Industry Trends

Although a recession in the next six months appears unlikely, business conditions for the equipment finance industry are also unlikely to improve materially over the rest of the year, particularly for equipment verticals that serve the manufacturing sector, according to the Q4 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook recently published by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation.

Equipment and software investment growth is likely to slow in 2019 to 3.9%, according to the 2019 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released earlier this month from the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. The forecast is down from a 4.5% expansion predicted in the Q2 update.

In response to changing technology that enables employees to work from anywhere—home, on the road or in their offices—government IT leaders are seeking ways to improve digital workspaces so workers can experience greater flexibility and efficiency.

KeyCorp, parent company of Key Equipment Finance, was recently named one of the world’s most sustainable companies by Corporate Knights, a research firm that produces rankings and financial product ratings based on corporate sustainability performance.

Technology is advancing rapidly, and as new machinery begins to benefit businesses it’s important to consider how upcoming lease accounting changes will influence equipment acquisition strategies, according to a recent Industrial Machinery Digest article by Toni Larson, senior vice president of industrial equipment.

U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies will spend more than $1.8 trillion in capital goods or fixed business investment (including software) this year. They also will finance a majority of those assets, with these Top 10 trends impacting a significant portion of the U.S. economy, according to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association.

Disruption in the energy sector presents significant opportunities for investors, financiers, equipment vendors and solution providers, according to a new study released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation.

The U.S. economy accelerated in 2018, posting two of the strongest quarters of growth since the recession and approaching 3% growth on the year, however recent trends and uncertainties make it likely to soften in 2019, according to the 2019 Equipment Leasing & Finance Industry Snapshot.

Forward-thinking fabricators and manufacturers are analyzing profits, losses, and sales projections as the year winds down. Many may be considering upgrading equipment, replacing aging equipment, or expanding capacity.

As plastics processors ride the wave of recent record growth to contemplate new technology and machinery for their businesses, they should also consider upcoming changes to lease accounting rules, according to a new article in Plastics Technology.