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      White Paper

      A better way to evaluate small business credit risk

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      Published September 29, 2016

      Commercial Commercial Insights Credit & Economic Trends

      If 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.

      Complete the form to access the white paper

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      Thank you for your interest

      Your free Experian resource is now available. Enjoy!

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      🔹 New businesses in sectors like Construction and Food Services face higher delinquency rates, signaling elevated credit risks.
      🔹 Meanwhile, industries like Retail and Healthcare maintain stable performance, regardless of business maturity—offering balanced opportunities for lenders.

      Understanding these dynamics is critical for tailoring lending strategies, mitigating risk, and supporting business growth across industries.

      Check out the full report to see how these trends could impact your strategy!

      Subscribe to Commercial Pulse Report

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      This report provides an in-depth analysis of the credit card landscape, offering key insights to help your business tackle today’s challenges and uncover opportunities for growth.

      Key insights:

      • Credit card debt reached an all-time high of $1.17 trillion in Q3 2024.
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      Watch the recording of the Quarterly Business Credit Review webinar, where Experian shared and discussed critical insights from the latest Main Street Report.

      Why you should watch:

      • Leading Experts on Commercial and Macro-Economic Trends
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      • Industry Hot Topics Covered (Inclusive of Business Owner and Small Business Data)
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      Visit our Commercial Insights Hub for more economic insights and reports on small business. 

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