Finance
Q&A: how can finance leaders steer companies through uncertainty?
A combination of global elections, geo-political tensions and economic uncertainty has created a challenging landscape for finance leaders, who are often looked upon to navigate through tumultuous times.
James Simcox, chief product officer and managing director international at Equals Money, discusses overcoming challenges to international expansion and the importance of hedging risk.
Q
What impact are elections across the globe having on businesses and their international growth plans?
A
The number one challenge for any business in this environment is uncertainty. I think the election in the UK will bring an element of much-needed stability, which will really benefit the UK economy and businesses. If Labour is elected, they have shown themselves to be pro-business and it will be really important for business leaders to have that reassurance that the current status quo will be maintained.
However, we are facing much more uncertainty on an international level, particularly with how things will play out in the US as well as France. Donald Trump has already signalled that he will seek to devalue the dollar should he come into power, which would certainly be an interesting development as currency has already proved something of a rollercoaster over the last couple of years.
As a result, we’re seeing an increasing number of finance leaders take steps to mitigate risk where they can, particularly around currency movements. When transactions involve different currencies, businesses are exposed to the risk of exchange rates moving against their favour, which can impact the value of international dealings. To deal with this, businesses need to hedge their currency risk by securing exchange rates for future transactions
One of the best tools available to help finance leaders balance their risk is booking forward contracts
Q
With potential changes to policy, how can leaders act with authority and make confident decisions for the future?
A
In business, you will always need to take a bet in some shape or form as that’s the nature of growing a business and making money. I don’t believe businesses should put off making investment decisions, but instead think about ways to manage risk around those decisions and return profits in a fixed way.
One of the best tools available to help finance leaders balance their risk is booking forward contracts. From a budgeting perspective, having a set price for a number of contracts provides a level of stability for the company and reduces currency risk. Similarly, locking in tax rebates at a fixed price can be hugely important in helping businesses plan for the future.
Leaders can also take steps to manage costs such as spending in local currency. We see many businesses use their corporate credit card in local offices when they’re expanding but this is not an effective way of managing costs. It’s much better to manage operations in the local currency at a better rate using a currency card.
Q
What are the barriers that businesses seeking to expand internationally face and how can they overcome those?
A
Businesses need to think carefully about the nuances and rules of the jurisdictions they are looking to expand into, including employment laws, the local tax structure and even ways of working. A mistake that businesses often make is believing that they can run an overseas business from the UK but it simply does not work like that. One of the most important things that businesses can do is employ people on the ground who have an understanding of the region.
Finance leaders should also not underestimate the importance of product market fit. As you expand, you need to be aware that a product that works in one market may need to be tailored to suit the needs and wants of customers in another region and this is where market research can prove invaluable.
Not surprisingly, currency can be a huge challenge when expanding internationally. A lot of international businesses still prefer to transact in US dollars rather than their local currency so finance leaders need to think about how they can collect payment in various different currencies.
This is where a multi-currency product, such as the one we offer at Equals Money, can be of fantastic use, providing customers with a single account to receive payments in up to 38 different currencies. Customers also benefit from support and the ability to speak to someone on the phone, which can be much harder to access through traditional banking overseas.
Q
How important is it that finance leaders are seen as an anchor and inspire confidence in others?
A
It’s great that we are seeing finance evolve from a service function to a business partner and it’s key that finance leaders are involved in conversations about international expansion from the get-go. They need to take the lead on risk mitigation and that means understanding how to transact in different currencies, how to report back to the core business and how to plan across multiple markets and multiple currencies.
There’s a lot of research that needs to be done and this should happen upfront, so finance leaders are well prepared to overcome the different challenges from FX rates to transfer pricing. All too often, we see finance teams involved far too late and this can create panic and uncertainty around certain decisions.
Finance leaders should also pay attention to the political landscape in their local markets by keeping their ear to the ground and understanding what changes could potentially impact the business, such as interest rate movements or changes to local tax policy. There’s a huge value to employing advisers or specialist business consultants in local markets. Similarly, having someone from that region to work within the finance function who understands local accounting rules is key.
