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The article discusses the repatriation of cash held abroad by U.S. firms, often for the purpose of repurchasing stock. Online retailer eBay Inc. and medical device manufacturer Stryker Corp. are among companies that in 2014 indicated they planned to return a collective $300 billion to the U.S. Additional information is provided on tax considerations, particularly on how firms try to reduce taxes owed on repatriated earnings

The article discusses how portfolio managers for large bond funds are preparing for an interest rate increase from the U.S. Federal Reserve in 2015, which may cause price swings, by increasing their cash holdings. Topics include potential declines in liquidity caused by increased interest rates, how interest rates impact bond prices, and how the economic recession of 2009 impacted investment in bonds.

The article discusses uncertainty among corporate chief financial officers about where to put excess cash. New rules and regulations have made money market funds and deposit accounts less attractive, while declining yields have reduced the appeal of commercial paper. The U.S. Federal Reserve estimates cash balances for non-financial companies had risen to $1.88 trillion by the end of June 2014.

The article discusses demand among large shareholders of consumer-electronics producer Samsung Electronics Co. for the company to return more capital to investors. Mutual-fund firms Artisan Partners LP and Yacktman Asset Management are among investors calling for Samsung to raise its dividend and repurchase shares. The agitation comes at a time when Samsung's cash balance has reached $60 billion while its net income and share price have been declining.

The article compares a decline during the spring of 2014 in the stock prices of technology firms that have recently held initial public offerings (IPOs) with a steep drop in technology shares following a market top in March of 2000. Analysis indicates that technology companies in 2014 tend to have more robust cash positions and are generally stronger financially than their 2000 predecessors.

The article discusses robust corporate merger activity in the U.S. and investors' favorable response to it. Figures from data-provider Dealogic show that through early May of 2014, over $637 billion worth of mergers have been proposed or agreed to. Stock prices for firms being bought have risen an average of 18% during the day following the merger announcement. Some believe large cash balances held by corporations are helping to fuel merger activity.

The article reports that online-storage firm Box Inc. has decided to postpone its initial public offering (IPO) in the spring of 2014 due to a dropoff in demand among investors for technology stocks. On April 28 an index of cloud-computing stocks maintained by private-equity firm Bessemer Venture Partners hit its lowest level ever. Additional information is presented about Box's business model, and the rate at which it is burning cash.

The article notes several fund managers who have unusually large cash balances, and argues that investors should consider raising more cash when stock prices are at or near record highs. The fund managed by Dowe Bynum and Richard Cook is about 43% cash, while cash accounts for close to 21% of Abhay Deshpande's fund. The author observes that the availability of cash makes it possible to take advantage of bargain stocks when their prices decline.

The article reports that some large European banks including Deutsche Bank AG and Barclays PLC are planning to reduce their cash holdings in an effort to increase equity as a percentage of total assets, or their leverage ratios. Bank regulators have come to consider the leverage ratio as a measure of strength, although some analysts believe cutting down on cash is not likely to please those regulators.

The article discusses the growing cash position of smartphone manufacturer Samsung Electronics Co. Over a 12-month period the company's cash net of debt has almost tripled to $28.5 billion. Samsung's uses for the cash could include dividends, share buybacks, and acquisitions to strengthen its medical-equipment and software businesses.

The article discusses how large U.S. companies are freeing up cash by delaying payments to suppliers. Special attention is paid to consumer-products producer Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G), which plans to extend its average payment period from 45 to 75 days. To alleviate the burden on its vendors, P&G is talks with banks to supply them with low-cost financing. INSET: Cash Flows.

The article discusses the large and growing cash balances held offshore by U.S. corporations. The publication's analysis of 60 firms including drug company Abbott Laboratories and conglomerate General Electric Co. with at least $5 billion apiece in offshore money found they collectively held $166 billion overseas. Foreign earnings by U.S. companies are not subject to U.S. taxes unless repatriated back to the U.S.

