This report from Public Holdings aims to provide directional perspective on the retail investor market based on recent survey data reflecting individual investors who have accounts on the Public platform.
Among the key takeaways:
Proxy Voting
- Nearly 73% of 1,105 respondents indicated they had not participated in a proxy vote thus far in 2023 (as of July-August). Of those, more than half said they were unaware they were able to participate; more than one-third said they didn’t understand the subject matter; and more than one-quarter said they didn’t believe their vote mattered. Just 13% indicated that the process of voting was too tedious, implying that the impediments are not mechanical but rather communications- and engagement-related.
- More than half of 1,105 respondents are characterized as “anti-ESG” and 45% are characterized as “Pro-ESG.”
- Among the 55% characterized as “anti-ESG,” 10% describe ESG metrics as important in making investment decisions, but only because they want to ensure companies are not sacrificing financial performance for ESG issues, compared to 45% who disregard ESG metrics entirely.
- Among the 45% characterized as “Pro-ESG,” 24% say ESG metrics are important because they care about the impact of their investments on the environment and society, while 20% believe they are an important factor in evaluating economic performance.