Expert analysis
Professor Ufuk Akcigit, who leads the team of economists that created the Index in collaboration with Intuit QuickBooks, explores the trends in more detail.
“A growing number of economists are starting to believe the US economy could be on the path to a "soft landing," a scenario in which economic growth slows sufficiently to reduce inflation but not enough to cause a recession. However, the indicators remain somewhat ambiguous. Data from the BLS show that the monthly inflation rate saw an uptick, climbing to 0.4% in March and February from 0.3% in January. Additionally, according to the Census Bureau, retail sales in February experienced a weaker rebound than anticipated. After a decline of 1.1% in January, sales saw a modest increase of 0.6% in February, pointing to a potential slowdown in consumer spending in the first quarter due to persistently high inflation and borrowing costs.
“Amidst these mixed signals, the Federal Reserve opted to maintain the federal funds rate at its current peak of between 5.25% and 5.5% at its latest meeting. The latest quarterly Household Debt and Credit Report issued by the New York Federal Reserve highlights a significant uptrend in credit card delinquency rates. Post-COVID, credit cards have emerged as a critically important financing tool for small businesses, as underscored in the Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report—as noted in the recent Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report, which looks at a sample of anonymized QuickBooks small business payroll customer records. This rise in delinquencies signals a pressing concern for the financial health and stability of these enterprises.
“How does small business employment fare under such challenging macroeconomic conditions? Not particularly well, according to the latest Index numbers. Despite the broader US labor market showing resilience, the Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index highlights that small businesses encountered considerable hurdles in Q1/2024. The Index showed a seasonally-adjusted quarterly decrease in small business employment of 0.44% and a slight annual decline in employment of 0.03%.
“The information sector saw the most significant quarterly small business employment drop, at 2.83%, with an annual decline of 5.66%. Conversely, wholesale trade was the sole sector in the Index to record positive quarterly employment growth, at a rate of 0.37%, and an annual increase of 3.15%. Regionally, New England emerged as the only area showing positive employment growth for small businesses, with a 0.2% increase for the quarter and 1.33% for the year. The most substantial decline was in the Far West, with -1.28% quarterly and -1.61% annual growth rates.
“While some analysts attempt to extrapolate the health of the small business sector from general labor market or business registration data, both of which have been strongly positive this quarter in the US, the Index suggests caution against such inferences. Economic conditions impact businesses of varying sizes differently, leading to a divergence between the employment trends in small businesses and the broader labor market. Whereas large firms may capitalize on opportunities during poor macroeconomic conditions due to their substantial internal capital, small businesses, which rely heavily on external financing, face significant difficulties when credit becomes scarce or expensive. This discrepancy underscores the unique challenges small businesses face and highlights the need for tailored economic analyses and policy responses.”