Business Strategies Today

You can look to FNB for expertise on the topics and trends that have the greatest impact on you and your business.

In Business Strategies Today, experts from across our Company have covered a wide range of subjects, such as considering some of the tools and techniques to overcome hurdles that come with maturity and reach. With a forward-looking plan to mitigate risk, protect the bottom line all while managing change, established businesses can put themselves in a strong position to maximize enterprise value.

The Spring 2025 edition features:

Managing Risk in Commodities Markets with Hedging Strategies
A business can do its best to analyze the markets and forecast trends, but there is no true crystal-ball strategy for predicting the future cost of commodities. Instead, producers and consumers alike can introduce more clarity into their businesses and protect their margins with hedging strategies. As recent trade turmoil, supply chain upheaval and post-pandemic inflation showed, economic volatility spurred by widespread crises can surface unexpectedly and endure indeterminately. Commodity hedging is a popular and important method for reducing risk in what can be particularly sensitive markets, including energy, metals, or agriculture.

Beyond Borders: What to Ask Before Going Global with Your Business
For many companies, the business world is just that — the world. Customers are not limited to defined borders, or it may be more economical to source parts and supplies from across an ocean. Operations might exist, at least partially, in a place far from home. The potential financial benefits of conducting business internationally often outweigh the risks — which can include tenuous supply chains, tariff concerns and regulatory quagmires — but proper planning and care can alleviate trouble. Before buying, selling, or expanding overseas, a business should ask and answer some important questions. Additionally, improving supply chain management is a key element to consider. Depending on the type of business, success is often tied to the strength of the global supply chain.

Is Now the Time for M&A? Planning for a Major Change
After prolonged stagnation, investors, lenders, and businesses may have pent up capital to deploy. As businesses contend with their own evolving needs, a merger or acquisition may be an attractive way to add value to or extract value from an organization. It is natural to want to capitalize on a promising environment. However, improved conditions also mean there may be increased competition around a deal — making it essential that a company is primed to attract interest, move quickly and act decisively whether they are buying or selling. No matter what side of a transaction a business is on, there are essential steps to take when conducting M&A.

What Business Owners Need to Consider Before Liquidity Events
The sale of a family business — or any event that results in an influx of wealth, often referred to as a liquidity event — is a momentous opportunity. Simultaneously, it can complicate your family’s finances and prompt you to reassess your goals and objectives, hindering preparations for what happens next. With any anticipated major windfall of cash, the issues you may want to discuss with your advisors well in advance include updating your estate plans, anticipating the potential tax consequences, and utilizing insurance products to create or preserve generational wealth. Doing so will put you in a better position to decide on your family’s investment strategy and, more specifically, the allocation of your portfolio among asset classes. Check out a handful of tips to help you navigate your upcoming milestone.