SMB Lending Sentiment Study
Quarterly pulse of US small business owners on credit demand, approval experiences, collateral requirements, and rate sensitivity by sector and revenue band.
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Overview
The SMB Lending Sentiment Study interviews 2,500 established small businesses (1–499 employees) each quarter, oversampling minority-owned and rural firms to stabilize segment estimates. It complements household credit data with employer-side borrowing narratives critical for commercial lenders and fintech underwriters.
Methodology
Respondents must hold authorized borrowing authority. We verify business activity through tax ID confirmation and digital footprint checks. Sector weights align to NAICS shares with configurable booster samples for C&I portfolios.
Deliverables
- Headline sentiment index and credit ease sub-index
- Approval rate trends by product: LOC, term loan, SBA, alternative
- Open-ended coding of denial reasons (quarterly)
- Regional heat maps for relationship manager planning
Sample Insights
Manufacturing SMBs report lengthening decision timelines but improved rate transparency, while services firms increasingly experiment with revenue-based financing products.