Q
How can finance leaders ensure they are effectively using technology and payment platforms to drive better decision-making?
A
Data is key but it can be a challenge gathering the right information if you’re using multiple different providers across various different jurisdictions. Where you can, you should try and use a uniform technology payment stack across the entire business.
Of course, it’s not always possible to access that kind of service and in those instances, finance leaders need to think carefully about how they’ll integrate their accounting data into the business. Is there a standardised standard you can use to pull information from different systems and partners? Cross-border services can be really helpful, with lots of providers now offering the ability to transact from one place across lots of different markets.
It is also worth considering how cards can be used as a payment method. As long as the card provider supports payment in the currency you want, cards can be used to carry out domestic payments where banking may not support those. Interestingly, we are all quite happy to adopt new payment methods in our personal lives, but there’s much more reticence among businesses.
For businesses to thrive in international markets, I think we will need to see finance leaders embrace new ways of thinking and new methods of payment.
Find out more about how Equals Money can help simplify your finance processes and support international growth here
Finance
Sports betting should be regulated as a financial product, not gambling, aspiring prediction market provider says
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Sports betting should be regulated as a federal financial product rather than a state-licensed casino product, two panelists said Thursday.
Appearing at Consensus Miami 2026, Jacob Fortinsky, co-founder and CEO of sports betting platform Novig, said the legacy sportsbook model is structurally broken because it treats winning bettors as cheaters.
“Sports betting is really the only industry in the country that regularly limits and bans their power users,” Fortinsky said. He framed sports event contracts as binary financial instruments that “for so long have been treated as a gambling product and instead should really be treated as a financial product.” Globally, he said, sports betting is “a $2 trillion asset class still dominated by these legacy casinos.”
Adam Mastrelli, founder of 57 Maiden, a firm that builds AI-driven trading strategies for prediction markets, validated the critique with personal experience.
“My partner and I got kicked off of two big sportsbooks within two months of trading because we were sharp,” he said, It’s like “LeBron James getting kicked out of the NBA for being too good,” he added.
Mastrelli said the team turned to Novig, which he said charges no fees and allows traders to create synthetic positions.
Mastrelli said his firm’s edge decayed quickly, and of 154 proposed trading strategies, only three currently run profitably.
“This edge will go away,” he said, “so if you can build systems that can keep up with that edge and that alpha… then it becomes really, really intriguing.” His most profitable season, he said, was the WNBA.
Fortinsky said Novig is on track to transition this summer from a sweepstakes model live in 35 states to a federal DCM framework that will let it operate in all 50 states. An earlier attempt to be regulated at the state level in Colorado, he said, was a wake-up call. “Regulators told us essentially you’re naive if you think we care about consumer protection or innovation or market efficiency. We really just care about our tax revenue,” he said.
The federal-state fight, Fortinsky added, is “going to get to the Supreme Court in the next two or three years,” with 15 pending lawsuits between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Kalshi, Robinhood and various states. Within prediction markets, he argued sports is “counterintuitively actually the safest vertical,” given the bigger insider-trading and manipulation concerns around political and event-driven contracts.
Mastrelli, who said he avoids offshore platforms entirely, compared prediction markets to equities exchanges: “When I see a robust equities market now, this is AQR against SIG. It doesn’t go away.”
Harley-Davidson’s new CEO wants to transform how people think about the iconic motorcycle brand, so the company is trying something different.
This week, Harley announced a new strategy that focuses on lower-priced bikes, rather than relying on older, more affluent customers to buy its higher-margin touring models.
“Back to the Bricks builds on our core strengths and competitive advantages, harnessing the passion of our riders to deliver profitable growth for the Company and both our dealers and shareholders,” Harley CEO Artie Starrs said this week. “As we drive towards this new phase of growth, we remain committed to the craftsmanship and dedication that define our brand.”
