Dun & Bradstreet Composite CFO Optimism Index Q4

Dun & Bradstreet Composite CFO Optimism Index remains almost unchanged

Optimism level for financial performance of the company is the lowest in three quarters

Mumbai, December 2, 2019: Dun & Bradstreet, the world’s leading provider of global business information, knowledge and insight conducted a pan India survey of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in which they were asked about their confidence in the overall financial and macro-economic conditions for Q4 2019 (Oct-Dec of the calendar year 2019), as compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The survey reveals how optimistic the CFOs are with respect to the overall financial health of their respective companies, the business risk environment and the macroeconomic scenario in the country.

The survey revealed interesting facts about CFOs’ perspective on the overall business climate in the country:

• The Composite CFO Optimism Index remains almost unchanged - increasing marginally by 0.9%, on a q-o-q basis, to 107.0 - during Q4 2019

• Optimism levels decreased for financial performance of the company by 5.4% (q-o-q) to 95.4. The sub index is the lowest in three quarters

• 41% of CFOs in the services sector expect an increase in the liquidity position of their companies – lowest in 24 quarters

• 30% of CFOs in the services sector indicated a need to raise short term funds – lowest in six quarters

• 49% of CFOs expect an increase in the operating margin of their companies – lowest in 11 quarters

• 51% of CFOs expect global macro-economic scenario to be favourable during Q4 2019 - highest in 7 quarters

• 48% of CFOs have indicated overall scenario for mergers & acquisitions to be favourable during Q4 2019 – highest in 5 quarters

• 44% of CFOs have stated risk management to be their priority in the next six months, highest in 11 quarters

• 46% of CFOs have stated increase in close monitoring of strategic accounts to be their risk management tool in the next six months, highest in 6 quarters

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Manish Sinha, Managing Director – India, Dun & Bradstreet said that said that “The Dun & Bradstreet CFO Optimism Index for Q4 2019 remained almost unchanged compared with the same quarter last year. The fall in the optimism level across majority of the parameters was counterbalanced by the increase in optimism in some of them. The optimism levels are lower for operating margins, funding and liquidity related parameters and the level of financial risk. These in turn are the result of continued low profitability, high NPAs in the banking system, issues in NBFCs, slowdown in consumption demand, and visible signs of economic deceleration in 2019.

However, hopes of conciliatory trade negotiations between the US and China during the period under survey and better Indian stock market performance had buoyed sentiments of the CFOs for some of the parameters like global macroeconomic scenario and M&As. The government continues to announce a series of measures to support growth; the latest being relief package for the real estate sector. We expect such measures to continue wherever required.”