Among the greatest concerns of CEOs responding to a nationwide survey were government regulations, taxes and healthcare costs. When responding about specific challenges or opportunities, 60% cited healthcare costs as potentially crippling their businesses.
Despite these concerns, CEOs’ confidence in their own businesses and the overall economy continues to rise. The Vistage CEO Confidence Index rose from 60.6 in Q1 2009 to 69.0 in Q2 2009, an 8.4% increase, continuing an upward trend in CEO confidence.
Here's the data from Florida CEOs surveyed:
191 Florida respondents
Margin of error: 6%
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Compared with a year ago, have overall economic conditions in the U.S. improved, remained the same, or worsened? |
|
Improved |
14 |
7% |
| About the same |
29 |
15% |
| Worsened |
148 |
77% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| During the next 12 months, do you expect the overall economic conditions in the U.S. will be better, about the same, or worse than now? |
|
Better |
65 |
34% |
| About the same |
77 |
40% |
| Decrease |
46 |
24% |
| Don't know/no opinion |
3 |
2% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Are your firm’s total fixed investment expenditures likely to increase, remain about the same, or decrease during the next 12 months? |
|
|
Increase |
50 |
26% |
| About the same |
88 |
46% |
| Decrease |
48 |
25% |
| Don't know/no opinion |
5 |
3% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Do you anticipate that your firm's sales revenues will increase, remain about the same, or decrease for the next 12 months? |
|
|
|
|
Increase |
91 |
48% |
| About the same |
57 |
30% |
| Decrease |
41 |
21% |
| Don't know/no opinion |
2 |
1% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Do you expect your firm’s profitability to improve, remain about the same, or worsen during the next 12 months? |
|
|
|
|
|
Increase |
82 |
48% |
| About the same |
59 |
30% |
| Worsen |
50 |
21% |
| |
|
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Do you expect prices for your product or service to increase, remain about the same, or decrease during the next 12 months? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase |
37 |
19% |
| About the same |
110 |
58% |
| Worsen |
43 |
23% |
| Don't know/No opinion |
1 |
1% |
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Do you expect your firm’s total number of employees will increase, remain about the same insurance news, or decrease during the next 12 months? |
|
|
Increase |
67 |
35% |
| About the same |
86 |
45% |
| Decrease |
37 |
19% |
| Don't know/no opinion |
1 |
1% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| When do you plan to increase your firm’s total number of employees over the next 12 months? |
|
|
|
|
This year: 2009 |
35 |
18% |
| Q4 2010 |
33 |
17% |
| Steadily throughout next 12 months |
35 |
18% |
| I do not plan to increase my total number of employees |
88 |
46% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| What is the most significant business issue that you are facing currently? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1% |
| Growth (growing too quickly) |
|
3 |
2% |
|
4 |
2% |
|
15 |
8% |
| Staffing (finding, hiring, retaining, and training |
|
9 |
5% |
| Growth (growing too slowly) |
|
20 |
10% |
| Economic uncertainty (concern for local and nation |
|
78 |
41% |
| Other |
18 |
9% |
|
|
| Financial issues (finance, cash flow, profitabilit |
|
|
43 |
23% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| How does your 2nd Quarter 2009 revenue compare to your 2nd Quarter 2008 revenue? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up by 1-10% |
29 |
15% |
| Up by more than 10% |
34 |
18% |
| Down by 1-5% |
27 |
14% |
| Down by 5-10% |
20 |
10% |
| Down by 10-20% |
29 |
15% |
| Down by more than 20% |
49 |
26% |
| Skipped question |
3 |
2% |
| |
|
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| How does your projected 2009 year-end revenue compare to your actual 2008 revenue? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up by 1-10% |
35 |
18% |
| Up by more than 10% |
34 |
18% |
| Down by 1-5% |
18 |
9% |
| Down by 5-10% |
25 |
13% |
| Down by 10-20% |
29 |
15% |
| Down by more than 20% |
50 |
26% |
| |
|
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Are you finding it easier to obtain credit for your business now than you did six months ago? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
13 |
7% |
| No |
103 |
54% |
| Not applicable |
73 |
38% |
| Skipped |
2 |
1% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Do you expect your firm’s total number of employees will increase, remain about the same insurance news, or decrease during the next 12 months? |
|
|
Increase |
67 |
35% |
| About the same |
86 |
45% |
| Decrease |
37 |
19% |
| Don't know/no opinion |
1 |
1% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| When do you plan to increase your firm’s total number of employees over the next 12 months? |
|
|
|
|
This year: 2009 |
35 |
18% |
| Q4 2010 |
33 |
17% |
| Steadily throughout next 12 months |
35 |
18% |
| I do not plan to increase my total number of employees |
88 |
46% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| What is the most significant business issue that you are facing currently? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1% |
| Growth (growing too quickly) |
|
3 |
2% |
|
4 |
2% |
|
15 |
8% |
| Staffing (finding, hiring, retaining, and training |
|
9 |
5% |
| Growth (growing too slowly) |
|
20 |
10% |
| Economic uncertainty (concern for local and nation |
|
78 |
41% |
| Other |
18 |
9% |
|
|
| Financial issues (finance, cash flow, profitabilit |
|
|
43 |
23% |
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| How does your 2nd Quarter 2009 revenue compare to your 2nd Quarter 2008 revenue? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up by 1-10% |
29 |
15% |
| Up by more than 10% |
34 |
18% |
| Down by 1-5% |
27 |
14% |
| Down by 5-10% |
20 |
10% |
| Down by 10-20% |
29 |
15% |
| Down by more than 20% |
49 |
26% |
| Skipped question |
3 |
2% |
| |
|
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| How does your projected 2009 year-end revenue compare to your actual 2008 revenue? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up by 1-10% |
35 |
18% |
| Up by more than 10% |
34 |
18% |
| Down by 1-5% |
18 |
9% |
| Down by 5-10% |
25 |
13% |
| Down by 10-20% |
29 |
15% |
| Down by more than 20% |
50 |
26% |
| |
|
|
| Question |
Answer |
Number in agreement |
% |
| Are you finding it easier to obtain credit for your business now than you did six months ago? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes |
13 |
7% |
| No |
103 |
54% |
| Not applicable |
73 |
38% |
| Skipped |
2 |
1% |
|
|
[Source: Vistage]
