Fraudsters frequently conduct extensive research to tailor their approach to match the target. Here are some tips for how to fight the threat.
Social engineering fraudsters frequently conduct extensive research on individuals or corporations to tailor their approach to match the target. Read about ways to identify your risks and fight back.

The migration to chip cards and chip-enabled point-of-sale terminals in the United States has helped to mitigate fraud risk for cardholders, merchants and bank issuers.
Fraudsters are aware that they can’t counterfeit physical cards and use them in a chip environment anymore. As the online environment is less protected, card-not-present fraud is growing.

Find out how the right foreign exchange strategy can mitigate risk and potentially help you grab opportunities.
Tariff announcements, whether real or threatened, have impacted the markets. Companies dealing in U.S. dollars should consider hedging strategies to manage the foreign exchange aspect of their international trade.

Some of these best practices may be obvious, but they make a good checklist for your internal fraud mitigation efforts.
Be sure that you are protecting your company from fraud by following proven best practices, diligently monitoring accounts for fraudulent activity, and reporting to your bank in a timely manner to increase the likelihood of recovering funds.

Get unique insights and ideas for navigating today's challenging foreign exchange environment.
A properly designed balance sheet hedging program can help reduce the negative impact of foreign exchange volatility on your earnings and cash flows. Foreign currency fluctuations are here to stay but there are ways to mitigate its impact on your profits. 

Getting to compliance may yield valuable data that can be used to guide future leasing and financing decisions. Here’s how.
New standards may require significant changes in internal systems, processes and controls surrounding leases. But you can also collect valuable data to guide future leasing and financing decisions.

Market participants are split on the direction of short- and long-term rates. Find out what strategies may work to your advantage.
Get an overview of the current movement of the yield curve along with tips about how you may take advantage when the direction is still not clear.

Treasury professionals believe that strategic, cybersecurity and financial risks will challenge them over the next three years.
Four hundred treasury professionals believe that strategic, cybersecurity and financial risks will challenge them over the next three years. Get results of the 2019 AFP^® Risk Survey.

Here’s how moving payments from checks to a card program can help you improve your financial and competitive position.
Here are four ways to help you boost the effectiveness of your card program while improving control, reducing fraud and benefitting from revenue sharing.

This webinar will show you how to optimize results in today’s dynamic interest rate environment.
Learn more about how your public finance organization can optimize results in today’s dynamic interest rate environment. PNC Public Finance Disclosure

Capital leases offer more than stabilized cash flow and preserved capital. Find out about unique payment structures.
If your business encounters pressure on cash reserves, or you want new and creative opportunities to turn your treasury department into a liquidity generating machine, consider capital leasing.

Companies and their card issuers can reduce exposure to commercial payments fraud.
Payment fraud trends evolve in the same manner that payment innovation evolves. Certainly, fraudsters look to identify and exploit areas of vulnerability in both established and emerging payments systems, but they will also gravitate quickly to new areas when previously vulnerable sectors of the payments ecosystem have been made more secure.

Real-Time Payments (RTP®) has the potential not only to offer faster payments but also to improve the way you communicate with tenants and vendors.
Real-Time Payments (RTP) has the potential not only to offer faster payments but also to improve the way you communicate with tenants and vendors. View this webinar replay to learn about this new technology and how it will affect your business. RTP is a registered trademark of The Clearing House Payments Company, LLC.

This webinar focuses on the evolution and ongoing development of emerging payment channels.
Digital innovation is driving transformation in the treasury management industry — the momentum is real, and new opportunities are emerging. Unlike other activities that have been revolutionized by modern technology, the U.S. payments space has remained largely unchanged. Until now, that is. PNC Public Finance Disclosure

Cash balances remain high, acting as a buffer against market uncertainties, according to the 2018 Liquidity Survey by the Association of Financial Professionals.
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) conducts a survey each year on current and emerging trends in organizations’ cash and short-term investment holdings, investment policies and strategies. Here are some key statistics from this year's study.

