Today's Finance Pulse
Autodesk to acquire MaintainX for $3.6B, expanding into operations software
Autodesk announced a $3.6 billion purchase of MaintainX, a leader in operational‑phase software for the built environment. The deal extends Autodesk’s portfolio from design and manufacturing into ongoing building operation, creating an end‑to‑end data loop. CEO Andrew Anagnost said the acquisition unlocks a $40 billion total addressable market.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Pemberton Asset Management closes $3.7B fourth vintage fund
3 Reasons Now Is the Best Time to Centralize Treasury Operations
Businesses are moving toward centralized treasury operations as fragmented systems impede real‑time cash visibility and risk assessment. Volatile interest rates, supply‑chain shocks, and currency instability now shift financial positions within hours, making delayed insight strategically dangerous. Advances in AI and predictive analytics demand clean, unified data, which only a consolidated treasury can provide. Centralization therefore transforms treasury from a transactional function into a strategic partner for the CFO, enabling faster decision‑making and optimized capital allocation.
Morningstar DBRS Upgrades One Rating and Confirms Three Ratings on Ford Auto Securitization Trust II 2025-A
Morningstar DBRS upgraded the Class B notes of Ford Auto Securitization Trust II 2025‑A to AA (high) from AA (sf) and reaffirmed AAA (sf) ratings for the Class A‑1, A‑2 and A‑3 notes. The upgrade reflects stronger credit enhancement, with...
Incumbents and Fintechs Yield Same Profit Margins
Schwab pays ~20 bps on cash. Wealthfront pays 330 bps. Schwab keeps 290 bps. Wealthfront keeps 60 bps. Craziest part -- both have ~36% net income margins. The ops heavy, extractive incumbent model and the tech powered client-aligned model converge at the same...
Morningstar DBRS Confirms Credit Ratings on Five Classes of Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust 2015-C27
Morningstar DBRS confirmed credit ratings on five classes of the Wells Fargo Commercial Mortgage Trust 2015‑C27, assigning B (sf) to Class C and C (sf) to Classes D, E, F and X‑B. The agency discontinued the rating on senior Class PEX after its repayment. Since...
Formerly 'Troubled' Bank Reaches Truce with Activist Investor
The Stilwell Group reached a standstill agreement with Lake Shore Bancorp, securing a board seat while agreeing not to buy more stock, sue, or force a sale. In return, Lake Shore appointed Dennis Pollack, a known Stilwell associate, to its...
Friday Footnotes: PwC CEO Issues a Stern Threat to Luddite Partners; Compliance Startup Gets Slaughtered on Substack | 3.20.26
The week’s headlines spotlight a tightening grip on compliance and a fierce push toward AI across the accounting sector. PwC’s U.S. CEO warned partners that resisting AI adoption could end their tenure, while a Substack investigation accused YC‑backed Delve of...
Why Smart Financial Record Management Is Becoming Essential for Indian Businesses
Smart financial record management is becoming a critical capability for Indian ecommerce firms, especially Shopify merchants under $5 M GMV who still rely on spreadsheets. Disorganized books not only create compliance headaches but also restrict access to capital, obscure cash‑flow visibility,...
IRS Reverses $600 1099‑K Rule, Restores $20,000 Threshold for Payment Apps
The Internal Revenue Service has scrapped the $600 Form 1099‑K reporting requirement for third‑party payment platforms, reinstating the $20,000 and 200‑transaction threshold. The change, enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025, removes a compliance burden that threatened millions of casual...
Nebraska Lawmakers Navigate Budget Impasse
Nebraska’s 2025‑27 biennium budget stalled after a $3.5 million school‑choice voucher provision was removed, preventing cloture and prompting Governor Jim Pillen to urge a swift resolution before the March 25 deadline. The appropriations bill faces two major disputes: the voucher funding and...
Otello Corporation Share Buyback Program Status
Otello Corporation announced that between 16 and 20 March 2026 Pareto Securities purchased 97,200 shares at an average price of NOK 17.05, representing a NOK 1.66 million outlay. Since the program’s launch on 9 February 2026, the company has bought a total of...
