Profitability on a knife edge: 2.1million UK SMEs are ‘nearly breaking even’

UK SMEs are formidable for the chance to regain misplaced floor post-pandemic, however threat being held again by a myriad of mounting pressures together with rising prices and cashflow challenges.

In response to Bibby Monetary Providers’ (BFS) annual SME Confidence Tracker survey, this troublesome working surroundings is inflicting friction and fragility amongst smaller companies.

Exploring the views of 500 UK SME house owners and resolution makers, it finds that 82% of SMEs now really feel assured about their prospects this 12 months, a six-percentage level improve in comparison with 2021, and over the previous six months 56% of companies have reported a rise in gross sales.

However the report warns that whereas SMEs have duly earned their resilient popularity, this optimism is about in opposition to a backdrop of continued uncertainty. Analysis reveals profitability is on a knife edge, with 4 in ten now describe themselves as ‘nearly breaking even’, equal to 2.1million SMEs and solely half describe themselves as worthwhile.

Derek Ryan, UK Managing Director of Bibby Monetary Providers, stated: “UK companies face a heady cocktail of points that threaten to impression progress forecasts for 2022 and past, together with hovering inflation, expertise shortages, and a price of dwelling disaster not seen on such a scale within the twenty first century. Whereas our report highlights a stoic resilience amongst the UK SME neighborhood, many are nonetheless struggling to maintain their heads above water and working on a day-to-day foundation, somewhat than looking forward to progress.”

The report highlights key issues for SMEs, with companies rating inflation, battle in Europe and provide chain disruption as chief issues, along with ongoing challenges arising from COVID-19.

Issues differ by business with SMEs within the manufacturing sector most anxious about inflation, the rising prices of uncooked supplies – reminiscent of metal – and employees prices. Development and wholesale sector SMEs are principally pre-occupied by battle in Europe. Whereas for transport companies the largest worries embrace cashflow, Brexit and employees shortages, in addition to an absence of lorry drivers and the impression of pink tape on cross-border commerce.

Total, greater than 1 / 4 of companies highlighted cashflow as a priority. Virtually one in 5 stated they want cashflow help extra now than earlier than the pandemic and 9% stated that they don’t even have the cashflow they should function on a day-to-day foundation.

When cashflow is so important to enterprise survival, late or failed funds might be deadly to this new tribe of ‘Simply About Breaking Evens’. Greater than 1 / 4 (28%) – equating to 1.5million companies – say they’ve suffered from unhealthy debt within the earlier 12 months, the place sums have been written off owing to buyer non-payment or protracted default. That is considerably increased than 2021 when 20% reported unhealthy debt and the report finds that SMEs have written-off a median of £10,329 within the final 12 months alone.

Ryan continued: “SMEs confronted the pandemic with fortitude and now they need to proceed to adapt and alter to rigorously handle the rising prices of doing enterprise. It’s evident that cashflow challenges and fee points proceed to plague companies, and it’s now extra necessary than ever that they’ve entry to working capital to help day-to-day operations, and to repay debt taken on on the top of the pandemic. However they can not succeed alone; it’s important they obtain help from the personal and public sectors, and we’d urge coverage makers to carefully take a look at wider tax cuts and vitality grants to assist SMEs and to make sure they proceed to play a pivotal function within the UK’s financial restoration.”