Each quarter, the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants surveys finance decision-makers — CEOs, CFOs, and controllers — in the United States about their outlook for the coming 12 months. In the first quarter of this year, sentiment is positive overall, similar to the fourth quarter of last year but lower than at this time a year ago. Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, the Association’s lead technical manager for management accounting, delves further into the results, with a look at what finance decision-makers expect of their businesses in the next 12 months, as well as concerns that make them cautious.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• What CFOs, controllers, and others say about expansion plans and labor shortages.
• A growing concern among finance decision-makers in their own businesses.
• The potential effects of trade tension and Brexit on plans for the next year.

Play the episode below:

To comment on this podcast or to suggest an idea for another podcast, contact Neil Amato, a JofA senior editor, at Neil.Amato@aicpa-cima.com.