Tatum/Roulston Report

Serious sports fans know when watching their favorite teams when momentum changes good or bad. Silence is the result of the home team losing momentum while noise levels rise as momentum grows. In this month’s Tatum survey the crowd is sensing a home team comeback. Across the board(with the exception of hiring outlook) executives are recognizing a more positive environment. Backlog, capital expenditures and general business conditions spiked over last month. One can't help but ask “what is different?” Political risk just changed.

Regulatory environment, health care and taxes (the big three) are all suddenly viewed in a new light due to the election. Has anything actually changed? Not at all, its all perception. After two years of seemingly battling big brother the perception is maybe things can change. Now can we see leadership. Can we deal with the anti-business attitude and the deficit? Can we move towards growth from regulatory stagnation?

We believe we are at a crossroads. If Washington can remove itself from the spotlight and companies can feel unencumbered to use some of the balance sheet leverage expanded over the last 18 months it could change employment and growth in measurable ways. Unlike the government now restricted by its own deficits companies have not been in such positive condition in quite some time. Consumers with higher savings rates and growing real disposable income over the last year than in the previous five could be a bonus as well.

There are still issues of government debt, rogue nations and uncertainty in how politicians will respond to an historical election message. But momentum this month has shifted. A lot of executives are feeling much better than anytime in the last 12 months. This month was a reflection of the momentum shift. Lets hope Washington is listening because the crowd is ready.

Tatum LLC is a nationwide firm specializing in the providing financial and information technology services and executive fulfillment to companies across the country. This joint effort with Tatum is a unique partnership that will provide a differentiated view of business trends - The Tatum/ Roulston Report.

To read the full survey click here.