Lowest number of bankruptcies in 21 years

10/09/2020 15:00

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.

The number of corporate bankruptcies, adjusted for court session days, has decreased further. There were 32 fewer bankruptcies in August than in the previous month, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The number of bankruptcies in August was the lowest in 21 years.

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) adjusted for court sessions days
Year	Month	Number of bankruptcies
2013	May	816
2013	June	742
2013	July	689
2013	August	636
2013	September	623
2013	October	658
2013	November	607
2013	December	588
2014	January	633
2014	February	645
2014	March	556
2014	April	648
2014	May	583
2014	June	492
2014	July	566
2014	August	490
2014	September	487
2014	October	563
2014	November	517
2014	December	465
2015	January	500
2015	February	505
2015	March	574
2015	April	470
2015	May	456
2015	June	427
2015	July	441
2015	August	333
2015	September	339
2015	October	395
2015	November	411
2015	December	420
2016	January	401
2016	February	483
2016	March	394
2016	April	385
2016	May	343
2016	June	384
2016	July	371
2016	August	287
2016	September	299
2016	October	303
2016	November	417
2016	December	332
2017	January	336
2017	February	292
2017	March	304
2017	April	263
2017	May	281
2017	June	300
2017	July	266
2017	August	231
2017	September	237
2017	October	261
2017	November	251
2017	December	269
2018	January	273
2018	February	232
2018	March	266
2018	April	266
2018	May	259
2018	June	248
2018	July	251
2018	August	257
2018	September	224
2018	October	264
2018	November	277
2018	December	328
2019	January	286
2019	February	254
2019	March	277
2019	April	281
2019	May	264
2019	June	271
2019	July	274
2019	August	261
2019	September	257
2019	October	253
2019	November	288
2019	December	243
2020	January	272
2020	February	271
2020	March	259
2020	April	335
2020	May	265
2020	June	231
2020	July	205
2020	August	173

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) adjusted for court sessions days
Year	Month	Number of bankruptcies
2013	May	816
2013	June	742
2013	July	689
2013	August	636
2013	September	623
2013	October	658
2013	November	607
2013	December	588
2014	January	633
2014	February	645
2014	March	556
2014	April	648
2014	May	583
2014	June	492
2014	July	566
2014	August	490
2014	September	487
2014	October	563
2014	November	517
2014	December	465
2015	January	500
2015	February	505
2015	March	574
2015	April	470
2015	May	456
2015	June	427
2015	July	441
2015	August	333
2015	September	339
2015	October	395
2015	November	411
2015	December	420
2016	January	401
2016	February	483
2016	March	394
2016	April	385
2016	May	343
2016	June	384
2016	July	371
2016	August	287
2016	September	299
2016	October	303
2016	November	417
2016	December	332
2017	January	336
2017	February	292
2017	March	304
2017	April	263
2017	May	281
2017	June	300
2017	July	266
2017	August	231
2017	September	237
2017	October	261
2017	November	251
2017	December	269
2018	January	273
2018	February	232
2018	March	266
2018	April	266
2018	May	259
2018	June	248
2018	July	251
2018	August	257
2018	September	224
2018	October	264
2018	November	277
2018	December	328
2019	January	286
2019	February	254
2019	March	277
2019	April	281
2019	May	264
2019	June	271
2019	July	274
2019	August	261
2019	September	257
2019	October	253
2019	November	288
2019	December	243
2020	January	272
2020	February	271
2020	March	259
2020	April	335
2020	May	265
2020	June	231
2020	July	205
2020	August	173

Number of bankruptcies down for four months in a row

The number of corporate bankruptcies (excluding sole proprietorships), adjusted for court session days, is seen to fluctuate significantly. Ups and downs alternate in rapid succession. The number of bankruptcies peaked in May 2013 (816). The number then decreased up to and including August 2017. Subsequently, the trend remained fairly flat. Since May 2020, the number of bankruptcies has fallen for four months in a row. In August, the lowest number since September 1999 was recorded.

Most bankruptcies recorded in trade sector

If the number of court session days is not taken into account, 165 businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) were declared bankrupt in August 2020. With a total of 39 (the same as in the previous month), the trade sector suffered most.

Trade is among the sectors with the largest number of businesses. In August, the number of bankruptcies was relatively highest in the sector transportation and storage.

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) by sector
	Augustus 2020	Juli 2020
Trade	39	39
Financial services	24	27
Construction	20	15
Manufacturing	12	17
Specialised business services	11	26
Renting, other business services	11	19
Transport, storage	11	6
Accommodation and food services	10	16
Culture, sports, recreation	5	6
Information & communication	5	5
Care	2	8
Real estate activities	2	2
Agriculture	2	1

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships) by sector
	Augustus 2020	Juli 2020
Trade	39	39
Financial services	24	27
Construction	20	15
Manufacturing	12	17
Specialised business services	11	26
Renting, other business services	11	19
Transport, storage	11	6
Accommodation and food services	10	16
Culture, sports, recreation	5	6
Information & communication	5	5
Care	2	8
Real estate activities	2	2
Agriculture	2	1

31 bankruptcies in week 36

Not including sole proprietorships, there were 31 bankruptcies in week 36. This is 10 down on the previous week. In addition, 4 sole proprietorships were declared bankrupt, 4 fewer than in the previous week. In the first 36 weeks of 2020, altogether 2,405 bankruptcies were pronounced among companies and institutions (including sole proprietorships) in the Netherlands. This is 167 fewer than in the same period in 2019.

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships), weekly
	Week	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	54
2020	10	73
2020	11	60
2020	12	60
2020	13	44
2020	14	69
2020	15	89
2020	16	60
2020	17	98
2020	18	64
2020	19	48
2020	20	73
2020	21	69
2020	22	69
2020	23	64
2020	24	54
2020	25	74
2020	26	30
2020	27	54
2020	28	56
2020	29	46
2020	30	36
2020	31	47
2020	32	41
2020	33	53
2020	34	29
2020	35	41
2020	36	31

Number of bankruptcies of businesses and institutions (excluding sole proprietorships), weekly
	Week	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	54
2020	10	73
2020	11	60
2020	12	60
2020	13	44
2020	14	69
2020	15	89
2020	16	60
2020	17	98
2020	18	64
2020	19	48
2020	20	73
2020	21	69
2020	22	69
2020	23	64
2020	24	54
2020	25	74
2020	26	30
2020	27	54
2020	28	56
2020	29	46
2020	30	36
2020	31	47
2020	32	41
2020	33	53
2020	34	29
2020	35	41
2020	36	31

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

Number of bankruptcies down for four months in a row

Most bankruptcies recorded in trade sector

31 bankruptcies in week 36

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