents?

We intend it to be available within weeks of the reporting date. This may prove a challenge in the first year (2006), 'though. Lodge a request and we'll e-mail you to let you know when we are about to publish it on the site. If you are a subscriber, we'll give your request(s) priority if we can.

Can I provide copies of Strategic Capability Reports to my colleagues?

When you purchase a Strategic Capability Report or a Sector Comparison subscription you agree to our not-unreasonable Terms and Conditions. We ask you not to furnish copies of these to your colleagues. Even if your company has purchased an unlimited subscription we ask you to ask your colleague(s) to sign on and download the report themselves. Just as we respect your request for privacy in registering as a user of this website we ask you to respect our intellectual property and copyright.

What additional benefits do I get from an unlimited Subscription?

In addition to unrestricted access to all material in the FutureValue Reports Library for the subscriber, an unlimited subscription entitles access to a further five users in a single company location. An unlimited client can also request briefings at any time in the year, ask for additional information on specific company evaluations, get priority reports on companies we haven't yet covered and order bespoke Profiles on companies outside FutureValue's defined scope. For the latter we levy a small additional charge.

Will you prepare Strategic Capability reports more than once a year?

No. We can only effectively assess strategic capability based on the forward-looking disclosure that will appear in the non-financial narrative content of a company's annual reporting documents. Whether adhering to the best practice guidance of the ASB's OFR Reporting Statement, or even meeting the slightly less inclusive demands of the statutory Enhanced Business Review, companies are obliged to provide information on objectives and strategy, performance and KPIs, future factors and risk and on strengths and resources that don't otherwise appear on the balance sheet. They do not have to provide this at any other time in the year. It is the annual reporting narrative that provides the basis for direct comparability.