Shinhan Financial Group (SHG) Builds Momentum With Robust FY2025 Results
Shinhan Financial Group filed FY2025 audit reports for its wholly‑owned Shinhan Bank, revealing a consolidated net profit of KRW 3.78 trillion and net interest income of KRW 9.17 trillion, up from the prior year. Total assets expanded to KRW 596.97 trillion, largely funded by KRW 434.32 trillion in...
Antin Infrastructure Partners: Statement of Transaction in Own Shares From 2026-03-16 to 2026-03-20
Antin Infrastructure Partners disclosed a share repurchase program covering March 16‑20, 2026. Over the five‑day period the firm bought back approximately 69,000 of its own shares on multiple European trading venues, including AQEU, CEUX, TQEX and XPAR. The weighted average...
Markets Raise Bets on Bank of Canada Hikes as Oil Fears Mount
Markets are pricing a more aggressive Bank of Canada tightening path, with traders betting on a cumulative 75 basis‑point increase by 2026 and a 25‑basis‑point hike as early as July. The central bank held its policy rate at 2.25% and...
CVC Capital Partners Plc – 2026 Share Buy-Back Programme - Progress Report: 16 March 2026 – 20 March 2026
CVC Capital Partners plc released a progress report for its 2026 share buy‑back programme covering the period 16 March to 20 March 2026. The update confirms that repurchases continued as scheduled with no material deviation from the original plan. CVC reiterated its...
Experts Celebrate White House Reversal on Bank Citizenship EO
Banking experts welcomed the White House’s decision to delay a Trump administration proposal that would have required banks to collect customers’ citizenship information. The mandate, seen as an extension of immigration enforcement into financial regulation, raised concerns about massive customer...
Why Companies Use a 1099 Generator for Contractor Payments
Companies are turning to 1099 generators to streamline contractor payments, automating form creation and reducing manual effort. The tools validate data in real time, cutting costly errors and ensuring compliance with ever‑changing tax rules. Centralized, encrypted storage simplifies record‑keeping, audit...
How to Value a Retail Business
Valuing a retail business requires more than formulaic calculations; it blends inventory cost with earnings analysis, typically using Seller’s Discretionary Earnings for small stores and EBITDA for larger operations. Multiples vary from 1.5‑3x for owner‑dependent shops to 4x or higher...
Govt Amends Norms for Exporters Availing the Interest Subvention Support
India revised the interest subvention rules for export credit effective Jan 2, 2026. The benefit now ceases when a loan is classified as a non‑performing asset and the Unique Identification Number cannot be transferred to another bank. Exporters must keep total...
What Is This 600-Strong Bank Network Using Tokenized Deposits For?
U.S. banks Custodia and Vantage have launched tokenized deposits that will be used in Participate, a loan‑participation network spanning roughly 600 financial institutions. The SEC also approved Nasdaq’s plan to settle trades of major equities and ETFs with tokenized securities,...
MAX Power Closes $20.5 Million Brokered Offering With Eric Sprott as Lead Order
MAX Power Mining Corp. closed a $20.5 million brokered private placement, selling 15.8 million units at C$1.30 each. The offering was led by billionaire investor Eric Sprott, who purchased roughly 3.5 million units, and was book‑run by Hampton Securities. Proceeds will fund analytical testing,...
Fuel Costs Are Rising: Are You Recovering Them?
Rising fuel prices are pressuring businesses to reassess pricing structures beyond simple cost absorption. The article recommends using short‑term surcharges paired with clear criteria to transition into permanent, value‑aligned rate adjustments. It emphasizes granular cost‑to‑serve analysis by region, segment, and...
Schupan Names New Chief Financial Officer
Schupan announced the appointment of Mandy Lovelady as its new chief financial officer. Lovelady arrives from Perrigo, where she most recently served as CFO of the International division in Dublin. She brings more than two decades of experience in financial...
Global Credit Risk & Debt Recovery Conference 2026
The Global Credit Risk & Debt Recovery Conference 2026 will convene July 1‑2 in Dubai’s Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan. Senior leaders, decision‑makers and innovators from banks and financial services will gather for two days of insight. More than 25 expert...
