CFOs: Optimism on the Rise, Committed to Efficiency Post-Recession

Following an eight-quarter decline beginning in 2007, the CFO Optimism Index for the U.S. economy rose in the third quarter and continued that rise in the fourth, increasing from 54.20 in Q3 to 56.98 in Q4 2009. Similarly, CFOs' financial prospects for their own companies rose another three points to 67.09 over Q3's 64.10. Despite an improved overall outlook, U.S. economic growth remains top of the list of CFOs' concerns (38 percent) as the number one economic worry for 2010, and one quarter of CFOs (26 percent) cite consumer spending/demand as their top concern. Specific business challenges on CFOs' minds include competition (25 percent) and expense control (23 percent). With regard to a timeline for recovery, over one half of CFOs (58 percent) believe a U.S. economic recovery will be realized by the end of 2010. Nearly one-quarter (22 percent), however, do not believe it will occur until the first half of 2011.