Deloitte CFO Confidence Rebounds in Q3 Survey

Chief financial officers across North America report a rebound in executive sentiment despite maintaining a measured view of the broader economy. According to data published in a PR Newswire M&A release on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, the latest quarterly analysis maps how corporate leadership evaluates capital allocation and macro risks. The quarterly survey polled 200 North American finance chiefs working at companies with at least $1 billion in revenues between Aug. 24 and Sept. 8, 2026. The findings arrive as executives balance persistent market shifts, mirroring conversations tracked elsewhere regarding how the Federal Reserve approves first interest rate hike since 2023 and signals additional move across capital markets.

Confidence Score and Company Optimism

The quarterly metrics show the CFO Confidence Score rising to 6.1 from 5.9 in the previous quarter, pushing the gauge back into high confidence territory. Introduced in Q2 2025, the scoring system measures finance leader confidence in broader economic conditions and capital markets on a scale of 1 to 10, with ratings of 8 to 10 indicating very high confidence. Underlying company optimism remains resilient, with 90% of surveyed finance chiefs stating they are optimistic about their own companies' financial prospects. At the same time, 37.5% rate the current North American economy favorably, highlighting a divergence between internal enterprise health and external macroeconomic assessments.

Risk Appetite and Financing Conditions

Corporate risk appetite has cooled slightly alongside these shifting assessments. The survey shows that 53% of participating executives consider the current period a good time to take greater risks, down from 59% in the prior quarter. Financing conditions remain relatively attractive to corporate treasuries, helping sustain capital deployment plans. Specifically, 55% of respondents cite equity financing as attractive, while 50% point to debt financing as a viable mechanism. These capital access views run parallel to shifting central bank policy trajectories, much like when the Federal Reserve approves interest rate hike and signals one more increase to come this year for commercial borrowers.

Technology Risks and Growth Forecasts

Internal and external risk priorities show technology-related concerns moving to the forefront of corporate agendas. Technology deployment, including generative artificial intelligence, ranks as the most-cited internal concern for half of the surveyed executives. Simultaneously, cybersecurity tops the list of external worries for another 50% of respondents. Ed Hardy, U.S. Finance Services leader at Deloitte, notes that these operational hazards shape corporate planning. Growth expectations reflect these mixed pressures, with finance chiefs projecting revenue to grow 4.6% and capital expenditures to increase 4.3% over the next year. Both metrics show modest gains over the previous quarter, even as executive expectations for earnings, dividends, domestic wages and salaries, and domestic hiring declined.

Network Scale and Professional Services

The underlying survey data is produced by Deloitte, an organization providing audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands. The firm serves nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 9,000 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, leadership strives to live a purpose of making an impact that matters for people, clients, and communities, bringing together distinct talents, technologies, disciplines, and an ecosystem of alliances. Operating across a global network spanning more than 150 countries and territories with approximately 470,000 personnel worldwide, the professional services organization traces its operational history across more than 180 years of service through its member firms and related entities, including Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.