With the final quarter approaching, September is a valuable time for business owners and leadership teams to review where the year is heading and what can still be influenced before 2026 comes to a close.

Rather than waiting until year-end to assess the final results, businesses still have time to make decisions that can improve profitability, cash flow and the overall financial position.

The key question is: What do we want the business to look like financially at 31 December — and what needs to happen between now and then to get there?

Review Where the Year Is Heading

Start by comparing actual performance with your 2026 budget and latest forecast.

Consider:

• Is revenue tracking in line with expectations?
• Are gross margins holding up?
• Have payroll, supplier or operating costs increased?
• Are there areas where profitability is under pressure?
• Are there customers, products or service lines performing better or worse than expected?

Understanding the reasons behind these movements gives management time to respond before the year is over.

It is also important to look beyond profit.

A profitable business can still experience cash pressure where customer payments are slow, stock levels are increasing or significant investment has taken place.

Reviewing cash flow, debtor days, working capital and expected year-end commitments can help ensure there are no surprises in the final quarter.

Update Your Forecast

By September, the original annual budget may no longer reflect the reality of the business.

Updating the forecast for the remainder of the year can provide management with a more realistic view of expected:

• revenue and profitability;
• cash flow;
• working-capital requirements;
• tax liabilities; and
• funding or investment needs.

A revised forecast also gives the leadership team a clearer starting point for decisions around recruitment, capital expenditure, dividends and other commitments.

Review Planned Investment

If significant expenditure is already planned, September is a good time to review both the commercial case and the timing.

Investment decisions should always be driven primarily by what is right for the business, but understanding the financial and tax implications can help determine how and when expenditure should be made.

This can include reviewing the availability and timing of capital allowances on qualifying expenditure and assessing the impact of planned investment on cash flow.

Bring Tax Planning Into the Conversation Early

Tax planning is most effective before the year ends, while there is still time to act.

Reviewing forecast profitability alongside the company’s tax position can provide greater visibility over expected Corporation Tax liabilities and help management plan for upcoming payments.

It may also highlight matters that should be considered before year-end, including capital expenditure, pension contributions, remuneration planning or other legitimate business and tax-planning decisions.

For larger companies, accurate forecasting is particularly important when assessing preliminary Corporation Tax obligations.

Focus on the Decisions That Can Still Make a Difference

Year-end planning is not about making changes simply for the sake of improving a set of year-end numbers.

It is about identifying the relatively small number of decisions that could have the biggest financial impact before the year closes.

That might include:

• improving customer collections;
• protecting or improving margins;
• controlling discretionary expenditure;
• reviewing recruitment plans;
• assessing planned investment;
• managing working capital;
• updating cash-flow forecasts; or
• setting clearer financial targets for the final quarter.

How Gallagher Keane Can Help

At Gallagher Keane, we work with businesses to review financial performance, update forecasts and understand the tax and financial implications of important decisions.

A year-end review in September can give management greater visibility over the months ahead and more time to take action where required.

If you would like to review your expected year-end position and financial priorities for the remainder of 2026, speak with the Gallagher Keane team.

info@gallagherkeane.ie