23. November 2021 13:09
Bern – The corona pandemic is increasing the proportion of externally financed Swiss SMEs: 30 percent of SMEs with more than two full-time positions have taken out a COVID-19 loan. A total of 10 percent of discouraged SMEs currently need money, but do not apply for a loan. These are the results of a SECO study.
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The proportion of SMEs that forego borrowed funds entirely has fallen from 62 percent to 37 percent in the past five years. Loans from families, friends or shareholders and leasing would be used more often. These are the results of the representative ones Study on the financing of SMEs in Switzerland in 2021. It was commissioned by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). It was created by Institute for Financial Services the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. To this end, a total of 2,712 Swiss SMEs were surveyed in spring 2021.
Accordingly, the Corona crisis also affects the self-financing rate of SMEs: 30 percent of companies with more than two full-time positions have taken out a COVID-19 loan. A total of 11 percent want to repay this by the end of this year. 8 percent do not believe that they will be able to pay off the loans in full.
Access to credit is generally perceived as good, it says in a corresponding Press release. Only 3 percent of all loan applications were rejected. That is also a low value internationally.
Researchers consider 10 percent of all SMEs to be completely discouraged. These are companies with a need for financing, but who do not apply for a loan. The reasons given were high costs and a cumbersome application process. In addition, the requirements for loan protection are too high for many SMEs.
For this reason, 5 percent of the SMEs surveyed would be interested in not only guarantees but also security for furniture or the pledging of intangible assets. However, these are not allowed in this country and are accordingly little known. mm
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