Smart contracts can unlock the power of blockchain technology, providing a platform that can remove friction, reduce paper and speed transactions across many industries.
Could smart contracts benefit your business? Smart contracts are blockchain-enabled contracts that have the potential to revolutionize the way we do business. Similar to paper contracts, smart contracts define operating rules between parties, but a key differentiator is that they can also systematically enforce those rules.

There are seven common principles a business owner family can use to successfully transition to a financial family. These principles are outlined in this paper.
After the sale of a family business, the business owner family must transition to a financial family. An important element of a family’s successful transition is an understanding that the business purpose that drove and united the family. Without a common purpose, the family does not have a common goal or focus.

A see-saw of tax, regulatory and trade decisions has kept business leaders shifting back and forth from optimism to caution. The result is that cash balances remain high.
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) conducts a survey each year on current and emerging trends in organizations’ cash and short-term investment holdings, investment policies and strategies. Here are some key statistics from this year’s study.

Covenants are additional terms in a loan agreement, typically used to set financial guidelines for a company.
Covenants are additional terms in a loan agreement, typically used to set financial guidelines for a company. Can you use your covenants to enhance the success of your business?

Taking the type of equipment, financial state of the business and other factors into account can deliver bottom-line benefits.
Are you spending enough time analyzing how to pay for that vital acquisition? Taking the type of equipment, financial state of the business and other factors into account can deliver bottom-line benefits.

This webinar will provide background on the threats and best practices for protecting your Commercial Card program.

AR and VR enable users to interactively use computer-generated information and data.
The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics and other cognitive tools into the workplace ushers in a new age of industrial automation. It promises greater efficiencies, reduced costs, higher profit margins and other tangible benefits to companies investing in these technologies. 

Are you exposed to future rate increases related to longer term debt? A forward starting swap can help to manage interest rate exposure.
As interest rates continue to rise, borrowers may be exposed to future rate increases related to longer term debt. A forward starting swap can help to manage interest rate exposure and align their interest rate risk with their risk tolerance.  

How can faster payments support your objectives of meeting payment deadlines, improving customer satisfaction, reducing costs, and streamlining your internal processes?
Faster payments can help you meet deadlines, improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and streamline your internal processes. The first step is to understand emerging payment types and how they can answer your business needs. 

It may be helpful to think of your treasury management provider as a specialist who collaborates with you to help optimize the value of your working capital.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treasury management. And while upfront costs and expenses for technology and professional support need to be considered, the return on that initial investment is likely to be positive, both short and long term.

Whether you are buying or selling across borders or entering a new international market, you’re likely to face credit, country, counterparty and currency risks.
This webinar outlines the key instruments for mitigating risks, examines strategies for navigating the complexities of international trade, demystifies  industry terminology and clarifies components of trade documentation.

The equipment financing decision goes beyond determining how to pay for an item. It is a decision that needs to be made in the context of a company's overall financial situation.
There are many factors to consider in deciding the best option for obtaining the equipment businesses need to move forward. Here are six of the top issues.

We focus on three key areas for plan sponsors thinking about enhancing their pension risk outcomes.
2017 proved to be another volatile year for pension plan sponsors. The market environment combined with several regulatory updates may provide plan sponsors with some potential opportunities for 2018. 

President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) into law on Friday, December 22, 2017 — and it has undoubtedly left its mark on the municipal finance market.
During this webinar, we discuss the major elements of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and their effect on municipal finance, including municipal bond supply and demand, and relative value relationship of municipals to other instruments. We also cover a look-back at the impact of these dynamics during the first two months of 2018 and expectations for longer-term effects. PNC Public Finance Disclosure

Discussion includes a look-back at the impact of these dynamics during the first two months of 2018 and expectations for longer-term effects.

Many U.S. companies continue to actively seek ways to increase energy efficiency.
Researchers have found companies with high environmental, social and governance ratings tend to outperform the market in the mid- and long-term ranges. As many boards and corporate executives are finding, sustainability initiatives can be very good for business.

