Conducting due diligence amid Covid-19 restrictions

WHILE Singapore, and many other countries, have begun easing off circuit breaker measures domestically, the same cannot be said for cross-border movement. Many countries have closed their borders to non-citizens and non-residents, while imposing a mandatory 14-day quarantine for residents returning home.

This unprecedented worldwide travel ban poses a major stumbling block for analysts who need to travel abroad to conduct due diligence on companies. What can they now do? And what have they got to bear in mind in taking remedial actions?

To engage with covered companies, analysts may want to consider exploring or increasing the usage of secured call or video conferencing platforms approved by their organisations. At the same time, covered companies may need to consider how to showcase their facilities and operations virtually, or even conduct "live" webcast tours for analysts.