Equipment Leasing and Finance Confidence Rises in September

The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation in its September 2018 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) noted that confidence is up in September. 

The report is designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $1 trillion equipment finance sector.

Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market rose in September to 65.5, up from the August index of 60.7.

When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI-EFI survey respondent David Normandin, CLFP, Managing Director, Commercial Finance Group, Hanmi Bank, said, “The summer of 2018 has been brisk with activity and funded volume has been strong. Continued economic confidence and indicators lead me to believe that this will continue in the short term, thus I am optimistic about the remainder of 2018 and the start of 2019.”

September 2018 Survey Results:
The overall MCI-EFI is 65.5, an increase from 60.7 in August.

•   When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 17.9% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, an increase from 13.3% in August. 82.1% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, an increase from 80% the previous month. None believe business conditions will worsen, a decrease from 6.7% who believed so the previous month.

•   35.7% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase over the next four months, an increase from 16.7% in August. 64.3% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four-month time period, a decrease from 83.3% the previous month. None believe demand will decline, unchanged from August.

•   10.7% of the respondents expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, down from 16.7% in August. 89.3% of executives indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, an increase from 83.3% last month. None expect “less” access to capital, unchanged from last month.

•   When asked, 50% of the executives report they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, an increase from 36.7% in August. 50% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, a decrease from 63.3% last month. None expect to hire fewer employees, unchanged from last month.

•   51.9% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” up from 40% last month. 48.2% of the leadership evaluate the current U.S. economy as “fair,” down from 60% in August. None evaluate it as “poor,” unchanged from last month.

•   11.1% of the survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, a decrease from 13.3% in August. 85.2% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, an increase from 73.3% the previous month. 3.7% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, a decrease from 13.3% in August.

•   In September, 40.7% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, an increase from 33.3% in August. 59.3% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, a decrease from 66.7% the previous month. None believe there will be a decrease in spending, unchanged from last month.

Category: Featured, General Update, News