Access to bank financing for companies 2017Q3
Published on 10/18/2017
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The Banque de France carries out a quarterly survey on the access to bank financing of companies. 4,000 small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and 400 mid-tier companies (MTEs) have answered; as well as 2,000 very small companies (VSEs) thanks to a partnership with the Fédération des Centres de Gestion Agréés (small firms authorised management centers federation).
Access to credit remains overall easy
- Over the third quarter 2017, demand for new cash credits was stable for SMEs as well as for VSEs. Regarding investment loans, demand from VSEs held steady whereas demand from SMEs abated somewhat.
- Credit supply for SMEs weakened compared to the second quarter. 81% of SMEs' requests of cash credits were fully or substantially (over 75% of their demand) granted, versus 86% over the second quarter. Beyond the quarterly volatility, the supply rate remained high. This also concerned access to investment loans : 95% of SMEs were fully or substantially granted the loans they requested. More specifically for equipment loans, access remained also very wide (91%).
- Access to credits for VSEs maintained the overall trend of last quarters while decreased slightly (67% after 69%). However, access to investment loans improved this quarter: 84% of VSEs were granted their request (fully of over 75% of the requested loans) compared to 81% during the previous quarter. Access to equipment loans increased (88% after 82%).
Financing requests and grants for SMEs and VSEs*
*in %; except for the use of credit lines earlier granted
Cash credits
Investment loans
Source: Banque de France (Directorate General of Statistics) and FCGA
Scope: Enterprises with real decisional autonomy regarding requests for credit; SMEs: 10 - 249 employees; VSEs: 0 - 9 employees
Additional information
1- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME: 10 - 249 employees)
provided by Banque de France
- To meet their operational requirements, SMEs can apply for credit lines that remain available over the year, most of the time at the beginning of the year, and/or for various types of cash facilities during the year.
- The proportion of SMEs applying for credit lines was nearly stable (36%).
- 61% of SMEs mobilized credit lines this quarter, as much as previous quarter.
- About new loans - excluding the use of existing credit lines - :
- Demand for new cash credits was stable: 6% of SMEs requested a credit.
- The cash credit supply weakened while remaining high: 81% of SMEs were fully or substantially granted, versus 86% over the previous quarter.
- Demand for new investment loans was 22% of SMEs, versus 25% during the second quarter.
- Access to investment loans is nearly stable. 95% of SMEs were fully or substantially granted.
- Only 3% of SMEs reported a rise in the total cost of financing.
2 - Very small enterprises (VSE: 0 - 9 employees)
provided by FCGA and Banque de France
- Demand for new financing VSEs was stable, for cash credits (7%) and for investment loans (11%).
- Access to cash credit decreased slightly this quarter, while maintaining the overall trend of last quarters: 67% of VSEs were fully or substantially granted, after 69% in Q2.
- Access to investment loans increased: 84% of VSEs were granted their request (fully of over 75% of the requested loans), versus 81% in Q2.
3 - Mid-tier enterprises (MTE: 250 - 4 999 employees)
provided by Banque de France
- 46% of MTEs submitted requests for credit lines. 71% of those MTEs with granted credit lines drew them down, after 73% in the second quarter.
- Demand for new cash credits was stable: 10% of MTEs requested their lenders. The credit supply rate remained very high: 92% were fully or substantially obtained (90% in the previous quarter).
- Demand for investment loans bounced back: 29% of MTEs requested financing, after 26% in Q2 and 29% in Q1. 96% of MTEs were fully or substantially granted. Concerning investment loans, the supply rate is somewhat lower (85%).
- MTEs access to private debt issuances should also be considered, in order to put into perspective the data issued for this category of firms.
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Access to bank financing for companies
- Published on 10/18/2017
- EN
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Published on Wednesday, October 18, 2017