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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Thursday that job openings fell to 6.5 million in 2025, the lowest level since September 2020. Meanwhile, initial jobless claims exceeded expectations. Private-sector hiring was weak, and layoffs surged in January, with economists warning that the hiring downturn could persist.
Alphabet's finance team is deploying AI agents to handle invoices and reconciliation. CFO Anat Ashkenazi stated on the Q4 call that about half of the company's internal code is generated by AI. Gartner expects that by 2028, 30% of enterprise software will include agentic AI, but CFOs need to be wary of hype and data risks.
Peloton Interactive announced that Chief Financial Officer Liz Coddington will step down on March 27 to join clean energy company Palmetto as CFO. At the time of her departure, Peloton reported a 7% year-over-year decline in second-quarter subscriptions to 2.6 million, with revenue down 3% year-over-year.
CEC Entertainment (parent company of Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza) announced that current Chief Financial Officer Scott Drake will be promoted to President and CEO on February 13, succeeding David McKillips, who has led the company since 2020. Drake will be responsible for driving brand expansion, international growth, and diversified revenue.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) revisited goodwill accounting treatment at its February 4, 2026 meeting, marking the first formal deliberation since the project was shelved in 2022. A majority of board members supported staff conducting additional research, but no vote was taken on whether to add the goodwill project to the technical agenda. Staff presented five possible solutions, including amortization, expanding the private company alternative, immediate write-off, enhanced disclosures, or simplifying the impairment model. FASB Chairman Richard Jones personally favors the amortization approach but is skeptical about its passage.
The ISM reported on Wednesday that US service sector activity expanded in January for a second consecutive month at the fastest pace since October 2024, with the composite index rising for 19 consecutive months. Business activity accelerated, while growth in new orders and employment slowed. The manufacturing PMI also rose to its highest since August 2022. Federal Reserve officials emphasized economic resilience, but tariff uncertainty remains a risk.
Uber announced on Wednesday alongside its Q4 earnings that Balaji Krishnamurthy, Vice President of Strategic Finance, will take over as CFO on February 16. Current CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah will step down and serve as a senior financial advisor until July 1. Analysts believe that the internal promotion helps stabilize the finance function, and Krishnamurthy's long-term involvement in autonomous driving may align with the company's expansion strategy.
Online lender Better Home & Finance Holding Company announced that Loveen Advani, who previously worked at Zeta Global, Aetna, and IBM, officially assumed the role of CFO on Monday, succeeding Kevin Ryan, who had departed.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe proposed tax reform in his State of the State address on January 13, advocating for the abolition of the personal income tax and the expansion of the sales tax to include digital services. Experts at the Tax Foundation analyze that while this move could help attract talent and reduce tax burdens for sole proprietorships, it may increase compliance costs for local small and medium-sized businesses and suppress consumption due to tax shifting. Georgia is also considering similar measures, while more states are opting to lower tax rates or move toward a flat tax in 2026.
The dollar has declined 10% over the past year, and the appeal of U.S. assets is diminishing. CFOs must adapt scenario planning to manage higher capital costs, currency risk, and ongoing volatility. This article provides four actionable suggestions.