No.1 Inc. Analyzes Cash Flow Realities of SMEs Using Over 30,000 Data Points Spanning a Decade

Release Overview

No.1 Inc. has released the "2026 SME Cash Flow Report," following an independent analysis of 37,751 application data points accumulated through its proprietary factoring business over a roughly ten-year period from 2016 to 2026. This report sheds light on changing cash flow environments and the actual management conditions faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Background and Realities of the Survey Data

This survey analyzes application data gathered from January 2016 to July 2026, examining trends in industry and regional market shares, the purposes of fund utilization, and the transition of purchased receivable amounts. The analysis reveals that both the number of new factoring applications and the total purchase amounts are on an upward trend, with the transaction scale per case also expanding.

Structural Changes in Fund Utilization

Data analysis uncovered that "outsourcing costs, procurement, and payroll" account for 63.2% of the intended uses for funds. This indicates a shift in capital demand from offensive fundraising aimed at capital investment to defensive working capital required to sustain monthly payments. While the construction industry maintained the highest utilization rate throughout the decade, usage has progressively spread across various other industries.

Nationwide Adoption and Market Outlook

Utilization regions, once concentrated in the Kanto metropolitan area, have dispersed and expanded nationwide, establishing factoring as a standard financing method regardless of location. Driven by environmental changes such as the enforcement of the Act on Promotion of Fair Subcontracting Transactions for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and restrictions on promissory note payments, corporate utilization is projected to accelerate further as a swift and transparent cash flow management tool.