While interest rates have been low for years, rising interest rates bode well for overall economic health — and may even hold good news for businesses.
Understanding and capitalizing on the opportunities that exist in rising rate environments can make businesses stronger. Focusing on the next best moves for your business, both in terms of borrowing and strategic investment, can help you stay ahead of the competition and make the best decisions for the future of your organization.

Accounts receivable remains the lifeblood of most companies. Here are some of the latest techniques and technologies for improving working capital performance.
New technologies allow companies to better integrate payment streams. This allows the business to benefit from controls visibility and technology not only with traditional paper receipts through a traditional lockbox but also electronic payments through a virtual lockbox or an electronic bill presentment and payment system.

Evaluate investment options and anticipate future rate changes in order to set an optimal cash position and strategy.
Many financial decision-makers see today’s rising rates as either a brand-new phenomenon or an operating environment that they haven’t faced for more than a decade. Corporates will be required to analyze their short-term cash and cash position differently in order to prepare for the long haul.

The convergence of mobile technology and digital commerce is leading to real time payment innovation around the world.

You can't afford to wait for clarity when determining European strategies in the face of an uncertain Brexit environment. This seminar will arm your company with the tools it needs.
Improve your understanding of the economic impact and potential disruption to trade flows. Identify possible negotiation outcomes surrounding passporting rights and data privacy. Review foreign exchange concerns including currency volatility. Recognize the potential impacts on employees, customers and vendors.

Cash balances continue to remain high; there’s a large investment in bank products and organizations have no plans to invest in prime money market funds. Could that change?
While much of the talk around money funds asks why corporates left, AFP’s survey attempted to dig a little deeper. We asked practitioners what might entice them to come back. Would it be a stable NAV? Is it a certain number of basis points? Is it the uncertainty around it?

Real-time payments can help accelerate payments to speed up delivery, improve incoming cash flow or support cash on delivery payment terms.
Real-time payments represent a new phase in the evolution of digital payments.  In the U.S., PNC Bank, along with other members of The Clearing House, is leading the way with the development of a Real Time Payments network -- the first new U.S. payment network in over 40 years.  It’s a totally new payment type.

Changes to the NACHA Operating Rules, which govern the use of ACH, now enable ACH participants to speed delivery of more time-sensitive ACH transactions.
Same Day ACH has been especially beneficial when businesses experienced a delay in creating their direct deposit payroll files. Activating Same Day ACH allowed the files to be processed immediately and their employees were paid on time.

The U.S. dollar has been experiencing increased volatility. Find out how to manage the impact of the changing value of the dollar and other currencies.
What is the best way to develop a risk management plan for your business? What resources are available for assistance with the financial and market variables that will impact a risk management plan? What is the best way to identify the appropriate hedging instruments to use? What are the outcomes of an effectively implemented risk management plan?

Are you facing international cash management challenges without uniform internal systems – and with thinly-spread local staff?
According to a 2016 Ovum survey of 200 treasurers in 23 countries, only 13% of multinational corporates can see their real-time global cash position. Treasury teams need to achieve a greater degree of centralization and regain control of their company’s most important asset: cash.

We believe buy-sell funding has a “Goldilocks zone” of sorts in that parties to a buy-sell agreement will seek to find an optimal funding level.
Acquiring an appropriate amount of life insurance coverage, properly structuring ownership and beneficiary designations, and aligning the type of life insurance policy with the terms of the buy-sell agreement are critical to implementing a successful funding strategy.

A key to effective wealth management and family wealth transfer is recognizing the risks that threaten you and your family’s wealth and developing strategies to minimize them.
Recognize the risks that threaten you and your family’s wealth and develop strategies to minimize them. Disability, divorce and predators are just a few of the risks families face. A well-designed and well-administered trust is one of the most effective tools for managing life’s risks and achieving wealth goals.

