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The latest KPMG survey reveals that two-thirds of U.S. corporate leaders plan to increase M&A activity in 2026, with the primary drivers being expectations of further interest rate cuts and tax policy adjustments. Although tariffs and government shutdowns pose headwinds, dealmakers have adapted to the new normal. EY forecasts U.S. M&A deal value will grow by 3% in 2026, potentially reaching 7% in an optimistic scenario.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Thursday that the annual inflation rate unexpectedly fell to 2.7% in October, down from 3% in September, but the federal government shutdown led to six weeks of missing data. Core CPI rose 2.6% year-over-year, also lower than the previous value. Analysts caution that the data should be interpreted carefully, and the Fed's policy path remains uncertain.
Deloitte's Q4 CFO Signals survey shows that CFOs of large U.S. companies saw their confidence in the overall business and economic environment rise for the second consecutive quarter, hitting a four-year high. Risk appetite has rebounded significantly from the trough in Q2, with 59% of respondents saying it is a good time to increase bets. However, concerns about capital market valuations persist, with 43% of CFOs believing the market is overvalued.
The latest annual estimate released by the U.S. Treasury in the Federal Register shows that total corporate tax filing costs in the U.S. are expected to reach $131.8 billion in fiscal year 2026, an increase of 3.2% from fiscal year 2025. Compliance time is expected to decrease by 8.3% to 857 million hours, but out-of-pocket expenses are projected to rise by 10.6% to $79.2 billion. This estimate does not account for losses incurred by businesses due to suboptimal tax decisions. The data was developed by the IRS research division, and the public comment period ends on January 14, 2026.
A survey released this month by tax software provider Avalara shows that nearly half of accounts payable executives lack confidence in the upcoming changes to filing thresholds for 1099-K, 1099-MISC, and 1099-NEC. Additionally, only about 55% of respondents indicated they are preparing for the new 1099-DA form. Respondents primarily attribute the uncertainty to unclear communication from the IRS.
Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday showed that the unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in October, the highest level in over four years, mainly as federal government layoffs announced in the spring began to take effect. Federal government employment fell by 162,000 and 6,000 in October and November, respectively, while employment in construction and healthcare increased. Wage growth slowed to 0.1% month-over-month, and retail sales were flat in October. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points on December 10, but officials remain divided on the future policy path.
Navan, a corporate travel and expense management platform, released its fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings on Monday and simultaneously announced that CFO Amy Butte will depart on January 9, 2026. The company's Chief Accounting Officer, Anne Giviskos, will serve as interim CFO until a permanent successor is found. This personnel change comes shortly after Navan completed a $6.2 billion IPO at the end of October.
AI has been applied in the accounts payable field for one year, and finance teams are shifting from "AI-enhanced" to "AI-native" operations. This article summarizes key lessons from this transition, including AI's role in reducing costs and enhancing insights, as well as changes in CFO focus, and provides an outlook on trends for 2026.
Despite long-standing criticism over its non-GAAP nature and inconsistent definitions, EBITDA remains deeply embedded in corporate valuation, credit covenants, and incentive compensation systems. Michael Paull, President and CFO of The Ahola Corporation, argues that financial leaders should not shy away from the metric's flaws but instead build a bridge from EBITDA to cash flow, making explicit the balance sheet changes, non-cash items, and other factors that EBITDA overlooks. Such a bridge not only helps detect accounting errors, fraud, or working capital anomalies early but also serves as a lever in budget comparisons, bank reporting, and board presentations, ultimately transforming EBITDA from a vague earnings figure into a strategic tool for diagnosing operational quality and cash conversion efficiency.
Produced by CFO Dive in partnership with Workday and Kainos, this podcast brings together three industry experts—Adam Scheidler, Vice President of Financial Services and Insurance at Kainos; Kyle Davidson, AI Technical Director at Kainos; and Jim Gahagan, Senior Director of Financial Services Solutions Marketing at Workday—to delve into the core elements of AI readiness, including clean and connected data, clear governance frameworks, and employee empowerment, while offering actionable advice for CFOs on balancing innovation and risk.