White Paper
Published September 29, 2016
Commercial Commercial Insights Credit & Economic TrendsIf a new company has not yet established a credit history, many lenders turn to the business owner's personal credit to evaluate risk. But does personal credit alone paint an accurate picture of a new business's risk? Is there a more optimal way to determine how creditworthy a young company may be?
To find answers, Experian® randomly selected the credit files of 2.5 million U.S. small-business owners and compared them with the records of 1 million consumers. We then looked at the credit history of both groups, as well as key demographic data such as age, education and income. We also reviewed the number of open trades, delinquencies, bankruptcies and business survival rates. The results of this research are explained in this whitepaper.
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Webinar
Q2 2025 Quarterly Business Credit Review Webinar
Experian’s Brodie Oldham, VP of Commercial Data Science, and Marsha Silverman, Strategic Analytic Consultant revealed several insights on how small businesses are performing during the Q2 Quarterly Business Credit Review.
During the webinar we asked the audience:
- Which macroeconomic factor is having the greatest impact on small business credit conditions this year?
- What actions if any have you taken in 2025 in response to additional tariff?
- How are small businesses adapting to tighter credit conditions in 2025?
Why you should watch:
- Leading Experts on Commercial and Macro-Economic Trends
- Credit insights and trends on 30+ Million active businesses
- Industry Hot Topics Covered (Inclusive of Business Owner and Small Business Data)
- Commercial Insights you cannot get anywhere else
- Peer Insights with Interactive Polls (Participate)
- Discover and understand small business trends to make informed decisions
- Actionable takeaways based on recent credit performance
Video
Student Loan Debt’s Growing Impact on Small Business Credit Health
Outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. has reached an all-time high of $1.63 trillion, and the ripple effects are being felt far beyond the personal finance arena. This unprecedented debt burden is now shaping the way many small business owners borrow, manage credit, and maintain financial stability.
Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!
Report
Rate Cuts Incoming
The latest Jobs Report casts doubt on the Fed’s (and many economists’) narrative that the labor market is on solid footing. New data now show that job creation is near stall speed and other areas of the economy are slowing as well. This data, combined with a growing view that the impact of tariffs on inflation will neither be as significant as first anticipated (though still meaningful) nor as persistent, is likely to lead the Fed to cut rates at their September meeting. Get the latest on these trends, plus our new Fed rate cut forecast in Joseph Mayans' latest Macro Moment, "Rate Cuts Incoming."
Webinar
Macroeconomic forecasting and credit trends - August 2025
Although the U.S. economy remains solid and has resisted a broader slowdown thus far in 2025, the outlook remains highly uncertain. In this environment, it is imperative for businesses to stay on top of the latest economic developments. Experian’s Chief Economist Joseph Mayans, Director of Fintech Gavin Harding and Head of Automotive Financial Insights Melinda Zabritski, will provide a look into:
- The latest economic, credit and automotive finance trends
- Forecasts for the rest of the year and beyond
- Answers to today's most pressing questions