When you plan for the cost of new equipment, don’t forget to plan for the significant portion of the total equipment expense called “soft costs.”
Finding a lender with a strong specialty in equipment financing and who understands more than just the invoice amount is key. As long as soft costs stay within certain parameters of the total investment, you can fold them into your affordable monthly equipment payment, preserving your cash for more important needs.

Hedging allows treasurers to protect profits and cash flow by locking in revenues, costs and global intercompany transactions, but accounting treatment can be uncertain.
Equity markets are highly volatile. Global currency markets have also been experiencing larger than normal swings. Fortunately foreign exchange hedging products such as forwards and options are available to protect against the potentially adverse impact of currency fluctuations.

Companies must implement secure and efficient payment processes in the face of a complex and an evolving web of customs, laws and regulations that varies from country to country.
Best practices cover payment instructions, understanding local rules, tax implications, using local currency, and collaborating with your bank.

Even cross-border payments sent via SWIFT will land in a local payment system where unique banking practices may delay funds’ availability and result in fees to the beneficiary.
Companies need to implement secure and efficient payment practices in the face of customs, processes and regulations that vary from country to country. To avoid delays and extra costs, understand payment rules, regulations and networks.

Check fraud tops the list of fraud methods criminals use, according to the latest AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey. Why is this latest survey especially worrying?
75% of organizations experienced check fraud in 2016. 74% reported that their organizations were exposed to business email compromise. Nearly half of survey respondents reported that the incidents of fraud attempts increased in 2016.

Is your suppliers’ reluctance or refusal to accept electronic payments a barrier to increased usage? Here are some tips for driving increased commercial card acceptance.
Integrate supplier calls into your Accounts Payable (AP) department to introduce commercial card as a payment option that creates benefits for both parties. Incorporate commercial card payment information into standard communications (e.g., emails, check communications) with suppliers. Contact suppliers regularly to engage them directly on commercial card acceptance.

Between 2009 and 2015, commercial card volume almost doubled, as more companies switched from checks to electronic payments.
However, the rate of growth in commercial card volume has been slowing in recent years and fell to just 8% in 2015. This slowdown can be attributed to a number of factors, including organizational inertia, reluctance to overhaul legacy payment systems, or the belief that suppliers will not accept electronic payments.

One of the operational areas that offer considerable potential for technology-based transformation is the payments system.
Your financial institution should support you in recruiting suppliers to accept electronic payments, continually monitor the effectiveness of optimization efforts, identify issues with supplier recruitment, and activation of suppliers who have agreed to accept electronic payments.

Even though the Liquidity Coverage Ratio is targeted at banks, your banking relationship — and therefore your business — may be affected.
The Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) was created by banking regulators to enhance the banking industry’s ability to absorb shocks resulting from financial and economic stress and to strengthen the industry’s processes for monitoring and managing liquidity. Over the long term, the LCR rule will benefit your business by increasing the strength of the banking industry.

Pension plan sponsors face a volatile landscape that presents significant opportunities and risks, especially if they have a legacy defined benefit plan, or are considering a merger.
Healthcare systems are complicated organizations, managing their liabilities to maintain credit ratings in a competitive environment. Pension risk is a liability many systems face and several strategies available are highlighted in this article.

Today’s rising interest rate environment may make it possible to improve your return on short-term cash.
Investment policies should include formalized forecasting and contingency plans to prepare key decision-makers for unexpected events. Contingency plans should include a scenario analysis that details events of varying risk or magnitude and how the company will react. For example — divest, stay the course or become more conservative.

Corporate financial managers must consider the impact of interest rate forecasts, future GDP estimates and potential tax reform on corporate cash strategies.
A number of short-term investment options have become part of the consideration set because of the rising market. They include variable net asset value prime money market funds, separately managed accounts and conservative ultra-short bond funds.

PNC’s economists are predicting increases in 2017 and 2018. A new administration in Washington and political changes in Europe may also affect interest rates.
What does the future hold for interest rates? How will the new interest rate environment affect your borrowing strategies and how can you mitigate the risks? We asked Tina Hwang from PNC’s Capital Markets group to weigh in.

