Number of bankruptcies down in last week of March

02/04/2020 12:00

In week 13 (working week 23 to 27 March), altogether 44 companies and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) were declared bankrupt. This represents a decline of 16 relative to the previous week (16 to 20 March). Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this in a weekly bankruptcy bulletin which is published today for the first time.

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, CBS will be providing weekly updates of developments in bankruptcies pronounced by Dutch courts. This is the first bulletin in this series. The weekly updates are scheduled for release on Thursdays at 12.00 p.m.

In the first thirteen weeks of 2020, there were altogether 767 bankruptcies among companies and institutions in the Netherlands. This is 3 fewer bankruptcies than in the same period in 2019. The trend has been fairly stable as of 2019.

Number of company bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships), weekly
	Week	Number of bankruptcies
2019	1	15
2019	2	65
2019	3	55
2019	4	68
2019	5	69
2019	6	57
2019	7	70
2019	8	46
2019	9	66
2019	10	62
2019	11	54
2019	12	74
2019	13	69
2019	14	74
2019	15	67
2019	16	76
2019	17	56
2019	18	49
2019	19	56
2019	20	48
2019	21	66
2019	22	75
2019	23	51
2019	24	58
2019	25	74
2019	26	70
2019	27	68
2019	28	66
2019	29	59
2019	30	59
2019	31	61
2019	32	54
2019	33	67
2019	34	66
2019	35	56
2019	36	42
2019	37	70
2019	38	78
2019	39	50
2019	40	55
2019	41	61
2019	42	61
2019	43	38
2019	44	84
2019	45	58
2019	46	73
2019	47	64
2019	48	71
2019	49	68
2019	50	61
2019	51	79
2019	52	43
2020	1	22
2020	2	60
2020	3	58
2020	4	63
2020	5	71
2020	6	46
2020	7	102
2020	8	56
2020	9	53
2020	10	73
2020	11	59
2020	12	60
2020	13	44

Number of company bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships), weekly
	Week	Number of bankruptcies
2019	1	15
2019	2	65
2019	3	55
2019	4	68
2019	5	69
2019	6	57
2019	7	70
2019	8	46
2019	9	66
2019	10	62
2019	11	54
2019	12	74
2019	13	69
2019	14	74
2019	15	67
2019	16	76
2019	17	56
2019	18	49
2019	19	56
2019	20	48
2019	21	66
2019	22	75
2019	23	51
2019	24	58
2019	25	74
2019	26	70
2019	27	68
2019	28	66
2019	29	59
2019	30	59
2019	31	61
2019	32	54
2019	33	67
2019	34	66
2019	35	56
2019	36	42
2019	37	70
2019	38	78
2019	39	50
2019	40	55
2019	41	61
2019	42	61
2019	43	38
2019	44	84
2019	45	58
2019	46	73
2019	47	64
2019	48	71
2019	49	68
2019	50	61
2019	51	79
2019	52	43
2020	1	22
2020	2	60
2020	3	58
2020	4	63
2020	5	71
2020	6	46
2020	7	102
2020	8	56
2020	9	53
2020	10	73
2020	11	59
2020	12	60
2020	13	44

Most bankruptcies recorded in trade sector

With a total of 8 bankruptcies, the most affected sector was trade, followed by specialised business services with 6 bankruptcies. The construction and manufacturing sectors each recorded 5 company bankruptcies. Trade and specialised business services are among the sectors with the highest number of businesses.

Accommodation and food services as well as renting and other business services (including travel agencies) both saw a rise in the number of bankruptcies in week 13, but this increase was not notable; earlier this year, both sectors already saw a rise in the number of bankruptcies per week.

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) by sector, 2020
	Week 13	Week 12
Trade	8	15
Specialised business services	6	7
Construction	5	6
Manufacturing	5	6
Financial services	4	10
Renting, other business services	4	1
Accommodation and food services	4	3
Information & communication	2	1
Culture, sports, recreation	2	1
Care	1	2
Real estate activities	1	1
Transport, storage	0	4
Agriculture	0	0

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) by sector, 2020
	Week 13	Week 12
Trade	8	15
Specialised business services	6	7
Construction	5	6
Manufacturing	5	6
Financial services	4	10
Renting, other business services	4	1
Accommodation and food services	4	3
Information & communication	2	1
Culture, sports, recreation	2	1
Care	1	2
Real estate activities	1	1
Transport, storage	0	4
Agriculture	0	0

Several weeks may pass between the date of filing for bankruptcy and the court decision. As of week 14, Dutch courts are granting a longer application period of at least four weeks in cases of a bankruptcy petition being made (i.e. by claimants), unless the procedures are deemed urgent. In addition, the Dutch government has established an emergency package for the economy and the job market in order to provide the proper support to Dutch businesses:

https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2020/03/19/coronavirus-dutch-government-adopts-package-of-new-measures-designed-to-save-jobs-and-the-economy

Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.

Most bankruptcies recorded in trade sector

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