War Chest

A war chest is kind of what it sounds like. Like a treasure chest, it’s full of the thing that speaks: money. It’s a “war” chest because it’s a safety net of money set aside for a rainy day. Well, a warring one.

For instance, a company might decide it wants to acquire another business, or it might be facing a hostile takeover itself. Or regulation. Famously, Microsoft carried 5 years worth of expenses on its balance sheet, such that even if one day it suddenly had zero revenues for 5 years, it wouuld still be able to function, pumping out operating systems and word processors nobody uses any more at the same clip it always had.

In this way, companies run themselves kind of like nations. Short-term liquid investments are usually what’s inside the chest (think: Treasury Bills, bank CDs, short-term bonds).

When they're well-funded, you'd say, "My war chest needs a bra."