This is Issue #2 | Wed, August 6, 2025 of Good Morning, CFO; What smart CFOs read before their first Zoom of the day.
⚡ MARKET SNAPSHOT
U.S. futures dialed in modest gains: S&P +0.3%, Dow +0.4%, Nasdaq +0.2% as traders digest beats and tariff threats. AMD dropped ~6%, Super Micro collapsed ~17%, while Apple rallied on a $100B U.S. investment pledge. Trade policy and mixed earnings = CFO migraines.
CFO HEADLINES
Australia’s Fastly announces CFO transition
Tech firm Fastly promoted internal leader in CFO shake‑up today. Time to dust off your bench-strength playbook.
MetLife CFO drops Q2 update video
John McCallion tees up investor Q&A via video; because IR decks are so 2024.
FED WATCH
Caution prevails: The Fed remains steady at 4.25–4.50%, but minutes reveal ideological divides over a possible 0.5% cut by September. No one's in a hurry, and some want to keep that distance.
Kashkari chimes in: Expect two more cuts this year if data softens. Waiting could become risky, especially with Russia, China, tariffs, and everything else feeding uncertainty.
Takeaway: laptops don’t get smarter, but the Fed does... occasionally.
CFO FORESIGHT
AI-selling supercharge at Paycom
Paycom raised revenue guidance after AI-powered HR tools boosted demand for automated job desc and turnover analytics. Stock is up ~7% aftermarket. CFOs: time to ask, “Are we leaving AI on idle?”
Strategy shift: Tech spend is modular
Grant Thornton reports firms are swapping big‑bang deployments for 6–8 week sprints, optimizing ROI without stand-alone projects. Long rollouts are so 2023.
WEEK AHEAD
Jobs vs inflation: July added just 73K jobs; U‑rate ticked higher. Revisions slashed prior growth by~258K. Markets now price an ~85% chance of a Sept rate cut.
Recession watch: Moody’s Mark Zandi warns the economy is on the "precipice"—consumer spending flat, tariffs squeezing profits, hiring shrinking. Not ideal mood music.
⚡ QUICK HITS
Tech rout continues: AMD slides on AI-chip worries; Super Micro and Snap lead decliners. Apple and others poured into manufacturing optimism.
AI still running boards: Paycom’s smart suite is driving CFO optimism. Time to ask—what AI wins are you ready to show the board?
CFO HACK
Need to look sharp in board meetings without rewriting your slide deck? Add a Liquidity Health Dashboard with:
FCF bridge (TTM)
Working-capital days
Cash conversion cycle trend
Tag each metric with an actionable insight ("Extend payables by 2 days = +$X"), then sip your coffee while they take notes.
🎬 SCREEN AGED: CFO EDITION
Tonight’s pick: “Inside the Fed” (documentary). Yes, policymakers do go on camera, just not often with this much existential dread.
That's your dose of news, with a pinch of wit. Come back tomorrow to stay ahead, never bored.