Corporate Broking is – together with Transaction Advisory and Industries – a part of Berenberg's Strategic Advisory unit which operates on the principles Independence, Intelligence and Integrity.

Corporate Broking

At Berenberg, the best traditions of impartial, non-transactional equity advice sit at the very heart of the Corporate Finance business model. Our Corporate Broking service clearly differentiates our approach from the competition by offering strategic advice based on our understanding of the needs and wants of equity investors. We aim to ensure that equity capital is always readily available by making sure that our clients understand their investors’ decision-making process and, in turn, that investors understand our clients and their operational aims and abilities.

Broking service delivers in four areas:

Strategic advice
By connecting CEOs and CFOs with their investors, we ensure that strategic developments have the support of the equity markets. Typically, strategic change and M&A transactions are based on sound financial projections but, all too often, insufficient attention is paid to the likely reaction of investors. This can lead to the failure of a transaction or to an acquirer over-paying for an asset. By offering our clients a clear capital markets perspective, we improve their communications with investors, make sure that strategic change is well understood and shareholder confidence is maintained.

IR advice
We act as a multiplier for the work of IR teams, providing both advice and practical assistance with all areas of activity, from investor targeting to presentation writing. In a world of global opportunities, IR teams have an impossible job. The wealth of different sources of capital and the need to form and maintain relationships with both investors and the equity distribution industry result in a complexity that is impossible to manage efficiently. Our hands-on support helps companies to focus internal resources and to keep them proportionate.

Market intelligence
As a major player in the trading of German stocks, with around 70% of our business conducted over the counter, we can give valuable insights into who is trading what and why. Our relationships with investors allow us to have the kind of open debate that is not usually possible to develop directly. 

Designated Sponsorship
The traditional sponsorship function has been commoditised and is often provided by IT-based systems. These systems offer no added value for the client, simply acting as a regulatory box-ticking exercise. With our extensive market-making activities and direct contact with buy-side trading desks, we can provide a very different level of insight to our clients. We also make sure that the pipeline is always available for equity issuance or buyback activity.