Five key numbers CEOs need for confident 2026

For many Australian businesses, 2025 has felt like a long year.

Costs have shifted quickly, margins have been under pressure, teams have been stretched and leaders have often had to make decisions with less certainty than they’d like. 

In that environment, it’s easy to feel like you need more data, more reports and more analysis.

In reality, most CEOs don’t need more numbers.

They need the right numbers, clearly understood.

As businesses look ahead to 2026, confidence comes from clarity. And clarity comes from focusing on a small set of measures that genuinely support decision-making — not just reporting for reporting’s sake.

Here are the five key numbers we see making the biggest difference for CEOs preparing for the year ahead.

1. Cashflow runway (expressed in months)

Cashflow is always important — but runway is what gives it meaning.

Runway tells you how long the business can operate at its current pace before cash becomes tight. Expressed in months, not abstract forecasts, it turns a cash balance into something practical and decision-ready.

Why it matters…

Many businesses misjudged cash cycles in 2025. Payment terms shifted, timing changed and assumptions didn’t always hold. When you understand your runway clearly, decisions around hiring, investment and growth become calmer and more deliberate — not reactive.

2. Margin clarity (actual vs expected, by product or region)

Headline margins rarely tell the full story.

Real clarity comes from understanding what margin you actually achieved, compared to what you planned for — broken down by product line, service offering or region — and identifying where the gaps appeared.

Why it matters…

Costs moved quickly in 2025, and profitability assumptions often didn’t hold. Without segmented margin insight, it’s easy to grow parts of the business that look healthy on the surface but underperform underneath. 

With it, leaders can focus effort where it genuinely improves outcomes.

3. Monthly forecast realism (not optimism)

Forecasts shouldn’t be aspirational. They should be useful.

A monthly forecast provides a grounded view of what’s likely, what’s risky and what needs attention now — not in six months’ time. It creates a rhythm of visibility that supports course-correction before issues become embedded.

Why it matters…

Many forecasts in 2025 were either too optimistic or too high-level, leaving CEOs making decisions without a stable base. Trends take time to correct or enhance, and monthly visibility allows adjustments before waiting too long.

4. Department profitability

Understanding performance at a whole-of-business level is important — but real insight often sits one layer deeper.

Department profitability shows where the business is performing well and where it is behind budget, allowing leaders to see which areas are genuinely contributing and which need attention.

Why it matters…

Small tweaks in the right parts of a business can create benefits across the whole organisation. In practice, we regularly see departmental reviews unlock clarity that leads to better investment decisions, sharper focus and stronger overall profitability.

5. Scenario planning (your “what if?” safety net)

Scenario planning isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about being ready for it.

Clear modelling of upside, downside and base-case scenarios gives leaders confidence that they understand the implications of change — before those changes arrive.

Why it matters…

2025 reminded plenty of CEOs how unpredictable conditions can be. Having clear answers to “what if demand slows?”, “what if pricing shifts?” or “what if a major cost changes unexpectedly?” reduces hesitation and supports faster, more confident decisions.

Bringing it together

Taken individually, each of these numbers is useful. Taken together, they create something far more powerful: clarity.

Clarity reduces noise and builds confidence.

And confidence allows leaders to move forward without over-complicating things.

For many CEOs, the biggest relief comes from realising that getting to a stronger position for 2026 is simpler than it feels — as long as the focus is on the numbers that truly matter.

At Navigate, this is exactly where we spend our time: helping leadership teams cut through complexity, focus on what moves the needle and make decisions with confidence.

If you’d like support getting clearer on these numbers as you plan for 2026, we’re always happy to have a conversation.