Resource Search

Growth is at the top of the menu for finance leaders as Grant Thornton’s CFO survey shows that the uncertainty associated with the U.S. election in 2024 has given way to unrestrained optimism about the U.S. economy and meeting business goals. Other results from the survey were broadly aligned with high growth expectations—and with the transformation to an increasingly digital landscape that has been a focus for CFOs for the past few years. As CFOs look ahead, the environment appears to favor investment in growth.

The expectations of an economic soft landing and favorable equity market in both 2023 and 2024 were possible due to the positive underpinnings of a healthy labor market, falling inflation, and a Fed pivot to rate cutting. In 2025, however, expectations are higher, policy shifts are underway, and several new factors that include tariffs, trade wars, budget deficits, long-term interest rates, and stock market valuation are primed to collide.

Large transactions have increased as real estate megafunds place bets across real estate sectors and investors bet their capital on the operational knowledge of seasoned fund managers. But it’s not all about megafunds—middle market funds will also be taking advantages of opportunities in the marketplace where rates are normalizing and repricing is becoming clearer. For families seeking new investment strategies to increase their cash flow and achieve long-term appreciation, more investments in real estate makes sense.

As an asset class, the frontier markets present unique opportunities and a diversification that is not very correlated with other risk asset classes such as equity. In this video, learn from William Blair & Company on why there is potential value in investing in frontier markets, both on a standalone basis or as part of a more diverse portfolio.

For leaders of founder-owned businesses, raising significant capital without relinquishing control can seem challenging. But investors focused on non-control transactions are becoming more common. Non-control-oriented funds have boomed, fueling demand for minority recapitalizations and enabling business owners to maximize the valuation of their company without selling control. As owners begin to approach this market as part of their business strategy, they should think about what makes an optimal partner for their businesses as there are many to choose from.