Some finance chiefs and corporate treasurers are looking for ways to beef up returns on short-term cash amid historically low interest rates. Some companies are loosening investment policies to allow for greater risk or longer maturities in exchange for higher returns. However, companies should continue to be cautious about preserving needed capital, Bank of the West executive Paul Montaquila says. "It's not the return on your money, it's the return of your money," Montaquila says of the intended focus of short-term-cash investing.