As the
effects of the recession continue, many businesses ponder the questions
of how long the recession will last and how the company will weather the
storm. The level of business bankruptcy filings can be a valuable trend
indicator and input to business planning in these turbulent times.
The most recent trends in St. Louis area business bankruptcy filings are
summarized below.
Third Quarter of 2009
The number of St. Louis area
business bankruptcy filings DECLINED 3.8 percent in the THIRD
quarter of 2009
Compared to last
year, third quarter of 2009 St. Louis business bankruptcy filings rose
to 102 filings, up 16 percent from the third quarter of 2008
For the 12 months
ended September 30, 2009, there were 378 St. Louis business bankruptcy
filings; a 19 percent increase from the prior 12 month period
Both St. Louis
AND total U.S. business bankruptcy filings peaked in the second quarter of 2009 and declined in the third
quarter of 2009
The above business bankruptcy trends
are based on bankruptcy filings
involving business debts. Non-business bankruptcy filings (also called
personal or consumer bankruptcy filings) involving primarily consumer
debts are not included in the above trends. St. Louis area business
bankruptcy filing data are filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy
Court for the Eastern District of Missouri with divisions covering St.
Louis, Cape Girardeau and Hannibal, Missouri - the majority of the
filings occurred in St. Louis. Total U.S. business bankruptcy filing
data are the total filings in all U.S. Bankruptcy Court Circuits and
Districts. Source data are from the Administrative Office of the
U.S. Courts as of September 30, 2009.
