Hey there, CFOs! 💼

What separates a thriving company from one struggling to stay afloat? Smart financial moves.

This week, we’re uncovering the strategies that top CFOs are using to boost profitability, streamline cash flow, and navigate financial risk like pros.

When it comes to profitability, the best CFOs aren’t just cutting costs—they’re leveraging data, automation, and strategic forecasting to stay ahead. If you’re making high-stakes financial decisions, this edition is for you.

Let’s get started.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• 4 CFO-Approved Strategies to Boost Profitability in 2025 💰

• The CFO’s Guide to AR Efficiency: Cutting Costs While Improving Cash Flow 💰

• Liability Management: Smart Strategy or Costly Delay for CFOs? 📉

📈 Trending news

• What CFOs Need to Know About the TechTarget and Informa Tech Merger

• CFOs Redefining Leadership by Jumping Industries

• How Luke’s Lobster CFO Navigates Cash Flow in a High-Stakes Industry

4 CFO-Approved Strategies to Boost Profitability in 2025 💰 read the full 538-word article here

Article published: March 3, 2025

For CFOs, profitability isn’t just about cutting costs—it’s about making smarter, data-driven decisions.

In Four Ways Organizations Can Improve Profitability, CFO Dive and Eide Bailly break down proven financial strategies that drive bottom-line growth. Companies that prioritize data-driven decision-making are 63% more likely to adapt successfully to changing markets, giving them a competitive edge.

From agile planning and trend forecasting to cost vigilance and tech optimization, this guide highlights how top-performing businesses boost efficiency, reduce financial risk, and maximize profitability. If you’re a CFO looking for high-impact financial moves, this is your playbook.

Key Takeaways:

• 📊 Agility = profitability: Track real-time KPIs to make quick, informed financial decisions and seize growth opportunities.

• 🔮 Use predictive analytics: 71% of business leaders rely on trend forecasting to anticipate market shifts and prepare for economic changes.

• 💵 Cash flow is king: Streamline payables/receivables, optimize fixed costs, and automate cash flow forecasting to maintain financial stability.

• 🤖 Tech = efficiency: CFOs are cutting costs and boosting scalability with automation, AI, and integrated financial tools.

The CFO’s Guide to AR Efficiency: Cutting Costs While Improving Cash Flow 💰 read the full 620-word article here

Article published: March 5, 2025

CFOs know that accounts receivable (AR) inefficiencies drain revenue—but how much? According to APQC benchmarking data, top-performing companies spend just $0.18 per $1,000 in revenue on AR processes, while low-performers spend up to 15x more.

In Boosting Efficiency in Accounts Receivable Processing: Metric of the Month, CFO.com breaks down the key drivers of AR costs and reveals how automation, consolidation, and standardization can drastically reduce manual workload, improve cash flow, and optimize AR efficiency. If you’re still relying on manual invoicing, fragmented payment processes, or inconsistent policies, it’s time for a rethink.

Key Takeaways:

• 📊 Benchmark your AR costs: Top performers spend $0.18 per $1,000 in revenue, while inefficient firms spend over $2.77—knowing your numbers is the first step to improvement.

• 🤖 Automation = efficiency: Investing in ERP systems, digital payment portals, and automated reconciliation significantly reduces AR processing time and costs.

• 🏢 Centralization matters: Shared service centers or consolidated AR teams lower costs by streamlining billing, collections, and payment posting.

• ✅ Standardized processes reduce errors: Documented AR policies and consistent use of digital tools prevent costly mistakes and rework.

Liability Management: Smart Strategy or Costly Delay for CFOs? 📉 read the full 810-word article here

Article published: March 4, 2025

For CFOs navigating financial distress, liability management exercises (LMEs) can offer short-term relief—but the data shows 37% of companies that pursued LMEs still ended up filing for bankruptcy. According to CFO.com, the key is knowing when LMEs are a strategic bridge to stability vs. when they’re just delaying inevitable restructuring.

S&P data reveals a harsh reality: many LMEs reduce creditor recoveries (as seen with J. Crew, Revlon, and Party City) and often complicate future restructuring. Yet, companies that use LME breathing room to drive real operational change—not just financial maneuvering—can strengthen their long-term position.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔄 LMEs should be paired with operational restructuring: Extending maturities and refinancing alone won’t fix underlying business challenges.

• 💰 Hidden costs can outweigh short-term benefits: LMEs often increase debt costs, impose restrictive covenants, and limit future restructuring options.

• ⚠️ Complex capital structures hurt creditor recoveries: Recovery estimates dropped 25-30% for lenders in major LME cases.

• ✅ Transparency with stakeholders is critical: Companies that engage creditors early and provide clear turnaround plans are more likely to succeed.

Why It Matters

The finance world moves fast, and the difference between growing your company and losing ground often comes down to the decisions made in the C-suite.

Cash flow missteps, inefficient processes, and risky financial maneuvers can quietly erode stability—until it’s too late. The best CFOs don’t just react; they anticipate. They know where to cut, when to invest, and how to keep the business resilient in uncertain times.

If you’re not thinking ahead, you’re already behind. Stay sharp, stay strategic, and keep leading. 🚀

Vanessa Carter
Editor-in-Chief
CFO Executive Insights