Financial Reporting
CFOs Should Strengthen Scenario Planning Capabilities to Prepare for 2026 and Beyond
Scenario planning is especially critical in uncertain times, but high volatility also makes it most challenging. CFOs can build a more resilient organization by focusing on data quality, establishing risk-tiering frameworks, balancing optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, translating plans into practical drills, and continuously iterating strategies. This article incorporates insights from U.S. Bank expert Tony Grayson and offers specific action recommendations.
Pentair Former CFO Steps In Again as Interim Finance Chief Amid Sudden Departure
Pentair announced on Tuesday that former CFO Bob Fishman will temporarily succeed Nicholas Brazis, who abruptly departed after only five months in the role to join Southwire. Fishman will receive a monthly salary of $125,000 and restricted stock awards valued at $1 million. The company also reported preliminary second-quarter results, with expected sales of approximately $930 million, down 17% year-over-year, and lowered its full-year sales outlook.
Former ViaQuest CEO denies embezzlement charges, calls it a business dispute
Former ViaQuest CEO Richard Johnson denies embezzlement allegations in a civil lawsuit, calling them untrue and a business dispute. The lawsuit, filed by three ViaQuest entities in the Delaware Court of Chancery, accuses Johnson and former CFO Michael Bell of secretly misappropriating company funds. Johnson says he welcomes presenting evidence in court and believes the truth will prevail.
ViaQuest sues former CEO and former CFO, alleging misappropriation of company funds
ViaQuest filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery, accusing former CEO Richard Johnson and former CFO Michael Bell of embezzling company assets through inflated compensation, diverting funds to affiliated companies, and personal expenses. Court documents show the two allegedly misappropriated approximately $12.9 million to pay Hospice business debts and involved financial support for AI startup Cairo/Joco. ViaQuest has appointed Emily Stickley as the new CEO and Emily Wagner as the new CFO.
Time Behind the Numbers: What Financial Leaders Gain When Manual Work Disappears
Finance teams are often seen as the analytical backbone of enterprises, but expanding strategic responsibilities coexist with cumbersome daily processes. This article uses case studies of HFMM Legacy Group, Lango, and Fire & Ice to show how, after adopting Intuit Enterprise Suite, financial leaders save significant time, shift from data wrangling to strategic insight, and improve work-life balance.
PepsiCo CFO: Tariff refunds expected to contribute about 1 percentage point to EPS growth
PepsiCo CFO Steve Schmitt said on Thursday's earnings call that the tariff refunds the company has applied for are expected to bring about 1 percentage point of earnings per share growth, helping to ease cost pressures. The company's second-quarter net revenue was $24.2 billion, up 6.4% year-over-year, with core earnings per share of $2.20, up 4% year-over-year.
Nike Warns of Soft Sales and Weakness in the Chinese Market, Transformation Strategy Faces Test
Nike's fourth-quarter sales for fiscal year 2026 were flat, with continued weakness in the Chinese market, inflationary pressures, and the Middle East situation weighing on performance. The company expects no significant improvement in the macroeconomic environment over the next six months and announced several adjustments, including a CFO change.
Comcast Brings Back Former CFO as CEO Ahead of Split
Comcast plans to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky through a tax-free separation, with former CFO Michael Angelakis returning as CEO and current co-CEO Mike Cavanagh set to become CEO of NBCUniversal. The split is expected to be completed within about a year.
Research: Companies with Specific AI Strategies Outperform Peers in Stock Price
Blue Bridge Group AI's 2026 AI Barometer analyzed annual reports of 275 major European and American index constituent companies and found that companies disclosing specific AI strategies performed better in stock prices. In 2024, companies mentioning AI saw an average stock price increase of 1.3%, while those not mentioning it saw a decline of 16.7%, a gap of 18 percentage points. American companies are more cautious in their attitude toward AI risks, with negative mentions accounting for 63%, much higher than their European counterparts.
Planet Fitness grants new CFO $3 million in equity sign-on award
Planet Fitness announced on Thursday that Sudhanshu Priyadarshi has officially assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer and President of International Operations, and was granted restricted stock units valued at $3 million as a sign-on award. The filing shows his annual salary is $900,000, with a target cash bonus of 115% of base salary, plus a long-term incentive award of $4 million for 2026. Former CFO Jay Stasz stepped down on March 9, and interim CFO Tom Fitzgerald will remain until mid-September to assist with the transition.