The increased number of insolvencies, largely due to CVLs (Creditors Voluntary Liquidations) between July and September this year is a worrying, but hardly a surprising, trend.
There has been a gradual upward trajectory in insolvencies for much of 2018 but it seems to be accelerating. The latest figures, for Q3, show an increase of 8.9% on the previous quarter and an increase of 19.3% compared with Q3 in 2017. CVLs make up the bulk of the quarter’s insolvencies at 71.6% of the total, that is 3,083 out of 4,308 and the highest number of quarterly CVLs since January to March (Q1) 2012.
As for much of the year the construction industry had the highest number of insolvencies in the 12 months ending Q3 2018, followed by the wholesale and retail trade and the repair of vehicles industrial grouping.
For some time now, it has been clear that businesses have been holding back on investment for growth given the climate of uncertainty that the economy has been in for two years now, and yes, many cite the lack of clarity over the outcome of the Brexit negotiations as their reason for holding off.
My regular readers know that I believe no SME business can afford to stand still without risking eventual failure and that in difficult times I advise focusing relentlessly on cash flow as well as a regular review of margins and Management Accounts.
Nevertheless, it is understandable that there is little confidence in the future after two years of tedium, and, some would argue, incompetence in the negotiations and it may be that the rising insolvencies are a sign of businesses – and creditors – running out of patience or room for manoeuvre.
The signs for the future are not good
In the last week the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) quarterly survey has revealed that smaller British manufacturers expect their output to dip for the first time in seven years during the next three months. It found that order books are struggling as Brexit approaches, with firms reining in their investment plans as a result. Optimism about export prospects for the year ahead is also at its the weakest level since April 2009.
Lloyds Bank’s monthly barometer of business confidence has also shown a marked slide particularly among smaller SMEs and the net positivity balance had fallen by 9% to -7%.
While the latest IHS/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the construction industry improved to 53.2 in October a slowdown in housebuilding across the UK and in new orders is weighing heavily on construction, proof, if any were needed, that in this sector particularly survival depends on growth.
On top of this has come the news that two European suppliers of car parts, Schaeffler and Michelin, announced plans to close UK factories, although both deny this has anything to do with Brexit. Instead they cite dwindling demand for smaller tyres.
As reported in the Evening Standard yesterday, research by Populous World has predicted that around 12,450 smaller businesses in London and the South East may go under if there is a no deal Brexit, with the figure at 7,900 failures even with a deal.
As if that were not enough, there will be more pressure on struggling businesses following the restoration of HMRC to preferential creditor status in last week’s Budget, albeit that this is restricted to recovery of unpaid PAYE, CIS and VAT as the taxes collected by businesses on behalf of HMRC.
Given all the above and that HMRC has become increasingly aggressive in seizing assets and in litigating to recover money owed and, as calculated by Pinsent Masons, that the average length of cases of unresolved tax battles going through the courts is now 39 months, it is perhaps no surprise that creditors are running out of patience and CVLs are climbing rapidly.
Many lenders, creditors and even shareholders would appear to be pursuing a strategy of ‘better some cash now rather than waiting for more later’. Is there a real fear of worse to come?