Canada to Allow Smaller Companies to Report Financials Twice per Year
Canadian securities regulators have launched a pilot allowing publicly traded companies with revenues of $10 million or less on the TSX‑V or Canadian Securities Exchange to file financial statements twice a year instead of quarterly. Participation is voluntary and requires at...
U.S. Treasury to Assume Control of $1.7 Trillion Student‑Loan Portfolio
The Treasury Department will take over the $1.7 trillion federal student‑loan portfolio from the Education Department, beginning with roughly 10 million borrowers in default or late‑stage delinquency. The three‑phase interagency agreement shifts collection, servicing and even FAFSA administration to Treasury, sparking praise...
Tuniu’s ADS Split And Cash Dividend To Impact China’s Tourism Sector
Chinese online travel platform Tuniu announced a reverse split of its American depositary shares, changing the ADS‑to‑Class A ratio from 1:3 to 1:30 effective April 22, 2026. The company also declared a $13 million cash dividend, paying $0.0399 per ordinary share in May 2026....
Leaders: Regional Banks in Today's Economy: M&T CEO Rene Jones
In a recent interview, M&T Bank CEO Rene Jones outlined how regional banks are navigating a higher‑interest‑rate environment and tighter credit conditions. He highlighted M&T’s focus on disciplined loan growth, bolstering deposit stability, and accelerating digital transformation to improve cost...
Private Equity Firms Want Special Skills in Their Portfolio Company CFOs
Private equity‑backed companies are hunting CFOs who go beyond traditional finance stewardship. Recruiters cite four non‑negotiables: acting as an operational copilot, possessing advanced AI expertise, being transaction‑ready, and showing a strong backbone. With roughly 21,000 PE‑backed firms in the U.S....
Thomas Cook India to Demerge Resort Business Into Sterling Holiday
Thomas Cook India will demerge its resort business into subsidiary Sterling Holiday Resorts Ltd, transferring six Nature Trails properties that generated ₹70 crore in revenue during the first nine months of FY2026. The split is intended to streamline the capital structure,...
Why Poor Credit Visibility Creates Hidden Risk in Accounts Receivable
Companies often believe accounts receivable risk is evident from overdue invoices, but hidden exposure builds earlier when credit decisions rely on static data. Customers approved with fixed limits can deteriorate financially without real‑time alerts, leading to over‑extension and unexpected write‑offs....
How Active ETFs Brought Muni Bonds Investing to Life
Active municipal‑bond ETFs have transformed a traditionally static fixed‑income segment by pairing tax‑exempt muni exposure with the liquidity and transparency of the ETF structure. The 2019 ETF rule spurred a wave of product innovation, allowing active managers to dynamically adjust...
Unilever in Talks to Sell Food Business to McCormick
Unilever confirmed it is in advanced talks to sell its global food business to McCormick & Co., a move that would shift the maker of Hellmann’s mayonnaise toward its faster‑growing personal‑care division. Bloomberg values the food unit at roughly $33 billion,...
Something Of Note: Nexstar Bond Offering Surpasses $5 Billion
Nexstar Media Group announced a senior secured note offering exceeding $5 billion, aimed at financing its $6.2 billion acquisition of the former Gannett assets. The move follows Nexstar’s effective takeover of TEGNA and the conversion of TEGNA shares into Nexstar’s “NXST” ticker....
EisnerAmper Rolls Out In-House AI Audit Design Agent
EisnerAmper has teamed with Microsoft to launch the EisnerAI Audit Design Agent, an assurance platform built on Microsoft Foundry. The AI‑driven tool acts as a research partner, quickly synthesizing data across systems and surfacing key patterns for auditors. By automating...
Why AP Leaders Must Modernize Before the Pressure Boils Over
Accounts payable teams face soaring invoice volumes, tighter compliance, and heightened fraud risk while headcount stays flat. Legacy automation tools based on templates and static rules cannot interpret diverse formats or link related documents, forcing manual work and errors. The...
Remitian Raises $7 Million, Unveils Tax Payment API
Remitian announced a $7 million seed round and the launch of its Tax Payment API, aimed at streamlining the final mile of tax remittance for accounting firms and fintech partners. The API embeds payment initiation, validation, and real‑time tracking directly into...
