Business Health Index January 2021 Report
Small Business Health Index Report
January 2021
This report is a monthly analysis of the economic environment for small businesses. The analysis is made to inform current small business owners and prospective investors about the broader economic forces and trends so that they can make the most informed decisions for themselves and their businesses.
Overall Outlook
The story for much of 2020 and early 2021 has been a bleak economic outlook for small businesses across a range of industries based on the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2020, the U.S. economy appeared to slowly recover from the economic effects of the pandemic, but the recent holiday surge in cases and regulations resulted in a loss of 140,000 jobs in January and decreased labor market improvement. Consequently, the small business health index is at a lower level than a year ago with increased payment delinquency and less credit card use.
Graph of Total U.S. Employment in 2020 (In Thousands)
SourceBased on Business Listings, Vetted Biz requires Businesses for Sale to share financial information on sales and earnings through credible sources, including but not limited to Tax Returns, Accounting Software, Point of Sale Software, etc….: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data
Existing Business Trends
Different industries have seen wildly different performances in the closing months of 2020. On one hand, Food and Beverage businesses have struggled with salesThe total amount in dollars made in the business before expenses are deducted. See also Gross Revenue…. down 21.2% in December relative to 2019. On the contrary, retail sales increased by 6.3% relative to 2019, although much of this increase is from non store retailers whose business increased 19.2%. Hospitality and other industries that rely on travel and physical contact have been most adversely affected during this period due to customer apprehensions and regulations. Vetted Biz’ analysis of Small
Business Association loans from 2010 to 2019 found that Food and Beverage, Fitness Centers, andthe Retail Products and Services businesses had the lowest loan success rate among non-franchised businesses prior to the pandemic. This could mean these industries are likely going to struggle with further loan payment problems as they have been among those hit hardest by the pandemic.
Franchise Business Trends
Many franchises are in industries that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, however, it remains to be seen whether franchises will outperform independent businesses. Frandata research on franchises recovering from thepandemic has shown that only 26% were unaffected by the economic
Business Acquisition & Loan Financing
Although the early months of the pandemic witnessed a sharp decrease inbusiness salesThe total amount in dollars made in the business before expenses are deducted. See also Gross Revenue…., the third and fourth quarters of 2020 saw a rebound in activity. Data from BizBuySell shows that total business sales reached levelsabove previous years in October and small business sales came close to the2019 levels in the third quarter. According to their survey data, the sales are being driven by buyer confidence in being able to purchase businesses at adiscount relative to previous years, compared to decreased seller confidence ingetting a better price than precious years. At the same time, the median price of businesses sold has increased over last year, reflecting a trend in the sale of businesses at a premium that are able to perform well in the pandemic. Fort hose looking for business opportunities, Vetted Biz has useful tools and information on over a thousand businesses for sale.
Economic Recovery & COVID-19
The ongoing global pandemic has left current and prospective businessowners with more questions and answers. Although it is impossible to perfectly predict the future,
Vetted Biz analysis on recession recovery trends provides insights into the different models of economic recovery the country and small businesses could experience. The additional waves of COVID-19 have prolonged and slowed the recovery process, especially recently as cases reach all-time highs. However,this still fits within the “Nike Swoosh” recovery model of a sharp crash andslower recovery.
“The Nike Swoosh” COVID-19 Recovery Model
The “V-Curve” COVID-19 Recovery Model
A pattern we have not fully seen due to lingering health and economic issues
Moving Forward
Looking ahead to the future, vaccine administration and the new Biden administration’s policies will have a large effect on business acquisition and administration over the upcoming months. New stimulus packages are possible that could provide consumers with money and loans through the Small Business Administration. Additionally, new or loosened restrictions on businesses could affect their ability to remain profitableWhen the earnings in a given period of time is more than the expenses in a business….. Be sure to check Vetted Biz for up-to-date information on the rapidly changing business and regulatory environments in these uncertain times.
About Us
Vetted Biz is the leading platform for accessible and analytical data on franchises and businesses available in the U.S. Our goal at Vetted Biz is to bring transparency to potential franchisee owners as they navigate the process of buying a franchiseA franchise is when a business (franchisor) allows a party (franchisee) to acquire its know-how, procedures, processes, trademarks, intellectual property, use of its business model, brand and rights to sell its products and services. The franchisee signs a contract (franchise agreement) with the franchisor to acquire the franchise and generally has a territory granted to operate…. as well as franchisors that are vetting potential franchisees. Our research team has reviewed over 2,900 franchises and knows the key facts and data that signal a successful franchise system. Data is collected from sources including but not limited to Franchise Disclosure Documents, industry reports, SBA loan data, and other business research. The business owners and business brokers listing businesses for sale must confirm that numeric information matches those in the point of sale software, tax returns, or other credible sources.If you are an aspiring business owner looking for a place to start, Vetted Biz can provide you the analytics and resources to power your search and analysis for your future business. The team behind Vetted Biz has advised hundreds ofentrepreneurs in finding and analyzing franchises across the U.S. and noware offering key analysis and data directly on Vetted Biz.
