Investor Relations Practices and Firm Value in Listed Financial Services Firms in Port Harcourt

This study examines investor relations practices and their relationship with firm value in listed financial services companies with significant operations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Investor relations, as a governance communication function, encompasses the timely dissemination of financial results, strategic updates, and risk disclosures to existing and potential investors. High-quality investor relations practices reduce information asymmetry and contribute to more accurate market pricing, ultimately supporting firm value. Drawing on the efficient market hypothesis and signalling theory, this study investigates how investor relations quality, measured by communication frequency, disclosure completeness, and responsiveness to shareholder enquiries, relates to Tobin's Q as a proxy for firm value. An ex-post facto design is adopted, using secondary data from annual reports, investor relations websites, and Nigerian Exchange Group disclosures of twelve listed financial services firms over five years. Regression analysis controls for firm size, leverage, and return on assets. The study anticipates a positive and significant association between investor relations quality and firm value. Findings will assist listed companies, investor relations professionals, and the Nigerian Exchange Group in designing and enforcing best practice investor communication standards. Keywords: investor relations, firm value, financial services firms, corporate governance, Port Harcourt.