Regulatory and Risk Outlook 2026: Controllers Playbook – Webinar Highlights
Finance leaders entering 2026 face expanding regulatory expectations and more intricate operational risks. A Controllers Council webinar highlighted that compliance now spans tax, data governance, AI‑driven processes, and industry‑specific rules. Panelists urged finance teams to shift from reactive checklists to...
Forescout Reports Strong Growth and Profitability in FY2025
Forescout Technologies reported robust FY2025 results, adding over 230 net new customers and closing 58 deals worth $1 million or more, a 26% increase year‑over‑year. Revenue growth was strong across financial services (up 25%) and healthcare (up 24%), while gross dollar...
Evergrande Liquidators, PwC to Face Off in Court
China Evergrande’s liquidators have scheduled a court hearing with PwC in Hong Kong’s High Court for May 18, 2026, marking the first public session of a lawsuit filed in March 2024. The creditors’ representatives allege that PwC’s mainland affiliate was negligent and...
IRS Provides Guidance on Business Interest Limitation Elections
The IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2026‑17, allowing taxpayers to withdraw Sec. 163(j)(7) elections for excepted trades or businesses and to make a late Sec. 168(k)(7) election to forego bonus depreciation. The guidance implements changes from H.R. 1, which made 100 percent bonus depreciation permanent...
Why Investment Culture Needs to Change
The Financial Conduct Authority is being criticised for over‑regulating, which many say hampers investment activity and drives investors toward ultra‑safe, low‑return products. Industry leaders argue that a cultural shift toward risk‑taking and clearer messaging is essential, especially as surveys reveal...
The Twin Engines of Global Expansion: Aligning AI-Driven Growth with Agile Financial Infrastructure
CEOs are pairing AI‑driven customer acquisition with modern fintech to scale globally. AI tools such as automated SEO localization and rapid video generation enable cost‑effective, multilingual market entry. Yet legacy banking systems impose FX fees, opaque costs, and slow settlements...
Icon Grids Make Headcount Instantly Understandable
This headcount format gets the fastest "got it" from every board I've presented to. Here's the thing about tables. They work. But nobody remembers them five minutes later. You say "Sales has 72 people." Board nods. Next slide. Already forgotten. But when you...
CFTC Allows FCMs to Use Bitcoin for Margin
JUST IN: 🇺🇸 CFTC announces Futures Commission Merchants can accept Bitcoin as margin collateral. https://t.co/oNOW4PB9po
U.S. Consumer Loan ABS--Performance Tracker March 2026
U.S. consumer loan ABS performance is stabilizing after the 2023 peaks as issuers tighten underwriting standards. Marketplace lending shows modest improvement year‑over‑year. Delinquencies in branch‑based loans have risen slightly in newer vintages. Home‑improvement loan originations grew while maintaining steady performance.
Fed Cuts Spark Long‑term Rate Divergence, Now at 5%
When the Fed cutting cycle started in 2024, 20Y rates quickly moved to 4%. And after 175bp of cuts, the 30Y rates is back up to 5%. The latest wiggle is obviously the Iran effect. But the divergence is arguably 2 years...
Bessent's No‑Term Debt Plan: Mixed Results So Far
So how has the plan by @SecScottBessent to not term out the debt and keep rolling bills worked out?
Campfire Introduces Ember Agents for Accounting Teams
Campfire, an AI‑native ERP provider, unveiled Ember Agents – a suite of AI‑driven accounting assistants that automate repetitive finance tasks. The agents operate either continuously, handling transaction matching, AP/AR processing, and anomaly detection, or on demand, executing month‑end activities like...
AI Agents Will Require New Machine‑Centric Financial Rails
Great to be on @SquawkCNBC with @andrewrsorkin. My take: --> AI will drive increased financial activity --> AI agents will eventually transact and exchange value on our behalf This means we'll need new financial rails designed for machines. The future of finance will...
Boston Beer Matches Ten‑year Buybacks in Three Years
Boston Beer repurchased ~$530 million of its common stock over the past three years, which is roughly comparable to what the company spend on repurchases over the previous decade (FY13 - FY22) https://t.co/pROlFqwX7E