Small businesses (those with less than $5 million in revenue) had a strong finish in 2017 and are optimistic for future growth, according to the fourth-quarter 2017 Private Capital Access (PCA) Index report from Dun & Bradstreet and Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Well over half (58%) of small businesses reported a profitable Q4 2017, up from 52% in 2016. Going into 2018, small businesses are anticipating growing revenue 9.1% on average, up from 8.7% one year ago. Since PCA began in 2012, expectations for 2018 are at a record high, with 84% of owners of both small and midsized businesses (those with $5 million to $100 million in revenue) expect their business to perform better in 2018 than in 2017, up from 72% the previous year. Small businesses are also more optimistic in their ability to raise financing in the next six months than they were a year ago, with 55% reporting it would be "difficult" to qualify for debt financing, down from 61% in Q4 2016.
Please let us know if you have any comments about this article or enhancements you would like to see.