ELFA Survey: November New Business Volume Up 7 Percent Year-over-Year, Down 10 Percent Month-to-Month, and Up 4 Percent Year-to-Date

Washington, DC (Dec. 20, 2018) — The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for November was $8.0 billion, up 7 percent year-over-year from new business volume in November 2017. Volume was down 10 percent month-to-month from $8.9 billion in October. Year to date, cumulative new business volume was up 4 percent compared to 2017.

Receivables over 30 days were 1.60 percent, down from 1.70 the previous month and up from 1.50 percent the same period in 2017. Charge-offs were 0.37 percent, unchanged from the previous month, and down from 0.42 in the year-earlier period.

Credit approvals totaled 77.2 percent in November, up from 76.5 percent in October. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 0.1 percent year over year.

Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) in December is 55.5, down from the November index of 58.5.

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, “November new business volume, although down from the prior month, is still in a very acceptable range, showing continued strength in capex spending. Charge offs and delinquencies are mixed; the quality and supply of credit are sufficient to set up a positive end of year.”

Harry Kaplun, president, Specialty Finance, Frost Bank, said, “The economic environment remains strong as evidenced by the MLFI portfolio performance exhibiting low levels of losses and delinquency. There is some reluctance with capex spending on equipment. Some of this is future economic uncertainty and some of it is the full absorption of the tax changes.”

About the ELFA’s MLFI-25

The MLFI-25 is the only index that reflects capex, or the volume of commercial equipment financed in the U.S. The MLFI-25 is released globally at 8 a.m. Eastern time from Washington, D.C., each month on the day before the U.S. Department of Commerce releases the durable goods report. The MLFI-25 is a financial indicator that complements the durable goods report and other economic indexes, including the Institute for Supply Management Index, which reports economic activity in the manufacturing sector. Together with the MLFI-25, these reports provide a complete view of the status of productive assets in the U.S. economy: equipment produced, acquired and financed.

The MLFI-25 is a time series that reflects two years of business activity for the 25 companies currently participating in the survey. The latest MLFI-25, including methodology and participants, is available at www.elfaonline.org/Data/MLFI/

MLFI-25 Methodology

ELFA produces the MLFI-25 survey to help member organizations achieve competitive advantage by providing them with leading-edge research and benchmarking information to support strategic business decision making.

The MLFI-25 is a barometer of the trends in U.S. capital equipment investment. Five components are included in the survey: new business volume (originations), aging of receivables, charge-offs, credit approval ratios, (approved vs. submitted) and headcount for the equipment finance business.

The MLFI-25 measures monthly commercial equipment lease and loan activity as reported by participating ELFA member equipment finance companies representing a cross section of the equipment finance sector, including small ticket, middle-market, large ticket, bank, captive and independent leasing and finance companies. Based on hard survey data, the responses mirror the economic activity of the broader equipment finance sector and current business conditions nationally.

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About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 575 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers.

ELFA is the premier source for statistics and analyses concerning the equipment finance sector. Please visit here for additional information.

About the Foundation
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that propels the equipment finance sector—and its people—forward through industry-specific knowledge, intelligence, and programs that contribute to industry innovation, individual careers, and the overall betterment of the equipment leasing and finance industry. The Foundation is funded through charitable individual and corporate donations.