While flexible Facing crises In recent years, Italian companies continue to show signs pain, In the context of uncertainty and economic slowdown. Among these “lights” are missed payments, which started to increase slightly again (+0.2%) in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, both for SMEs and large companies (but not for micro ). However, the trend is not uniform across sectors: if non-payments in industry increased both in 2023 (+0.6%) and in 2024 (+0.2%, going from 7.9% in 2022 to 8.7% currently), construction In, the sector with the highest level of unpaid invoices (12.6%) decreased by 1.4%. They remain stable in services. From a geographical point of view, A decline was observed in 13 out of 20 regions. While they grow in Sicily (+1.4%), Valle d’Aosta (+0.7%), Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (+0.4%), Umbria (+0.3%), Lazio (+0.1%).
Non-payments for businesses begin to rise again.
These are some of the findings that emerged from Study D.I admitted On the payment habits of Italian businesses, concerning Second quarter 2024.
“Payment data is an important indicator for understanding the health of our business systems – CommentTo Carlo Porsanta, Executive President of Cerved -. The data shows a slight increase in missed payments for SMEs and large businesses and a decrease for micro businesses. Furthermore, there are significant differences between different production sectors: the steel industry has the highest increase (+3.2%), followed by information and entertainment (+2.9%), energy and utilities (+1.6%). Declines were recorded in mass consumption (-3.0%), agriculture (-2.3%) and chemical pharmaceuticals (-1.9%). All this highlights a paradoxical situation in the Italian economic system that requires a timely and in-depth analysis of the data.”
The Cervid Observatory takes pictures.
At the geographical levelCompared to the second quarter of 2023, missed payments increased in Sicily (+1.4%), Valle d’Aosta (+0.7%), Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (+0.4%), Umbria (+0.3%). Air and Lazio (+0.1%), while in other regions they are decreasing. In absolute terms, it is in the South that historically, and still today, the highest levels of unpaid receipts have been recorded: 18.5% Sicily, 14.1% Calabria, 13.2% Lazio, 13% Puglia, 12, 9 % Sardinia, 12.5% Campania.
Another data kept under observation concerns Payment Times: Based on the registered invoices, Cerved collects information about the due dates between the customer and the supplier and any delays in payment. The study found a general decrease in actual payment times for SMEs (about 2.5 days) and for large companies (about 1.5 days). This is due to reduction in both contractual terms and delays. In any case, the general trend remains that large companies, thanks to greater bargaining power, can count on an average of 64 days for their payments. 54 of the small and 42 of the very small.
Important evidence
Land micro enterprises, For their part, they seem to have improved contract terms, with an average of two more days available now than two years ago. Their average delay is constant (around 10 days), but higher than SMEs and, marginally, larger. However, the average figure hides an extreme variety: the group of micro-enterprises actually has a relatively high proportion of those with severe late payments (4.8% of the total, a higher percentage than that observed in other size classes). , and those who are punctual (56%, much higher than SMEs and large companies).
At the geographical level, about 7% of companies Sod Pays seriously late on agreed terms (more than 60 days), compared to a national average of 4.7%. The rate is 4.5% in the center, 3.5% in the northwest and 3.1% in the northeast.