The article discusses optimistic commentary on January 10, 2013 from chief executive Stephen Elop of smartphone producer Nokia Corp. Elop said Nokia shipped 4.4 million of its Lumia smartphones during the fourth quarter of 2012, and that the company would be profitable for the quarter. It is noted that Nokia's declining cash balance remains a concern of some.

The article discusses the large cash positions held abroad by some U.S. firms. At the close of 2011 industrial conglomerate General Electric Co. held about two-thirds of its $85.5 billion in cash in foreign accounts, while the entirety of drug company Johnson & Johnson's cash balance was overseas. Firms cannot repatriate this cash without paying U.S. taxes in addition to whatever foreign taxes they may have paid on it.

The article discusses the cash position of oil company Chevron Corp. Over a one-year period Chevron's cash balance has grown 60% to $21 billion, prompting speculation that it might be getting ready to make an acquisition, with energy companies Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Hess Corp. having been mentioned. Chevron says it accumulation of cash simply reflects prudence.

The article reports that high technology industry company Apple Inc. announced it would issue a dividend and repurchase stock out of its roughly $100 billion in cash reserves. The announcement is considered as a major policy change by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook, as previous CEO and company founder Steve Jobs had resisted declaring dividends.

The article considers the difficulties faced by U.S. corporations with operations in China in transferring cash from corporate profits in that country back to the U.S. China strictly regulates the conversion of its national currency the yuan into American dollars, taxes the withdrawal of profits and has complex laws governing profits of international business enterprises.

The article discusses large cash holdings compiled by U.S. corporations. Among non-financial companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, cash and short-term investments collectively total $1.12 trillion. Chief operating officer Roger Farah of clothes maker Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. says his company will be cautious about making expenditures.

The article examines U.S. corporation finance, focusing on the extremely strong cash position of large companies including Microsoft Corp., Cisco Systems and Apple Inc. It is noted that although dividend payments to stockholders are increasing, they are not rising as rapidly as are overall cash reserves of corporations.

The article discusses a reinvigorated global climate for mergers and acquisitions. Transactions for 2011 totaled more than $784 billion through early April of that year. Among deals announced was semiconductor maker Texas Instruments' $6.5 billion buyout of rival National Semiconductor. Low interest rates and large corporate cash balances are helping to fuel deal activity.

The article discusses dissatisfaction among some shareholders of consumer-electronics producer Apple Inc. of the firm's refusal to distribute any of its cash holdings. Investment manager Christopher Bonavico is among those who believe Apple should release at least some of its cash, currently totaling some $50 billion, to shareholders.

The article reports that large U.S. firms with strengthened balance sheets and substantial cash holdings appear ready to spend more on capital and possibly labor during 2011. Engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. intends to hire 2,500 people in the U.S., while retailer Kohl's Corp. will open 40 new stores. Spending on research and development at conglomerate General Electric Co. will grow by around 25%.

The article discusses large cash balances held by U.S. companies. Figures from the Federal Reserve indicate cash and liquid holdings at non-financial firms totaled $1.93 trillion at the end of September, 2010. Such large cash reserves are said to reflect an unwillingness to make capital investments or hire new workers amid a tepid economic recovery.

The article reports that media firm News Corp., which already owns 39% of satellite-television company British Sky Broadcasting PLC (BSkyB), is trying to purchase the remaining 61%. News Corp. has over $8 billion in cash reserves, and shareholders have questioned how it might deploy those funds. Assuming the parties can reach an agreement, regulatory approval of the purchase could take up to 18 months.

The article reports that cash and liquid assets at non-financial U.S. businesses grew 26% over the year-ago figure to $1.84 trillion, the largest such increase since at least 1952. Concerns about financial markets and the strength of an economic recovery in the U.S. have prompted firms to be cautious about using cash.

The article discusses cash management by U.S. corporations. Large companies are using their superior access to credit to slow their payments to suppliers while increasing the pace of their collections of payments from customers. Among smaller businesses this trend is reversed, as they have made payments more rapidly but are taking longer to collect from customers.

