Problems happen, but lax controls shouldn't, SOX specialist says

Understand which processes need watching and which don’t, CFOs new to Sarbanes-Oxley are advised.

By Robert Freedman • March 4, 2022

Fast-tracked private letter rulings offer corporations respite from IRS delays

While the promise of a speedier program is a bright spot during a time of IRS backlogs, the PLR process is not an avenue that financial executives can use to make an end-run around unrelated delays, said Buck Buchanan, managing director in Grant Thornton’s national tax office.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 22, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

CFO best practices in the evolving generative AI era

As the initial frenzy around the launch of generative artificial intelligence subsides, a new GenAI era appears to be taking shape.

By CFO Dive staff

IRS delays spell headaches for financial executives

Businesses are “facing an IRS that is underwater right now, given the backlog of paper returns,” said Garrett Watson, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 15, 2022

Mazars exit could leave Trump Org. in breach of loan agreements

Separate from any findings by prosecutors, the breached loan agreements could pose a big financial hit to the company, a former assistant attorney general says. 

By Robert Freedman • Feb. 15, 2022

Treating commissions as fixed assets to meet rev rec standards

Capitalizing and amortizing incremental costs to get a contract to closing is little different than accounting for, say, equipment, a compliance specialist suggests.

By Robert Freedman • Feb. 14, 2022

Senate prepares relief for tough LIBOR legacy contracts

The long-awaited federal legislation would switch a large portion of $1.9 trillion in financial contracts to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate approved by the Federal Reserve.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 9, 2022

Private equity firm KKR sees appetite in assets with strong yield potential

As inflation expectations rise KKR is seeing more interest in real estate and infrastructure assets, Co-CEO Scott Nuttall said on the company's fourth quarter earnings call. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 8, 2022

More states step up to guide LIBOR transition, provide stopgap solution

States are recognizing that they may not be able to wait for a federal solution. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 3, 2022

FASB to require disclosure of loan modification cash flow impacts

The Financial Accounting Standards Board also wants lenders to report on current-year gross write-offs by year of origination.

By Robert Freedman • Feb. 3, 2022

DE&I gains in private equity firms despite being rare deal-breaker – EY

Private equity firms are feeling some pressure from limited partners to pursue diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, according to Kyle Burrell of EY.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 2, 2022

Office rent decline gives CFOs potential cost-saving opportunities

Since early in the pandemic, effective U.S. office rents have fallen 13.3% and office vacancies have risen to a nearly 20-year high, according to Cushman & Wakefield. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 31, 2022

C-suite sees war for talent topping risks in 'expensive' 2022: PwC

Executives will face rising travel costs this year as the pandemic evolves into an endemic, according to Tim Ryan of PwC. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 27, 2022

Kraft Heinz looks inside to tap new CFO Andre Maciel

Maciel has the type of cultural profile that 3G Capital likes and the skill set they love, according to Josh Crist, co-managing partner at Crist | Kolder Associates. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 25, 2022

Conductor's first female CFO pushes her own boundaries to join former WeWork company

A self-described risk-averse person by nature, Conductor's Sherri Moyen says she's been inspired by Sheryl Sandberg and others to choose risk over comfort.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 14, 2022

Workiva's Klindt sees regulations as key to more ESG buy-in

Anticipated SEC rules on ESG reporting could bring more firms off the sidelines. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 13, 2022

Annovis Bio CFO looks to shelf registration, big pharma for capital runway

While investor enthusiasm for the Alzheimer's treatment space has flip-flopped, CFO Jeffrey McGroarty has shored up a capital lifeline through a shelf registration.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Jan. 7, 2022

FASB proposes seller financing disclosure

Companies that use a third party to pay suppliers would have to describe the arrangement, and the liability it poses, in the notes to their financials, the Financial Accounting Standards Board says.

By Robert Freedman • Dec. 21, 2021

Unlocking the strategic value of third-party valuations

Most CFOs plan to continue using valuations as a tool for informed decision-making even if the Financial Accounting Standards Board replaces impairment testing with an amortization model for calculating goodwill, as it's thinking of doing. That's a smart strategy. 

By Bryan Knoepp and Irina Chernova • Dec. 20, 2021

Investors call for unified global goodwill standards

Should the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) switch to an amortization model, U.S. companies could lose 40% of their equity, according to one estimate.  

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Dec. 17, 2021

Getting started on ESG reporting

Thoughtful guidance is coming, but there are steps you can take now to meet investors' appetite for reporting that shows your organization is taking environmental, social and governance performance seriously.   

By John Truzzolino • Dec. 16, 2021

Disclaimers could go a long way in protecting Trump from fraud charges

No matter how much some asset valuations appear exaggerated, analysts say, financial statements that were provided to lenders contain ample warning that the numbers don’t necessarily meet GAAP standards.

By Robert Freedman • Dec. 15, 2021

CFOs fall short of meeting investors' ESG reporting needs: EY

CFOs need to close a "reporting gap" with investors by providing more information on company sustainability performance, EY said.

By Jim Tyson • Dec. 14, 2021

How CFOs can challenge their teams to deliver better forecasts

CFOs need to deliver faster, more accurate forecasts. It's up to them to decide what insights they want and then challenge their teams to choose the data and methodologies to make better decisions. 

By Daniel Burkly, Paul Halley, and Loren Garruto, Principals, Strategy and Transactions, Ernst & Young LLP • Dec. 13, 2021

Walmart's CFO to leave the company after 22 years

Brett Biggs officially departs on Jan. 31, 2023. As part of the transition, he will remain a board member of the retailer's fintech startup.

By Maria Monteros • Nov. 29, 2021

ProPetro CEO hid perks, SEC says. CFO not charged but replaced

The Securities and Exchange Commission, crediting the company for its action once it learned of the problem, imposed no settlement charge on it.  

By Robert Freedman • Nov. 22, 2021