The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has sent governments, markets, and communities worldwide on a fervid search for answers—how long, how many, how much? Investors, too, are seeking facts about, among other things, how the global pandemic is affecting business operations, what companies are doing to protect employees and suppliers, what companies’ recovery plans entail, and whether companies have enough liquidity to withstand the pandemic. The markets are volatile, so companies’ responses to these queries could carry considerable weight with critical intrinsic investors and materially affect companies’ recovery plans and capitalization. To address investors’ immediate concerns and reset their expectations, CFOs and other senior business leaders should be prepared to answer the following questions.
