Executive Optimism Hits Three-Year High

Business executives’ optimism about the U.S. economy has reached its highest level in three years, fueled by government relief funds, vaccine rollouts, and relaxed workplace restrictions.In its Economic Outlook Survey for the second quarter, the Association of International Certified Professional...

By Matthew Heller • June 3, 2021

Cloudera to Go Private in $5.3 Billion Deal

Cloudera has agreed to be acquired by KKR and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for $5.3 billion in a bet that private equity investment will boost its turnaround efforts in the competitive data management software space.The acquisition announced on Tuesday will take Cloudera private after four years ...

By Matthew Heller • June 2, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Tax policy shifts: What CFOs need to know to stay ahead

Discover how evolving tax policies are creating new opportunities and challenges for CFOs.

By CFO.com staff

Acorns to Go Public Through $2B SPAC Deal

Fintech firms continue to take the SPAC route to going public, with Acorns announcing a deal on Thursday that values the savings and investing app at about $2.2 billion.The SPAC boom has shown signs of cooling amid heightened regulatory scrutiny. In April, only 10 new issuances came to market ver...

By Matthew Heller • May 27, 2021

Amazon Bets on Bond With $8.45B MGM Buy

In a major move to expand its entertainment empire, Amazon has agreed to acquire MGM, the iconic Hollywood studio that owns half of the James Bond franchise, for $8.45 billion.The acquisition is Amazon’s largest after its purchase of Whole Foods for $13.4 billion in 2017. According to The New Yor...

By Matthew Heller • May 26, 2021

Bank Profits Rise 29% to $76.8B in 1st Quarter

U.S. bank profits rose 29.1% in the first quarter as the improving economy helped push credit loss provisions downward.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation reported Wednesday that aggregate net income for insured institutions increased to $76.8 billion in the first three months of 2021, up $...

By Matthew Heller • May 26, 2021

Commerce Secretary Pushes Funding for Chip Factories

The Biden administration is mobilizing behind bipartisan legislation to pump $52 billion into the U.S. semiconductor industry over five years amid a global chip shortage.Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Monday that she anticipated the funding would generate “$150 billion-plus” in investment ...

By Matthew Heller • May 25, 2021

IEA Calls for Halt to Fossil Fuel Investment

The International Energy Association has recommended an immediate halt to new oil, gas and coal projects as part of a “road map” for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change projected that global warming could be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindust...

By Matthew Heller • May 18, 2021

Judge Slams NRA for ‘Bad Faith’ Chapter 11 Filing

In what could be a pivotal setback for the National Rifle Association, a judge has ruled that it filed bankruptcy to gain an unfair advantage in a legal battle with the New York attorney general.The NRA had claimed its Chapter 11 petition, which it filed in Dallas bankruptcy court in January, wou...

By Matthew Heller • May 13, 2021

U.S. Consumer Prices Surge 4.2% in April

U.S. consumer prices rose at the fastest rate in nearly 12 years in April but the surge may not be enough to persuade the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates sooner than expected.The Labor Department reported Wednesday that the Consumer Price Index jumped 4.2% from a year earlier and 0.8% fro...

By Matthew Heller • May 12, 2021

Bill.Com Adds Divvy to Back-Office Solutions

Fintech firm Bill.com has agreed to acquire Divvy for about $2.5 billion in a move to add spend management and corporate cards to its back-office solutions.Bill.com’s cloud software helps small and midsize businesses automate billing and invoicing, while Divvy combines expense management software...

By Matthew Heller • May 7, 2021

Verizon Sells Yahoo, AOL to Apollo for $5B

Verizon Communications said Monday it had agreed to sell Yahoo and AOL to private equity firm Apollo Global Management in a $5 billion deal, signaling the end of its troubled venture into online media.The deal represents a loss for Verizon, which paid $4.4 billion for AOL in 2015 and then spent a...

By Matthew Heller • May 3, 2021

U.S. Economy Shakes off Virus, Surges 6.4%

The first quarter delivered strong economic growth in the U.S., setting the stage for what could be a “boom year” as the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic drives consumer spending.The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product grew 6.4% for the first three months of th...