Three key areas of focus emanating from the new Administration and Congress are positive for the economy and growth: cutting taxes, infrastructure investment and less regulation.
As was revealed in the just-released 2017 AFP Risk Survey, one of the top three risk factors having the greatest impact on organizations’ earnings in the next three years was “U.S. political and regulatory uncertainty.”

Cyber criminals are finding new and subtler ways to infiltrate legitimate businesses to conceal or advance their objectives.
As a financial institution that is focused on creating long-term, collaborative relationships with its customers, PNC believes strongly that the USA PATRIOT Act requirement to know our customers, their ownership, business purpose, suppliers and customers benefits our national security — and your security as well.

As 2017 begins, stock and oil prices are moving higher and economic outlooks for 2017 are being revised.
Economic growth will be faster in 2017-2018 with assists from consumer spending, construction spending, business investment and Federal government spending, more than offsetting weakness in U.S. exports as the dollar continues to strengthen and growth outside the U.S. remains slow.

Technological advancements have led to shortened product development times, faster products to market, better distribution systems and streamlined purchasing.
While banks and FinTech providers can at one level be seen as competitors, there is increasing recognition by both sides of the strengths and limitations each possesses. This mutual recognition of their relative strengths and limitations is leading to increased collaboration between the two.

FinTech’s significance is underscored by the exponential growth in venture capital investing in the sector in recent years.
Going forward, FinTech is expected to impact a broad mix of financial service categories, including payments. Many financial service providers are preparing for this new reality by making strategic investments in and partnering with FinTech firms, as well as developing their own solutions.

Distributed ledger technologies record transactions in a decentralized network. The record of each transaction is shared across a network of computers.
While FinTech firms are helping to accelerate the pace of technological advancement within the industry, banks are investing in new technologies to provide better/faster/cheaper and more secure services to their client base.

Along with consistent growth, U.S. insurance firms are facing pressure on their bottom lines due to increased competition, low interest rates and regulatory changes.
By automating claims payments, insurance firms can reduce their reliance on checks and add disbursement options including ACH, prepaid cards and even same-day or real-time mobile solutions. Insurance firms can also improve receivables processing as well by accepting premium payments and contributions to annuities or other investment accounts in a variety of formats.

Long a trusted resource for financial institutions, SWIFT also supports corporate treasurers as they face expanding roles and shrinking resources.
SWIFT provides messaging standards that define a common means of structuring data for a broad range of financial purposes, from cash management and foreign exchange to trade finance. Additionally, SWIFT provides a highly secure proprietary communication platform and products such as SWIFT FileAct, which supports the exchange of bulk files between corporates and banks.

Stocks and bonds are expensive relative to history, growth remains sluggish, and corporate earnings have been unable to gather sustainable momentum.
We remain in a difficult market to forecast, particularly regarding the complex interactions between what we see as the weak fundamental backdrop and how current monetary policy might affect the dollar, interest rates, and investor risk preferences.

As e-commerce moves towards 10% share of total retail sales, mobile commerce is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.
Widespread consumer adoption of payment technologies can lead to demand in the commercial space. For these reasons, trends in consumer payment innovation can be early indicators for changes in commercial payments.

Do political trends influence interest rates during an election cycle?
Companies should be armed with a comprehensive risk management policy and exercise discipline in implementing their hedging strategy regardless of the political environment and market conditions. Prepare to implement your hedging strategy in a timely manner.

The controls that come with the latest commercial payment methods enable CFOs, controllers and program administrators to exercise greater control over payment systems and practices.
The potential benefits associated with strong controls can be significant in terms of cost savings and peace of mind. Conversely, failure to implement appropriate payment controls can subject an organization to unnecessary financial risk.

You can find relief by improving management of invoice processing through payment.
Invoice automation can help you optimize the use of employee resources, significantly decrease the cost of processing invoices, help you capture vendor discounts more reliably and increase scale within your back office.  

