Taming Inflation: How to Protect Your Business Cash in Uncertain Times

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Treasure
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April 25, 2023

Inflation is the gradual increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy over time, leading to a decrease in purchasing power. As businesses navigate the complexities of the market, it's essential to safeguard themselves against the negative impacts of inflation. This blog post explores various strategies businesses can employ to protect themselves against inflation, including investing in inflation protected securities, using business cash management services, and more.

Inflation Protected Securities and Bonds

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)

This refers to government-issued bonds that offer protection against inflation by adjusting their principal value according to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). As a result, the interest payments and final principal amount rise with inflation, maintaining the bond's purchasing power. By incorporating TIPS into their investment portfolios, businesses can hedge against the erosion of their assets' real value due to inflation.

Corporate Inflation-Linked Bonds

Apart from TIPS, businesses can also consider investing in corporate inflation-linked bonds. Issued by private companies, these inflation protected treasury bonds function similarly to TIPS, as their principal and interest payments adjust with inflation. Although they may offer higher yields than government-issued bonds, they also come with higher risk. However, when carefully selected and added to a diverse portfolio, corporate inflation-linked bonds can provide an additional layer of inflation protection for businesses.

Tips for Investing in Inflation Protected Securities and Bonds

To make the most of inflation protected securities and secure treasury inflation bonds, businesses should carefully consider the duration and credit quality of the bonds, ensure proper diversification, and periodically review their bond allocations. By being diligent and cautious, businesses can better preserve their assets' value during inflationary periods.

Business Cash Management Services

When selecting a provider for corporate cash management services, businesses should consider factors such as fees, ease of use, available features, and the provider's reputation. Choosing a reliable provider help businesses to ensure efficient cash management for their operations, minimizing the detrimental effects of inflation.

Types of Cash Management Services

  • Sweep accounts - These automatically transfer idle cash from a business's checking account into an interest-bearing account, ensuring that businesses earn interest on unused funds. This service helps in counterbalancing the effects of inflation on idle cash.
  • Cash pooling -  By allowing businesses to consolidate their accounts, cash pools optimizes cash flow and makes it easier to manage funds. It enables more efficient utilization of available cash, minimizing the effects of inflation.

Utilizing cash management for businesses, including idle cash management, can help counteract the negative impacts of inflation on their working capital. Sweep accounts and cash pooling enable businesses to maximize the potential of their idle cash, earning interest and streamlining operations.

Diversifying Revenue Streams

Diversifying revenue streams can make a business more resilient during inflation, as it reduces reliance on a single source of income. A diversified business can more easily absorb fluctuations in demand and price, providing a more stable financial foundation.

Strategies for Diversifying Revenue Streams

  • Adding new products or services - By introducing new products or services, businesses can attract new customers, increasing revenue and mitigating the impact of inflation.
  • Expanding into new markets - Entering new markets can also help businesses diversify their revenue streams, spreading risk and potentially increasing profits.
  • Developing partnerships or collaborations - Forming strategic partnerships and collaborations can enable businesses to access new

Adjusting Prices and Costs

Regularly Reviewing and Adjusting Prices

To protect their profit margins during inflation, businesses should periodically review and adjust their prices. They should consider factors such as market trends, competitors' pricing, and changes in their own costs. It's essential to communicate price changes to customers effectively, explaining the reasons behind the adjustments.

Meanwhile, to ensure successful price adjustments, businesses need to understand their customers' price sensitivity. Monitoring customers' responses to price changes help businesses to better gauge the optimal pricing levels that will maximize revenue while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Controlling Business Costs

Businesses can protect themselves against inflation by reducing their fixed costs, such as rent, utilities, and insurance. This can be done by downsizing, renegotiating contracts, or finding more cost-effective suppliers. Actively engaging with suppliers and negotiating for better prices can also help businesses control their costs, minimizing the impact of inflation on their bottom line. By optimizing their operations and eliminating inefficiencies, businesses can reduce costs and become more resistant to inflationary pressures.

Hedging Strategies

These strategies involve taking a position in a financial instrument or asset to offset potential losses in another position. With hedging strategies, businesses can mitigate the adverse effects of inflation on their operations and finances.

Commodity Hedging

This refers to the investment in commodities such as gold, silver, or agricultural products, which often maintain or increase their value during inflationary periods. By incorporating commodities into their portfolios, businesses can protect themselves against inflation and preserve their purchasing power. Successful commodity hedging involves diversifying investments, carefully selecting commodities that correlate with a business's primary risks, and monitoring the commodities market regularly.

Currency Hedging

Meanwhile, currency hedging involves investing in foreign currencies, aiming to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on a business's finances. As some currencies may perform better than others during inflation, currency hedging can provide an additional layer of protection against inflation. To hedge currency risks effectively, businesses should monitor the foreign exchange market, analyze correlations between currencies, and utilize financial instruments such as forward contracts or currency options.

Investing in Real Assets

Investing in real assets can help businesses protect their assets' real value during inflation, as these assets often increase in value over time, maintaining or improving their purchasing power.

Types of Real Assets to Invest In

  • Real estate - This can provide an effective hedge against inflation, as property values and rental income often increase over time.
  • Infrastructure - Investments in infrastructure, such as transportation or energy projects, can provide businesses with steady cash flows and protect against inflation.
  • Commodities - As mentioned earlier, commodities can maintain or increase their value during inflationary periods, making them a suitable investment option for businesses looking to hedge against inflation.

To maximize the benefits of investing in real assets, businesses should conduct thorough research, consider the long-term potential of each asset class, and diversify their investments across different types of real assets.

Businesses must adapt to changing economic conditions and protect themselves against the negative impacts of inflation. By employing a range of strategies, such as investing in inflation protected securities, utilizing business cash management services, diversifying revenue streams, adjusting prices and costs, employing hedging strategies, and investing in real assets, businesses can safeguard their financial health and ensure long-term success in the face of inflationary pressures.

Careful consideration and implementation of these strategies allow businesses to not only withstand the challenges of inflation but also seize opportunities to grow and thrive in any economic environment. It's essential to continuously monitor the market and financial landscape and adjust your business's approach accordingly to maintain a competitive edge and secure financial stability.

Treasure Technologies Inc.
447 Sutter St
STE 405 PMB 25
San Francisco, CA 94108
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** Treasure Cash accounts are held at Grasshopper Bank, N.A., our FDIC partner bank. Return differentials based on national average checking account rates as of 5/24/2023. Source: FDIC

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