Business failures - France - 2026-08
Published on 9th of October 2026
At the end of August, the number of corporate bankruptcies remains stable
- At the end of August 2026, the number of corporate bankruptcies over the last twelve months amounted to 70,766 (see graph 1), slightly higher than in July 2026 (70,692 based on revised data ).
- This stability is evident across most sectors and company sizes (see Table A and B).
- The level of corporate bankruptcies, which remains high, can be explained in particular by the deteriorating economic climate, as well as to the successive shocks and uncertainties that have weakened the financial position of certain companies.
- At the same time, the corporate population is growing. According to INSEE, more than 1.2 million enterprises were created at the end of August 2026 over a sliding 12-month period, up 11.4% compared with the cumulative 12 months to the end of August 2025.
To find out more: data on business start-ups are reported by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE): Business births on the INSEE's website
(1) As a reminder, the data is revised on a monthly basis, with judgement records that August be communicated at a later date.
(1) As a reminder, the data is revised on a monthly basis, with judgement records that August be communicated at a later date.
A - Corporate bankruptcies by sector![]()
Bankruptcies in number of legal units, year-on-year change (%)
| Aggregate over previous 12 months (a) (raw data) | ||||||||
| Mean 2010-2019 | July 26 | July 26/July 25 | July 26/2010-2019 | Aug 25 | Aug 26 | Aug 26/Aug 25 | Aug 26/2010-2019 | |
| Business sector | ||||||||
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing (AZ) | 1,359 | 1,786 | 12.6% | 31.4% | 1,584 | 1,795 | 13.3% | 32.1% |
| Industry (BE) | 4,442 | 4,453 | 3.9% | 0.2% | 4,297 | 4,442 | 3.4% | 0.0% |
| Construction (FZ) | 14,684 | 14,366 | -2.3% | -2.2% | 14,704 | 14,354 | -2.4% | -2.2% |
| Wholesale and retail trade repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G) | 13,071 | 14,079 | 2.9% | 7.7% | 13,687 | 14,076 | 2.8% | 7.7% |
| Transportation and storage (H) | 1,902 | 3,235 | 3.7% | 70.1% | 3,136 | 3,223 | 2.8% | 69.5% |
| Accommodation and food service activities (I) | 7,374 | 9,720 | 7.4% | 31.8% | 9,030 | 9,796 | 8.5% | 32.8% |
| Information and communication (JZ) | 1,480 | 2,121 | 1.8% | 43.3% | 2,069 | 2,139 | 3.4% | 44.5% |
| Financial and insurance activities (KZ) | 1,150 | 1,767 | 9.3% | 53.7% | 1,605 | 1,769 | 10.2% | 53.8% |
| Real estate activities (LZ) | 1,984 | 2,653 | 5.3% | 33.7% | 2,514 | 2,673 | 6.3% | 34.7% |
| Advisory & Business support activities (MN) | 6,379 | 9,072 | 9.4% | 42.2% | 8,343 | 9,040 | 8.4% | 41.7% |
| Education, human health and social work services, Arts, entertainment and recreation, Other service activities (P to S) | 5,311 | 7,261 | 13.0% | 36.7% | 6,438 | 7,280 | 13.1% | 37.1% |
| All firms (b) | 59,342 | 70,692 | 4.8% | 19.1% | 67,524 | 70,766 | 4.8% | 19.3% |
Source: Banque de France - database: Fiben. Data available at the beginning of October 2026.
Calculation: Banque de France - Companies Directorate - Companies Observatory.
a Aggregate number of corporate bankruptcies over previous 12 months compared to the same aggregate one year before and with the 2010-2019 mean.
b The line « All firms » includes legal units whose business sector is not known.
Calculation: Banque de France - Companies Directorate - Companies Observatory.
a Aggregate number of corporate bankruptcies over previous 12 months compared to the same aggregate one year before and with the 2010-2019 mean.
b The line « All firms » includes legal units whose business sector is not known.
B - Corporate bankruptcies by firm size![]()
Bankruptcies in number of legal units, year-on-year change (%)
| Aggregate over previous 12 months (a) (raw data) | ||||||||
| Mean 2010-2019 | July 26 | July 26/June 25 | July 26/2010-2019 | Aug 25 | Aug 26 | Aug 26/Jul 25 | Aug 26/2010-2019 | |
| Size | ||||||||
| SME, among them | 59,309 | 70,631 | 4.8% | 19.1% | 67,468 | 70,707 | 4.8% | 19.2% |
| Micro-enterprises and unknown firm's size | 56,059 | 65,027 | 4.3% | 16.0% | 62,370 | 65,107 | 4.4% | 16.1% |
| Very small firms | 2,011 | 3,492 | 8.2% | 73.6% | 3,224 | 3,498 | 8.5% | 73.9% |
| Small firms | 910 | 1,584 | 12.8% | 74.1% | 1,415 | 1,578 | 11.5% | 73.4% |
| Medium-size firms | 329 | 528 | 12.6% | 60.5% | 459 | 524 | 14.2% | 59.3% |
| ISE - Large Firms | 33 | 61 | 8.9% | 84.8% | 56 | 59 | 5.4% | 78.8% |
| All firms | 59,342 | 70,692 | 4.8% | 19.1% | 67,524 | 70,766 | 4.8% | 19.3% |
Source: Banque de France - database: Fiben. Data available at the beginning of October 2026.
Calculation: Banque de France - Companies Directorate - Companies Observatory.
a Aggregate number of corporate bankruptcies over previous 12 months compared to the same aggregate one year before and with the 2010-2019 mean.
Calculation: Banque de France - Companies Directorate - Companies Observatory.
a Aggregate number of corporate bankruptcies over previous 12 months compared to the same aggregate one year before and with the 2010-2019 mean.
C - Changes in corporate bankruptcies
1 - Number of bankruptcies
Cumulated over previous 12 months - From Dec. 1991 to August 2026![]()
Cumulated over previous 12 months - From Dec. 1991 to August 2026
Note: The orange line represents the average value of the number of corporate bankruptcies over twelve months observed monthly between January 2010 and December 2019.
2 - Change in number of bankruptcies
Annual year-on-year change - From Dec. 1991 to August 2026
(in %)![]()
Annual year-on-year change - From Dec. 1991 to August 2026
(in %)
3 - Monthly number of bankruptcies
Mean 2010-2019, Mean 2020-2022 and from Jan. 2023 to August 2026![]()
Mean 2010-2019, Mean 2020-2022 and from Jan. 2023 to August 2026
4 - Loan amounts of bankrupt non-financial firms over loan amount of all firms - by firm size
Cumulated over previous 12 months - From Dec. 2006 to August 2026
(in %)![]()
Cumulated over previous 12 months - From Dec. 2006 to August 2026
(in %)
Note: the sharp rise in the weighting of outstanding loans in the Very small businesses category between April 2024 and March 2025 reversed in April 2025 due to the removal of a legal unit bankrupted in April 2024, and classified in this category due to a low number of employees.
Source: Banque de France - database: Fiben. Data available at the beginning of October 2026
AT Internet - liste domaines
Banque de France
Download the PDF version of the document
EN_Stat_Info_Corporate_Bankruptcies_202608.pdf
Updated on the 8th of October 2026