Outlook: Page 2
CFO's annual beginning-of-year outlook package.
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CFOs expect inflation to linger through 2027
Though more than half of finance chiefs surveyed by CNBC don’t anticipate a recession in the new year, a similar share think inflation will remain above the Fed’s target rate for a while.
By Dan Niepow • Dec. 10, 2025 -
Finance leaders project modest revenue and profit gains in 2026
Despite a decline in optimism about the U.S. economy at large, finance execs are feeling pretty good about their own companies’ prospects.
By Dan Niepow • Dec. 9, 2025 -
CFOs netted average of $8.4M in benefits via change in control pacts this year
A new report by Alvarez & Marsal details average benefits paid to leaders across a variety of companies in the S&P 1500.
By Dan Niepow • Nov. 20, 2025 -
CFO Alliance develops new processes for finance to quantify what’s often qualitative
The group’s “Project Greenlight” guide is designed to provide actionable steps for CFOs to take at a time of rapid change and uncertainty.
By Dan Niepow • Nov. 19, 2025 -
Tariff talk is dropping in earnings calls, but investors still have questions
Even as mentions of the word “tariff” have declined on Fortune 100 earnings calls, three experts with business advisory firm Riveron emphasized the importance of clear communication with investors. “Stay silent at your own risk,” said one.
By Dan Niepow • Nov. 18, 2025 -
As airfares increase, companies ‘squeezing as much as possible’ out of business trips
Leaders are consolidating business trips as the costs of both domestic and international flights rise, according to recent data compiled by a Flight Centre Travel Group subsidiary.
By Dan Niepow • Nov. 12, 2025 -
CFOs juggle a crush of competing priorities
Profit is top of mind for a plurality of finance chiefs, but most are emphasizing something else.
By David McCann • Nov. 7, 2025 -
Private equity deals declined in Q3 as deal value surged
Though there were fewer private equity deals year over year in the third quarter, overall deal value surpassed $300 billion for the first time in 14 quarters, according to KPMG.
By Dan Niepow • Oct. 29, 2025 -
CFOs aim to keep SG&A costs below revenue growth
Gartner’s 2026 Budget Assumptions survey shows finance chiefs targeting growth with a careful eye on headcounts.
By Dan Niepow • Oct. 21, 2025 -
Accounting firms hop into business advising
A new survey by information services firm Wolters Kluwer finds a notable uptick in the number of accounting firms offering business advisory services.
By Dan Niepow • Oct. 15, 2025 -
Finance chiefs do an about-face on economic concerns
Just months after CFOs were decidedly down over the effects of tariffs, more than half now have a positive outlook on the economy.
By David McCann • Oct. 6, 2025 -
CFOs confident in their own companies but not in the economy
Deloitte’s latest CFO Signals survey shows a surge in finance chiefs’ confidence in their own businesses’ future amid more muted feelings on the economy at large.
By Dan Niepow • Oct. 3, 2025 -
CFO optimism ticks up as uncertainty fears drop: Duke-Fed survey
Finance chiefs are “breathing a little easier” as some tariff-related uncertainty ebbs, though the potential for price increases remains.
By Dan Niepow • Sept. 24, 2025 -
Corporate treasurers brace for shifting job expectations
In a recent survey by EY, treasurers say they’re facing increased pressure to create value at their organizations.
By Dan Niepow • Sept. 23, 2025 -
CFOs adjust to private equity’s growing influence
As private equity firms buy up businesses across many industries, finance chiefs are navigating a more complicated leadership structure.
By Dan Niepow • Sept. 19, 2025 -
Labor tops challenges for municipal finance leaders
As cities face ballooning deficits, budget and pension concerns are also top of mind, according to a recent survey by HilltopSecurities.
By Dan Niepow • Sept. 17, 2025 -
Early-career finance and accounting workers overestimate aptitude
A new survey by the Illinois CPA Society identifies “notable disconnects” in perceptions of less experienced employees’ skill levels.
By Dan Niepow • Sept. 10, 2025 -
August earnings update: Affirm, Build-A-Bear, Intuit, MSG Entertainment, Rumble
Affirm outlines interest-rate impacts, Build-A-Bear warns about tariffs, and J.M. Smucker details its coffee pricing strategy, while Intuit and Rumble lean on AI and new revenue streams.
By Adam Zaki • Sept. 4, 2025 -
1 in 10 corporate finance and accounting execs report ‘significant’ talent shortages
A new survey by the nonprofit Controllers Council aims to quantify talent concerns in corporate F&A.
By Dan Niepow • Aug. 20, 2025 -
5 finance trends CFOs are watching in the rest of 2025
Finance chiefs are bracing for more C-Suite collabs, more tariff talk and more tech questions.
By Dan Niepow • Aug. 15, 2025 -
US employers coming around to pay transparency
In a WTW survey of American businesses, just over a third of respondents said they’re already communicating individual pay ranges with employees.
By Dan Niepow • Aug. 13, 2025 -
Federal regulatory activity dropped steeply in H1 2025
Analysis by information services firm Wolters Kluwer shows a sharp decline in both the number and severity of penalties for financial services businesses in the first half of the year.
By Dan Niepow • Aug. 7, 2025 -
CFOs report increased influence on company-wide decisions
A recent survey by professional services firm RGP quantifies the ways the role of the finance chief is expanding.
By Dan Niepow • July 30, 2025 -
US wage growth continues to slow
Research from hiring platform Indeed showed wage growth increasing by just 2.9% in June, down significantly from recent COVID-driven peaks.
By Dan Niepow • July 29, 2025 -
Employers project flat salary budgets in 2026
In a Willis Towers Watson survey of U.S. companies, participants said they’re planning to increase salary budgets by 3.5% in 2026, the same as actual increases this year.
By Dan Niepow • July 18, 2025