Most executives admit to ESG 'greenwashing': survey

Companies overstate their commitment to sustainability as investors, regulators, lawmakers and other stakeholders push for adherence to environmental, social and governance best practices.

By Jim Tyson • April 27, 2022

Profit expectations fall at US companies, NABE says

The business outlook has grown hazier amid Federal Reserve plans to reduce stimulus, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and doubts about the stability of supply chains tied to China.

By Jim Tyson • April 25, 2022

Most companies unable to gauge whether suppliers meet ESG goals: survey

Companies that collect data about their suppliers can gain insights needed to influence suppliers’ behavior on carbon emissions and other sustainability goals.

By Jim Tyson • April 20, 2022

SEC alleges Brazilian ex-CFO planted false Berkshire Hathaway story

Fernando Passos used a fabricated shareholder list and a fake email as part of a scheme to bolster his false Berkshire Hathaway claim and pump up IRB's flagging stock, according to the complaint.   

By Maura Webber Sadovi • April 20, 2022

SEC swats pest control company with $8M penalty for accounting flaws

Rollins Inc., a global exterminator company, adjusted its accounting reserves in order to increase its EPS by 1 cent and meet quarterly forecasts.

By Jim Tyson • April 19, 2022

CFO clout rising amid pandemic, other challenges: McKinsey

The influence of CFOs is growing across a range of decision making, including M&A, investor relations and digital transformation.

By Jim Tyson • April 18, 2022

CFOs eye hybrid office savings; firms grow in place

While some companies have sought to dump office leases, others are looking to keep a lid on costs by quietly accommodating more hybrid workers in existing space.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • April 18, 2022

Russia-Ukraine war to stoke U.S. inflation, slow growth

While ending a period of easy money, the Federal Reserve may have trouble reducing inflation to its 2% target without tipping the economy into a recession, the Conference Board said.

By Jim Tyson • April 14, 2022

Republican lawmakers slam SEC climate-risk disclosure proposal

SEC Chair Gary Gensler says that a new regime of disclosure standards would answer the demand from investors for detailed information about climate risks faced by publicly traded companies.

By Jim Tyson • April 13, 2022

Fed will 'expeditiously' combat inflation, Brainard says

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the unpredictability of the pandemic have thrust the U.S. economy into a time of “very high uncertainty,” Lael Brainard said.

By Jim Tyson • April 12, 2022

SEC issues guidance on crypto-asset accounting, disclosure

As theft of crypto-assets rises, the SEC is pushing companies to publicly report on the potential costs from such crimes and efforts to curb hacking risks.

By Jim Tyson • April 11, 2022

FTC orders fixes at Dun & Bradstreet, citing report errors

Dun & Bradstreet must overhaul how it gathers credit information and provide refunds to subscribers of its CreditBuilder product, the FTC said. 

By Jim Tyson • April 8, 2022

Federal auditor watchdog fines former KPMG vice chair $100,000

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board fined the former head of KPMG’s U.S. audit business soon after releasing a report on how audit firms can improve their work.

By Jim Tyson • April 6, 2022

Goodwill impairment expected to rise, reverse course in 2022: Kroll

The anticipated increase in goodwill impairment this year comes after the pandemic and the subsequent economic recovery whipsawed levels in recent years, according to Kroll data. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • April 6, 2022

Russian invasion impact challenges auditors: PCAOB

Auditors need to be on alert for several business disruptions from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that increase the risk that companies will misstate financial results, a federal regulator said.

By Jim Tyson • April 4, 2022

M&A slumps 23% during first quarter amid headwinds

Geopolitical tensions, threats to economic growth and other risks discouraged deal-makers during the first three months of 2022, according to Refinitiv.

By Jim Tyson • April 1, 2022

SEC proposes tougher disclosure rules for SPACs

A Securities and Exchange Commission proposal caps months of sharper scrutiny of SPACs and coincides with a slump in the market for the so-called blank-check companies.

By Jim Tyson • March 30, 2022

Surging inflation compelling small businesses to raise prices

Inflation is broad based – flaring in every sector – and will probably persist longer than initially expected, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said.

By Jim Tyson • March 29, 2022

Twilio engineers tipped usage metrics to friends, SEC charges

Supporting the accounting team on billing gave software specialists an early look at an upcoming business spurt from the rise of remote work, which they used to make big stock gains. 

By Robert Freedman • March 29, 2022

Cyber extortion surges 78% on spread of 'ransomware-as-a-service'

Ransomware attacks are becoming more sophisticated and, at most companies, require a recovery period of more than a month, according to Palo Alto Networks.

By Jim Tyson • March 28, 2022

Data pose biggest hurdle to ESG disclosure: Deloitte

Gathering credible data on greenhouse gas emissions by suppliers and other third-party business partners has emerged as one of the most difficult steps in sustainability reporting.

By Jim Tyson • March 25, 2022

Biden tightens Russia sanctions as supply chain recovery falters

The prices of oil, metals and other commodities have surged since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, complicating efforts by CFOs to overcome the harm from supply chain disruptions.

By Jim Tyson • March 24, 2022

Companies must venture into 'jungle' of approaches to ESG ratings

CFOs committed to providing sustainability disclosures confront a confusing variety of inconsistent standards and measurements, according to a panel of experts.

By Jim Tyson • March 23, 2022

SEC proposes ‘rules of the road’ for climate-risk disclosures

Investors with $130 trillion in assets under management have pushed for consistent, comparable disclosures on climate risk, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said Monday.

By Jim Tyson • March 21, 2022

Fairness opinion could give SPAC target companies peace of mind

The legal tactic mitigates the management headache that can occur after the de-SPAC transaction if there’s a conflict between the sponsor of the special purpose acquisition company and its investors.

By James Hanson • March 21, 2022