By Matthew Heller • April 29, 2021

Thoma Bravo to Buy Proofpoint for $12.3B

In the largest-ever private equity investment in cloud software, Thoma Bravo has agreed to acquire Proofpoint for $12.3 billion to boost its cybersecurity profile.The announcement of the deal on Monday came four days after Thoma Bravo closed its previous top cloud acquisition — the $10.2 billion ...

By Matthew Heller • April 27, 2021

U.S. Factory Orders Climb 0.5% in March

New orders for U.S.-made goods increased in March as the manufacturing sector continued to recover from the coronavirus pandemic after a dip in durable goods orders the previous month.The Commerce Department reported Monday that orders for manufactured goods rose 0.5% to $256.3 billion in March f...

By Matthew Heller • April 26, 2021

Equipment Finance Borrowings Jump 4% in March

New business volume for equipment finance companies rose 4% in March as companies increased capital spending amid the recovery from the coronavirus crisis.The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association said the 25 companies it surveys for its Monthly Leasing and Finance Index signed up for $9.3 bi...

By Matthew Heller • April 23, 2021

Business Inventories Increase 0.5% in February

U.S. business inventories rose again in February, an indicator of economic growth as companies restock after pandemic shutdowns.The Commerce Department estimated manufacturers’ and trade inventories at an end-of-month level of $2,010.8 billion, up 0.5% from January but down 0.7% year over year.Fe...

By Matthew Heller • April 15, 2021

Tipalti Buys Approve.com to Boost AP Automation

Accounts payable automation company Tipalti has acquired Approve.com to add procurement solutions to its portfolio.The Approve cloud platform helps businesses streamline purchasing workflows and vendor interactions. It handles requisitions, approvals, budgets, vendor onboarding, and spending cont...

By Matthew Heller • April 13, 2021

U.S. Budget Gap Jumps to $660B in March

The U.S. budget deficit jumped to a new record for March as the government sent out more than $330 billion in coronavirus relief payments to Americans.The Treasury Department reported Monday that the deficit was $660 billion last month, 454% wider than March 2020, as revenue rose 13% to $268 bill...

By Matthew Heller • April 13, 2021

Microsoft Buys Nuance in $16B Health Care Cloud Bet

Microsoft said Monday it had agreed to acquire speech technology pioneer Nuance Communications for $16 billion in a major move to expand its cloud offerings to the health care industry.The acquisition is Microsoft’s second-largest under CEO Satya Nadella after the $26 billion purchase of LinkedIn...

By Matthew Heller • April 12, 2021

U.S. Adds Chinese Tech Firms to Export Blacklist

The Biden administration has added seven Chinese tech firms to an export blacklist, accusing them of building supercomputers for China’s military.The addition of the companies to the Commerce Department’s Entity List means U.S. firms cannot export technology to them without a license. According t...

By Matthew Heller • April 9, 2021

Pickup in CFO Optimism Continues in Q1

CFOs are feeling increasingly optimistic about their firms and the U.S. economy though they don’t expect the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan to have much effect on their business, according to The CFO Survey.The report, a collaboration of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and...

By Matthew Heller • April 7, 2021

Jobs Market Continues Surge With 916,000 Gain

U.S. employers added the most jobs in seven months in March as the labor market’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic picked up momentum amid government relief checks and the accelerating vaccine rollout.The Labor Department reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 916,000 last month, blowi...

By Matthew Heller • April 5, 2021

CFOs See Silver Linings to Coronavirus Crisis

The coronavirus pandemic has spurred unexpected improvements at U.S. companies and pushed CFOs to reprioritize technology investment, according to a Grant Thornton survey.The accounting firm reported that more than 60% of CFOs cited improved flexible and remote work environments as an upside of t...

By Matthew Heller • March 31, 2021

USPS Chief DeJoy Delivers 10-Year Austerity Plan

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy unveiled a sweeping austerity plan for the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday that he said would focus the loss-ridden agency on its growing package business.DeJoy’s proposals include the largest rollback of consumer mail services in a generation, with longer first-clas...

By Matthew Heller • March 23, 2021

Fed Holds Line on Rates Despite Rising Prices

The U.S. Federal Reserve indicated Wednesday that it is not planning to raise ultralow interest rates any time soon, betting that any surge in inflation will be temporary as the economy rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic.After a two-day meeting, the Fed’s policymaking committee said it “expec...

By Matthew Heller • March 17, 2021