Entry-level Harley-Davidsons cost about $13,000, while the higher-end Adventure Touring models average about $23,250, and the Premium Range &CVO models cost about $38,500, according to Reuters.
Harley’s new strategy targets a core profit of over $350 million from its motorcycle business by 2027 and over $150 million in cost reductions.
To kick off the new strategy, Harley is introducing Sprint, a new entry-level model powered by a smaller 440cc engine, later in the year.
What is Harley-Davidson’s “Back to the Bricks” strategy?
Harley’s new strategy relies on more than just pushing buyers toward cheaper vehicles to increase volume. The 123-year-old company has a set of five pillars on which it is building its future.
Harley-Davidson “Back to the Bricks” 5-point plan
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Deep appreciation of Harley-Davidson’s competitive advantages and legacy: The Company’s iconic brand, diversified and powerful revenue channels, and best-in-class dealer network provide a powerful foundation for growth.
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Renewed commitment to exclusive dealer network to drive enterprise profitability: Harley-Davidson’s dealers are a competitive advantage. The Company is planning actions to enable dealers to double profitability in 2026 and then double it again by 2029.
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Immediate actions to recapture share in areas where Harley-Davidson has right to win: Harley-Davidson has strong legacy equity in existing markets including new motorcycles, used motorcycles, Parts & Accessories, and Apparel & Licensing. The Company’s new strategy is focused on positioning the Company to regain share and drive meaningful volume growth in categories where it benefits from credibility, scale, and deep rider connection.
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Strong financial position with a path to stronger free cash flow and EBITDA margin: Cost and restructuring actions already underway support a path to stronger free cash flow and EBITDA margin over time.
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Bolstered management team with balance of fresh perspectives and institutional knowledge: Harley-Davidson has made a number of leadership appointments that support the Company as it leverages its innate strengths.
Written by Jitendra Parashar at The Motley Fool Canada
Dividend investing can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth while creating a steady stream of passive income. But in my opinion, a good dividend stock is about much more than just a high yield. Beyond dividend yield, investors should also look for companies with durable businesses, reliable cash flows, and a history of rewarding shareholders consistently over time.
That’s exactly why many investors turn to financial stocks. Banks and asset managers often generate recurring earnings through lending, investing, and wealth management activities, allowing them to support stable dividend payments even during uncertain market conditions.
Two Canadian financial stocks that stand out right now are AGF Management (TSX:AGF.B) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Both companies offer attractive dividends backed by solid financial performance and long-term growth strategies. In this article, I’ll explain why these two financial stocks could be worth considering for income-focused investors right now.
AGF Management stock continues to reward shareholders
AGF Management is a Toronto-based asset manager with businesses across investments, private markets, and wealth management. Through these divisions, the company offers equity, fixed income, alternative, and multi-asset investment strategies to retail, institutional, and private wealth clients.
Following a 59% rally over the last 12 months, AGF stock currently trades at $16.67 per share with a market cap of roughly $1.1 billion. At current levels, the stock offers a quarterly dividend yield of 3.3%.
One reason behind AGF’s strong recent performance is its increasingly diversified business model. The company has expanded its investment capabilities and broadened its geographic reach, helping it perform well across varying market environments.
In the first quarter of its fiscal 2026 (ended in February), AGF posted free cash flow of $36 million, up 14% year over year (YoY), driven mainly by higher management, advisory, and administration fees. These fees climbed to $92.5 million as demand for the company’s investment offerings strengthened.
AGF has also been focusing on expanding its alternative investment business and introducing new investment products. With strong cash generation and growing demand for alternative investments, AGF Management looks well-positioned to continue rewarding investors over the long term.
TD Bank stock remains a dependable dividend giant
Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, is one of North America’s largest banks, serving millions of customers through its Canadian banking, U.S. retail banking, wealth management and insurance, and wholesale banking operations.
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Sports betting should be regulated as a financial product, not gambling, aspiring prediction market provider says