Cash deployment expected to gain this year.

• Position: CORPORATE SPENDING - Brief article

Nearly half of the companies spanning a broad cross-section of industries report that they expect to deploy cash reserves this year as part of their spending plan, a survey of business executives finds.

The report from audit and accounting firm Delate found that 41 percent of the respondents believe that they will be spending cash reserves this year. In addition, respondents suggested that their companies are likely to execute acquisitions (28.2 percent), increase capital budgets (20.6 percent), repurchase shares (11.8 percent) or issue one-time dividends or increase dividends (6.1 percent) this year.

Cash balances rising to historic levels, balance sheets getting stronger and companies now having real options all qualify as positive developments revealed in the survey, says Justin Silber, principal with Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP.

That's the good news. On the other hand, Silber adds: "Literally trillions of dollars in corporate cash reserves aren't earning much--if any--return as interest rates remain at historic lows. In the meantime, investors want immediate cash...