Publications

In Hungary, late payment of invoices is reflected in the DSO figure, averaging 80 days. This is significantly above the 59 day average for Eastern Europe.

2015 is expected to be a difficult year for Eastern Europe. This is forecast to place a long-term strain on corporate payment behaviour in many countries in the region.

Respondents in the Czech Republic show a relatively stronger preference for selling on credit to domestic than to foreign B2B customers.

The 80 day average DSO recorded in Poland (and Hungary) is the longest of all the countries surveyed in Eastern Europe.

An agreement curtailing Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions could reopen the Iranian economy to Western exporters, creating opportunities but also risks.

33% of survey respondents in Sweden (compared to 20% in Western Europe) consider a fall in demand for their products and services as one of the greatest challenges to business profitability in 2015.

When asked to indicate the greatest challenge to business profitability in 2015 two in five Greek respondents indicated maintaining adequate cash flow and collection of outstanding invoices.

B2B payment defaults in Western Europe remain significant. This is expected to slow the still weak economic recovery, particularly of the Eurozone, and keep insolvency rates well above 2007 levels.

Respondents in Denmark are the most inclined to use trade credit of all the countries surveyed in Western Europe. 70.5% of the total value of their domestic B2B sales is transacted on credit terms.

31% of survey respondents in Switzerland, compared to 24% in Western Europe overall, consider cost containment to be one of the greatest challenges to business profitability in 2015.