Why zero-based budgeting is back in style

The pandemic has driven firms to rethink how much product they're buying and how much they'll need to meet demand.

By Jen A. Miller • Sept. 20, 2020

Google CFO: In-person work 'key' to fostering innovation

Though Google is letting employees work remotely through July 2021, Ruth Porat said in-person collaboration "within teams and across teams" is critical.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 18, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Digital transformation, one smart step at a time

As pricing pressures tighten margins and technologies like artificial intelligence evolve, finance chiefs are more closely scrutinizing the cost and returns of the tech tools they implement.

By CFO Dive staff

Dunkin' CFO: Company's westward expansion 'key' to future development

Dunkin's decision to remain open as competitors closed and to open new branches in the South and West have positioned it well for the future, its CFO said Tuesday.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 17, 2020

Starbucks CFO: Curbside expansion key to customer retention

Curbside is expected to be particularly helpful at drive-thru locations to prevent customers from driving away if lines are too long, CFO Pat Grismer said.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 17, 2020

How one CFO fleshes out the CEO's vision

Finance chiefs should bring structure to how company leadership considers opportunities, Arm CFO Inder Singh says.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 16, 2020

Survey: CFOs expect rise in corporate tax rates, trade tensions, post-election

Of those CFOs who participated in the PwC survey, 39% said the federal government should implement a strategy to boost domestic production of essential goods to bolster the economy.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 15, 2020

Peloton CFO: Company doesn't 'want, or need, gyms to die' to maintain growth

Jill Woodworth said the company's total recorded workouts, reaching almost 77 million in the quarter, is the KPI of which she is most proud.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 14, 2020

Bankruptcy a tactical tool to win rent concessions

Despite the pandemic, landlords are unlikely to negotiate willingly, attorneys say.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 13, 2020

Nestlé CFO shares plans for 'sizable acquisitions' in the future

At a virtual Barclays conference Wednesday, Francois-Xavier Roger said the world's largest food manufacturer "has been very disciplined" while completing large acquisitions and expects more to come. 

By Jane Thier • Sept. 10, 2020

Freshly CFO: Metric definition key to sound business decisions

Unless a metric means the same thing to everybody, leaders can’t use it to drive a successful company strategy, Matt Hagel says.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 10, 2020

Twitter CFO: 'You shouldn't be surprised' to hear TikTok acquisition rumors

Ned Segal said the company, which has acquired a number of apps since its 2013 IPO, is always looking to add "anything that accelerates [its] priorities." 

By Jane Thier • Sept. 9, 2020

High transparency culture can work against performance

When everyone knows how everyone else is doing, the most skilled will often lower their achievements to align with others, a study finds. 

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 8, 2020

Amid drop in sales, Urban Outfitters CFO opts to curtail inventory

"One of the most complex things we've been managing throughout the pandemic is just managing the sourcing network," Frank Conforti said.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 8, 2020

Pandemic shuffles companies' real estate strategies

Some asset classes are thriving while others face a flood of ghost properties. How finance leaders navigate the uncertainty over the next six months is crucial. 

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 6, 2020

Trek CFO: 'Pent-up demand' driving bike boom

"Everyone bought toilet paper, and then they bought kids' bikes and entry-level mountain bikes," Chad Brown said. Amid the pandemic, the U.S. cycling industry overall saw a 75% year-over-year sales growth.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 4, 2020

Private capital hungry for companies hoping to make up 'lost year'

There’s strong competition for companies that benefited from the pandemic. But there are other good buys out there, investors say.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 3, 2020

Companies leverage bond demand to shore up finances

The Fed's intervention this spring helped spur investor confidence, leading to a doubling in bond issues over the last four months.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 2, 2020

Getting day-1 subscription pricing right

Optimal pricing is crucial for the long-term, but until a product starts scaling, it's more important to win over the earliest customers.

By Robert Freedman • Sept. 1, 2020

Employers face liability under payroll tax deferral guidance

Many employers could opt out of President Trump's pandemic relief order on concerns they could be left holding the bag for back taxes.   

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 31, 2020

Spotify CFO: Company could achieve profitability, 'If we wanted to'

Paul Vogel said transitioning from break-even to profitability is possible, but it would come at the cost of pivoting away from AI, machine learning, and research and development investments.

By Jane Thier • Aug. 31, 2020

Collaboration integral to operations, Red Hat CFO says

Finance undergirds policy decisions in a company that defines itself by open processes, finance chief Laurie Krebs says. 

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 28, 2020

Pandemic pushing CFOs further into strategist role: survey

In February, 29% of surveyed CFOs reported spending a significant portion of time in a strategist role. In May, that jumped to 42%.

By Jane Thier • Aug. 28, 2020

Nearly half of companies at pre-pandemic operating levels: CFO survey

Companies have largely bounced back operationally from last quarter, and finance leaders have a renewed sense of optimism for 2021, Deloitte's 3rd quarter CFO Signals survey found.

By Jane Thier • Aug. 27, 2020

Real-time planning helps CFOs answer pandemic-critical 'what if' questions

To forecast today, think in shorter time horizons, identify how COVID-19 changes your business drivers, use large amounts of quality data to weigh "what if" scenarios, and create agile processes, specialists say. 

By Paul Prendergast and Patrick Picha • Aug. 27, 2020

CFO: The path to finance leadership should wind through FP&A

Heading up the financial planning and analysis function gives you the skills and perspective to be a top leader, HubSpot CFO Kate Bueker says. 

By Robert Freedman • Aug. 26, 2020