It's clear that corporations and individuals need to understand the risks and opportunities as an uncertain situation evolves.
Britain's Brexit vote upended expectations with 51.9 % of voters backing the "leave" campaign versus 48.1% backing "remain." The result sent shock waves through the markets and created an unstable political environment in the United Kingdom in the weeks following.

Chart provides detailed information on Money Market Fund regulation considerations at a glance.
Intended to preserve the benefits of money market funds while increasing transparency and strengthening investor confidence, new regulations effective in October 2016 will require a re-evaluation of your cash management strategy.

The industry experienced increased fraud activity in advance of EMV with data breaches hitting high-profile brands.
Improve your awareness of Card-Not-Present (CNP) fraud with the adoption of EMV. Understand how PNC’s fraud strategies and intelligent neural network can help prevent fraud while balancing risk with the cardholder experience. Understand how PNC’s fraud strategies and intelligent neural network can help prevent fraud while balancing risk with the cardholder experience.

When outside capital is needed, good cash flow and working capital management will make it easier to find and less expensive no matter what the economic cycle.
Companies that make working capital efficiency part of their organization’s culture have the opportunity to generate more of their working capital internally, thereby lowering costs, improving their performance and boosting their competitive position.

An overview of the decision and its major impacts now and in the future
Gain insight into the direct impact of Brexit on financial markets and its effect on the UK, Europe and other major economies.

If you are one of the growing number of companies doing business in China, recent moves to liberalize its currency can have substantial bottom-line benefits for you.
Although U.S. companies have historically believed that negotiating international agreements in USD insulates them from exposure to currency volatility, it also puts them at a competitive disadvantage compared to companies that transact in local currency.

Changes to the NACHA Operating Rules will allow ACH participants to speed delivery of transactions that are more time sensitive than traditional ACH transactions.
Employers who want more flexibility in timing payroll, insurance carriers committed to fast payout of claims and reimbursements, individuals who need to get money to family members quickly, and billers wanting to offer a same day bill payment option are just a few of the groups looking forward to Same Day ACH.

Around the world, the momentum behind the move to real-time payments (RTP) — or “Immediate Payments,” as they’re often termed — is unstoppable and growing.
The U.S. has been conspicuous in its absence from the list of countries embracing RTP. That’s changing fast, with a surge of activity and initiatives under way to bring payments in the U.S. up to speed with the rest of the world. These moves involve a broad range of players, and an approach specifically geared to the unique needs and requirements of the U.S. market.

In September 2015, the 10-year swap spread turned negative, and today, all swap spreads with a tenor of 5 years and greater are negative.
Current negative swap spreads present an opportunity for market participants favoring fixed rate debt. The bank markets traditionally price over LIBOR, and the bond markets price over Treasuries. By electing to pay a fixed swap rate, a market participant enjoys the benefit of negative swap spreads through a lower swap rate paid for the life of the contract.

Learn how to better manage intercompany payments, reduce transaction costs and improve intracompany reconciliation.
Multinational corporations face many challenges in managing growth across multiple continents, currencies, and accounting systems. Treasury managers can facilitate cross-border settlements among affiliates, increase productivity and generate cost savings with a multilateral netting solution.

In our fast-moving world, payment systems must evolve to keep pace. Quicker payout, more flexibility, better control and improved cash flow are what customers expect today.
With encouragement from the Federal Reserve, the industry is responding to the demand for faster payments. Three leading organizations are already rolling out new payment options.

Many companies have found growth opportunities elusive and are focused on maintaining operational efficiency.
The increasing speed of doing business, the rise of globalization, the continued drive to identify and capture efficiencies, and the need to optimize relationships with suppliers and customers are driving companies to incorporate new technologies into their business processes.

Debt Capital Markets Group third annual CFO survey
This year’s survey looks at what financial leaders are currently thinking about the overall economy, acquisitions, hiring and growth. Their opinions can provide valuable insight as you plan for your company’s future.

