Research Hub of SIX Swiss Exchange Empowers Retail Investors

At the same time, the research coverage for listed small to mid-sized companies (SMEs) has decreased sharply in recent years, largely due to the EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II), which requires brokers to unbundle research costs from trade execution charges.

To both increase the visibility of SMEs with retail investors and to facilitate access to high-quality research coverage for retail investors, SIX Swiss Exchange has recently launched the SIX Research Hub.

The SIX Research Hub focuses on SMEs with a free float market capitalization of less than CHF 1 billion. Two trusted sell-side research providers, Edison Investment Research and Octavian, offer SMEs - in collaboration with SIX Swiss Exchange -  an independent research package, including an initiation of coverage report followed by ongoing research coverage with two update reports, up to two ad-hoc flash notes, and a moderated investor webcast per year.

All research reports are made available to retail investors on the SIX Swiss Exchange’s Research Hub platform and are also disseminated by the respective research providers through their proprietary distribution channels. This accessibility of research enables SMEs to connect with a wide range of investors including retail investors, private wealth clients, family offices, and asset/wealth managers.

As capital markets become more volatile, the increased visibility among retail investors through the SIX Research Hub provides SMEs with enhanced trading liquidity and a more diversified investor pool to tap for funding. For retail investors, the SIX Research Hub provides them with critical information when investing into dynamic SMEs with significant growth and return prospects.

Mikron’s CFO, Philippe Wirth, highlights the importance of broader research coverage.
“We believe that regular, transparent, and professional research reports are a valuable tool for investors to understand and evaluate the attractive investment case of Mikron.”

Commenting on why the company joined the initiative, he adds: “Given the ongoing consolidation in the banking sector, we have noticed a decline in traditional research coverage. The SIX Swiss Exchange Research Hub offers an opportunity to counter this trend.”

Orell Füssli shares a similar experience. CFO Reto Janser explains: “The transparent and proactive communication with our shareholders is very important for Orell Füssli. Independent equity research reports are a valuable addition to our Investor Relations work. Especially retail investors typically lack the access to equity research reports. The SIX Research Hub helps to close this gap.”

Relief Therapeutics, a company undergoing rapid strategic development, sees the SIX Research Hub as a key opportunity. “Ensuring consistent and high-quality research coverage has become increasingly important for us,” explains Jeremy Meinen, CFO Relief Therapeutics. “We aim to provide investors with clear and timely insights into our progress, but smaller issuers often receive limited analyst attention. This can make it more difficult for the market to fully understand our strategy and potential.”

The company adds: “The SIX Research Hub provides exactly the support we need at this stage. Its independent, professional research will reach and inform a broad investor community, complementing our wider communication efforts at a pivotal time in our journey.

SIX Swiss Exchange has consistently supported promising SMEs throughout their development. For instance, the Sparks IPO Academy—a program designed to prepare business leaders for IPOs—has provided invaluable guidance and support for companies planning to go public. The Research Hub represents the latest initiative by SIX Swiss Exchange aimed at strengthening the SME sector.