CFO GROWTH ADVISORS

Executive Summary The 2025 Reality Check:  Median EBITDA margins settled at 9.1% , a significant miss from the initial 12%  projection. The Recovery Target:  For 2026, CEOs are forecasting a rebound to a 9.8%  median margin. Winning the Spread:   One in four  companies expects double-digit margin growth this year. Reducing Financial Drag:  The percentage of firms operating at a loss is projected to fall from 11.1% to 8.5% . The latest benchmarks from Chief Executive Research

The Global Benchmark (McKinsey Data) The Scale Shift:  In late 2025, McKinsey reported that 44% of finance teams have moved beyond "experimenting" to deploying AI in core functions. The Productivity Gap:  Top-tier firms are seeing a 20–30% reduction in manual data "drudgery." The Reality Check:  High-performers invest 3x more in process redesign  than they do in the software itself. The latest McKinsey research highlights a significant divide: companies that are actually seei

The Cash Conversion Cycle Executive Summary The Breakout Leader:   Manufacturing  optimism surged, with the sector's index rising 4.5 points —the highest jump among all industries surveyed. Health Assessment:   68%  of owners now classify their business health as "Good" or "Excellent," shifting the focus toward growth-oriented capital spending. The Services Pivot:  The services sector saw a 21-point increase  in sales expectations, signaling a major demand spike for Oakland,