Chief financial officers of middle-market companies across the country are becoming more positive on the state of the industries in which they operate, as well as on the outlook for economic growth, according to the latest GE Capital survey of middle-market CFOs.

Some of the survey findings include:

• CFOs expect that revenues will increase in 2011 compared to 2010, with 72 percent saying they expect higher revenues year-over-year.
• Eighty percent of CFOs expect to hire additional employees in the next year. Of CFOs planning to hire, they expect to increase their workforce by 6 percent with 80 percent of those positions expected to be permanent workers.
• More than half (56 percent) of CFOs expect to grow their cost structures in 2011.

"As we continue to track CFO sentiment, it’s clear that top line growth for middle-market companies is improving," said Dan Henson, president and CEO of GE Capital, Americas. "CFOs are more optimistic than they were a year ago, which is evident in their plans to invest in their people and infrastructure."

He added: "This is consistent with the uptick in demand we’re seeing across our lending and equipment leasing businesses. Our first quarter financing volume was up 83 percent versus the same period a year ago, reflecting much improved activity levels."