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Fuel Prices and Your Business

When oil prices rise, fuel prices follow. These increases can have a big impact on your daily operations. Review some important questions to consider and the solutions S&T can provide to support your business.
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  • May 8, 2026

According to AAA, gas prices have risen $0.40 in the last month and over $1.00 from one year ago. When oil prices rise, we all see those increases at the pump, but the impact doesn’t stop there. These spikes make it more expensive to conduct business, creating immediate stress on cash flow by increasing normal fuel consumption prices, delivery and material costs.

Here are some important questions to consider:

  1. How are gas prices affecting my business?
  2. Can we increase our prices to offset the added expense?
  3. Do we have room to tighten our receivables period to ensure we are getting paid timely?
  4. Are we optimizing payables effectively to limit funding gaps?
  5. Do we need extra capital to support business needs during this period of rising fuel costs?

Supplement Cash Flow
Your business may benefit from a line of credit to supplement working capital. Borrow what you need up to the approved credit limit to help your business absorb cost increases without sacrificing normal business operations or draining emergency savings.

Cash Flow Analysis
Analyze cash flow to uncover any potential funding gaps. Determine your average collection period and review your credit terms. Lenient credit terms can put your cash flow at risk. Ensure your business is accepting and encouraging payments from customers using solutions like ACH collection, wire and credit card payments rather than paper checks for more timely settlement. When checks cannot be avoided, remote deposit capture can help ensure funds are deposited immediately upon receipt, improving efficiency and cash flow timing.

Optimize your payables strategy. Using solutions like ACH, wire and credit cards provide more control over cash flow. When paying vendors or employees via ACH and wire, you know the exact date of debit and can plan accordingly. Credit card payments give you the power to pay vendors on time while extending settlement until the statement period closes.

Contact your S&T banker to discuss the solutions we can provide to support you and your business.

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