The article reports that computer software maker Oracle Corp. has made 10 corporate acquisitions since the start of 2008, the latest being that of mValent Inc. Oracle's strong cash position allows it to pursue mergers in the midst of the recession. Software industry firms are in urgent need of capital, meaning that Oracle is purchasing other companies at very low prices.

The article reports that investors are speculating that petroleum industry firm Exxon Mobil Corp. may be preparing to acquire another large energy industry firm or enter a partnership with a petroleum-exporting country in need of capital. The company's cash position is extremely strong, and such an investment would enable it to mitigate the effect of falling petroleum prices.

The article focuses on the use of a corporation's cash flow as a means of evaluating and forecasting its stock price. Cash flow is considered by many analysts as a more accurate means of evaluating a company's performance than net profits statements, which are more susceptible to manipulation by legal accounting methods. Free cash flow, the money a corporation makes which does not go into capital investments, is considered the most accurate measurement.

The article reports that high technology industry companies including from EBay Inc. and EMC Corp. are increasing their cash reserves due to anxiety over a possible U.S. recession in 2008. Cash and equivalents average 25 percent of corporate assets in high technology, the largest figure for any industry. The company's stock prices have not risen in response to their prudent management decisions.

The article examines the agreement by International Paper Co. to purchase the container-board, packaging, and recycling divisions of its major rival Weyerhaeuser Co. for $6 billion. The all-cash purchase shows the desirability of a corporation maintaining a strong balance sheet with a good cash flow and relatively little debt during difficult economic conditions.

This article reports on the cash condition of Barclays PLC. Barclays reported a 33 percent increase in cash in August when it mounted a bid for ABN Amro Holding NV. Since that time, it has had to provide $1.6 billion in financing to an investment vehicle it set up that ran into financial trouble. It is estimated the bank will face losses of $400 million due to investments into two hedge funds that bet on the U.S. subprime market.

Exxon Mobil Corp. has cash reserves of nearly $32 billion, the article reports. The company pays some of its cash out as dividends; each month $2 billion is paid to shareholders. Exxon's cash position may eventually be higher than Microsoft's. Exxon's commitment to reinvestment and production increases is criticized. Every dollar decrease or increase in the price of crude causes a change of a half billion dollars in Exxon's cash reserve.

Focuses on the cash holdings of corporations and hedge funds' influence on management to use the money. Indication of hedge funds holding management at some companies accountable for its actions; Statistics indicating that companies are sitting on piles of cash; Reasons why hedge funds want companies to use the cash; Long-term debt-to-equity levels for 2004, indicating that companies don't have enough debt; Comments from B. Espen Eckbo, the founding director of the Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, regarding the impact of risk exposure on CEOs.

Reports that investors are pressuring companies to use the cash that is piling up on their balance sheets as of July 2005. Reasons why investors want companies to give money back to shareholders as dividends or through share buybacks; Extent of cash being accumulated by companies in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index; Efforts of activist investors, such as Carl Icahn, to pressure cash-rich companies to spend some of their cash hoards or agree to a takeover.

Focuses on analysts' claims that Homebuilders KB Home and Ryland Group Inc. are squandering cash on their own stocks. Percentage increase in builders' stocks in 2003, suggesting the price of the stocks being purchased are expensive and potentially a waste should the housing market subside; Impact of rising mortgage-interest rates and other housing-related factors, indicating a squeeze on profit margins; Comments from Barbara Allen, an analyst at Natexis Bleichroeder, about the value of cash when markets turn bad; View that builders should reduces debt and conserve money when interest rates are rising and new-home sales appear to be falling.

The article previews a quarterly earnings report from consumer-electronics maker Apple Inc. and discusses the company's record of generating cash flow and maintaining a strong cash position despite a $130 billion program to return capital to investors.

The article considers the $904 billion in cash held by U.S. corporations in prime money-market mutual funds.