Equipment leasing index for March shows gains in volumes

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 $900 billion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for March was $10.6 billion, up 14 percent year-over-year from new business volume in March 2021. ELFA also found that volume was up 49 percent month-to-month from $7.1 billion in February. Year-to-date, cumulative new business volume was up 5 percent compared to 2021.

Receivables over 30 days were 1.5 percent, down from 1.7 percent the previous month and down from 1.9 percent in the same period in 2021. Charge-offs were 0.10 percent, up from 0.09 percent the previous month and down from 0.43 percent in the year-earlier period.

Credit approvals totaled 78.3 percent, up from 78.2 percent in February. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was flat year-over-year.

Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) in April is 56.1, a decrease from 58.2 in March.

ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, “MLFI-25 participants end the first quarter of the year very favorably: new business volume continues to surge and portfolios are performing extremely well. This, while inflationary pressures, the war in Ukraine and supply chain disruptions continue unabated. With the Fed increasing short-term borrowing rates now and into the foreseeable future, business owners—both large and small—are choosing to lease and finance their critical equipment needs.”

Mike Jones, President, CIT Business Capital, a division of First Citizens Bank, said, “Strong performance in the ELFA survey—for both month-over-month and year-over-year results—highlights the continued strength of the economy and the appetite of the business community for equipment financing to drive their growth. These positive results come even as ongoing supply chain issues delay some deliveries. Overall, the results are very encouraging for the balance of 2022, as end-customers show their determination to compete by investing in the latest equipment to power their businesses forward.”

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.