Washington, DC (March 25, 2024) — The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for February was $7.9 billion, up 4% year-over-year from new business volume in February 2023. Volume was down 15% from $9.3 billion in January. Year-to-date, cumulative new business volume was up 4.9% compared to 2023.
Receivables over 30 days were 2.2%, down from 2.3% the previous month and up from 1.8% in the same period in 2023. Charge-offs were 0.4%, down from 0.5% the previous month and up from 0.3% in the year-earlier period.
Credit approvals totaled 76%, unchanged from January. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 1.8% year-over-year.
Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) in March is 55.2, an increase from the February index of 51.7 and the highest level since April 2022.
ELFA President and CEO Leigh Lytle said, “Given continuing high interest rates and inflationary pressures, new business volume performed well in February. Tightening lending standards at banks are expanding opportunities for independent and captive equipment finance companies to provide critical productive assets that businesses need to operate. Credit quality, while still elevated year over year, showed improvement with delinquencies slowly returning to normal levels and charge-offs moving in a positive direction.”
Stan Walker, managing director, Citizens Asset Finance, said, “As we’ve turned to March, the equipment finance industry continues to show its resiliency as evidenced by the second straight month of higher business volume year over year. Despite the continued high interest rate environment and uncertainty around when rates may fall, Citizens is helping clients move forward with new equipment solutions both for growth and replacement needs. After a turbulent 2023, Citizens and most equipment finance groups in the banking sector are targeting growth by focusing on supporting their client base as trusted partners and adding select prospects where we can deliver smart advice and solutions.”
About ELFA’s MLFI-25
The MLFI-25 is the only near-real-time index that reflects capex, or the volume of commercial equipment financed in the U.S. The MLFI-25 is released globally at 8 a.m. Eastern time from Washington, D.C., each month on the day before the U.S. Department of Commerce releases the durable goods report. The MLFI-25 is a financial indicator that complements the durable goods report and other economic indexes, including the Institute for Supply Management Index, which reports economic activity in the manufacturing sector. Together with the MLFI-25 these reports provide a complete view of the status of productive assets in the U.S. economy: equipment produced, acquired and financed.
The MLFI-25 is a time series that reflects two years of business activity for the 25 companies currently participating in the survey. The latest MLFI-25, including methodology and participants, is available here.
The MLFI-25 is part of the Knowledge Hub, the source for business intelligence in the equipment finance industry. Visit the hub here.
MLFI-25 Methodology
ELFA produces the MLFI-25 survey to help member organizations achieve competitive advantage by providing them with leading-edge research and benchmarking information to support strategic business decision making.
The MLFI-25 is a barometer of the trends in U.S. capital equipment investment. Five components are included in the survey: new business volume (originations), aging of receivables, charge-offs, credit approval ratios, (approved vs. submitted) and headcount for the equipment finance business.
The MLFI-25 measures monthly commercial equipment lease and loan activity as reported by participating ELFA member equipment finance companies representing a cross-section of the equipment finance sector, including small-ticket, middle-market, large-ticket, bank, captive and independent leasing and finance companies. Based on hard survey data, the responses mirror the economic activity of the broader equipment finance sector and current business conditions nationally.
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About ELFA
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 580 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. ELFA has been equipping business for success for more than 60 years.