Companies must do their part in maintaining the integrity of the trade supply chain.
About 80 percent of illicit financial flows from developing countries are now channeled through trade-based money laundering (TBML), according to Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a research and advocacy organization.

PNC Healthcare commissioned Shapiro+Raj to explore changes in the healthcare environment and their impact on providers, payers, and employers. Here are the findings of that study.
Millennials will shape the future of American healthcare. They seek change throughout the system. They embrace retail and acute care clinics. They take the most responsibility for their own healthcare. They spend more time researching online, finding providers and getting others’ opinions and they will force much more change compared to Boomers and seniors.

The strength of the dollar, a favorable interest rate environment and an abundance of cash on hand may make this a good time for domestic companies to invest outside the U.S.
Companies considering a cross-border merger or acquisition should evaluate the currency risk during the due-diligence stage of the deal to ensure that currency rate volatility does not adversely affect the target price.You can perform a “Value at Risk” analysis to quantify the currency risk between now and closing.  

Many companies are interested in realizing the potential bottom-line benefits of payables automation but are unsure of how to introduce it. These 10 steps can help.
Among the steps companies can take toward payables automation are reaching out to their bank's treasury management officer, crafting a strategy, obtaining active buy-in from senior management, designating an executive sponsor and forming a payables auotmation project team with representation from various units.

Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has granted PNC Bank Canada Branch (“PNC Canada”) a full-service branch license.
Canada is the United States' largest export market and the second largest source of imports after China. Companies doing business in Canada face a number of challenges as they deal with customs documentation and adapt their operations for sales tax accounting, procurement procedures and even packaging and labeling. PNC can help.

In navigating through the sluggish growth environment of recent years, U.S. companies have increasingly focused on improving efficiency throughout their organizations.
Many companies have found significant opportunities for efficiency gains by introducing automation into their accounts payable opertaions. In addition to helping with efficiency, automation can offer a number of other benefits, including reduced costs and greater visibility into their pending financial obligations.

Foreign currency volatility has reduced earnings from both a transaction and translation perspective. Explore strategies for mitigating the currency impact on earnings and cash flow.
Find out how a strengthening dollar can create a headwind for companies doing business internationally. The recent spike in foreign currency volatility has taken a big bite out of earnings, from both a transaction and a translation perspective. This presentation helps explain these issues.

As international business grows more important to U.S. companies, it's vital to recognize that import and export activities are heavily regulated by the U.S. Government.
If you are conducting international business, if you are engaging in new types of transactions, if you are doing business with new entities or in new geographic regions, you may receive questions from government entities or your financial institution. Everyone involved is responsible for compliance and could face penalties or fines for noncompliance.

Be prepared for unexpected interruptions.
Effective business planning takes to heart the old adage: expect the unexpected. Financial professionals spend a lot of time planning for the future, from both a strategic and operational perspective. 

Your financial well-being, like your health, can benefit from regular checkups — but where to start? Here is a step-by-step plan to improve your financial fitness.
Pay yourself first. Create a budget. Pay down credit card debt. Prepare a personal net worth statement. Review your estate planning documents. Rebalance your investment portfolio. Review your insurance and your tax plan and seek guidance from a qualified wealth management professional to improve your financial wel being.

Currency markets are experiencing a significant amount of volatility. Hedging programs can help companies protect profits and cash flow.
While most companies start with hedging balance sheet exposures as they are more visible, more are now considering hedging forecasted exposures such as sales or expenses. Hedging anticipated cash flows depends on the company’s ability to forecast reasonably accurately, although uncertainties can be managed by hedging a percentage of your anticipated exposure.

Most businesses need both disaster planning and business resiliency strategies, but resilency can come into play almost every day.
Business resiliency plans ensure uninterrupted processing for essential functions.  Most business interruptions fall into one or more of these 5 categories: hardware, facilities, network/telecom, software and people. With a strong business resiliency plan, you can be prepared and avoid the difficulties of recovery without one.

Doing business with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa can be challenging for companies accustomed to the certainties of mainstream currencies.
Although the BRICS proactively promote international business, their governments remain concerned that any sudden inflow or outflow of money could de-stabilize their economies. As a result, they have implemented restrictions on international transactions. Trade and capital payments are regulated and certain hedging practices are prohibited.

Business owners and corporate treasurers are reviewing their projections for funded debt levels over the next several years to manage their mix of fixed and floating rate debt.
A hedging solution called the yield curve efficient interest rate swap closely follows the expected future path of interest rates.  The frequency and timing of the increases can be tailored to meet specific cash flow needs.

Companies are beginning to recognize the importance of having an investment policy that provides clear direction on how investments will be managed and how much risk is acceptable.
A solid investment policy include formalized forecasting and contingency plans to prepare key decision-makers for unexpected events. Contingency plans should include a scenario analysis that details events of varying risk or magnitude and how the company will react. For example — divest, stay the course, or become more conservative.

Many companies that had previously elected to hedge with an interest rate swap will be faced with early termination or make whole of their current interest rate swap.
In the face of moderate economic growth in the United States and overseas, short and long-term interest rates remain at historically low levels. There are many flexible and creative hedging solutions available. You should review the expected duration of your debt portfolio and consult with your capital markets profession to discuss your options.

Canada is a vitally important market for U.S. companies. The United States sells more goods to Canada than to all 27 countries of the European Union combined.
The ease and longevity of our relationship with Canada can make us forget that the enormous territory to the north is not just an extension of the United States. Like any other global market, Canada has its own customs, laws, rules, and regulations that require just as much attention and insight as those of our more distant trading partners.

Does your company have a well-thought-out investment policy? Does your policy have clear, measurable objectives? Has it been written down and shared with the appropriate team?
Putting your investment policy in writing is the foundation of effective investing.  Your policy should provide benchmarks to help you evaluate how well it is working and what changes may be needed to make it more effective. While every company is different several elements should be part of every policy.

When you contemplate the sale of your business, market timing, economic considerations, competitive trends, tax strategies and future capital requirements should be taken into account.
Merger and acquisition ("M&A") transactions can raise a series of important considerations that significantly impact business owners. When is the right time for an M&A transaction? What steps are required? When selling a company, how can business owners achieve liquidity and maximize value while still looking after the best interests of their company?

Companies need to define a risk management objective. What are you trying to hedge and why? Every company has different metrics that should be incorporated into their hedging decisions.
Companies buying, selling or capitalizing a foreign business often overlook currency risks. including impacts on valuation, financial statements, and capitalization. Get specific, actionable information on currency risk management, including  pre-close exposure/hedging, managing the currency impact of capitalization decisions and financial statement impacts.

The wrong strategy, the wrong partner and poor management can knock you off track in China. Learn about challenges in the operating environment.
Often companies initially focus their strategy for China on the basic how to’s: How do I start a company? How do I find an agent? How do I open a bank account? These are important questions. But these are not the issues that can inhibit your success in China.

Biases are the basis for cognitive and emotional errors when we apply them in financial markets and they often result in financial losses.
Humans have an amazing capacity for reasoning, memory, action, feelings and emotions. But capacity alone does not ensure that we will develop the proper biases to employ every day in predictive scenarios. In some cases, these biases come hardwired in our brains and work against us when it comes to predicting market movements.

Smart managers are sweetening their employee benefits package with additional perks to help their company stay competitive in the market for good employees.
Essentially, a workplace banking program is a package of discounted financial services and special benefits your company can offer to employees as part of your overall benefits package. Typically, there is no cost to participate, only rewards for both your company and your employees.

Credit is available with competitive terms for companies that see their bank as a vital resource. Here are tips for keeping an open relationship with your banker.
Imagine that you run a mid-size company with deep ties to an industry challenged by economic conditions. After decades of success, growth has stalled -- and your income statement is beginning to show it.  Open communication with your banker puts everyone in a better position to structure and negotiate the right credit solutions for the challenges at hand.