Small and medium-sized enterprises aim to grow and enhance their efficiency, making use of every financial tool through investments despite the uncertain economic environment and the lack of financial guidance.
According to recent data from the analysis department of the National Bank, Greek small and medium sized enterprises show a stable investment climate, with 1/2 of them being active in investments in the previous years while expressing their intention to continue being active in the next three years. However, there is concern as 11% of small and medium-sized enterprises show an ambiguity or a tendency to revise investment plans due to uncertainty.
At the same time, very small businesses show relatively lower investment interest. It is worth noting that the contribution of the almost 870,000 small and medium-sized Greek enterprises amounts to 140 billion euros annually. 4/5 correspond to sole proprietorships, which cover a corresponding share of the entire domestic corporate sector (compared to only ½ of the corporate sector in Europe).
The amount of the average investment consistently reaches 1/5 of the turnover. Regarding the investment plans of small and medium-sized enterprises for the next three years, the highest priority is given to the expansion of fixed assets, digital and green investments (11%-12%), while investments related to innovation, extroversion and collaborations are relatively lower (5%-7%).
It is worth noting the case of digital investments, where the interest in the previous three years was threefold with investments in technology and IT equipment peaking in the period immediately after the pandemic.
The main objective of the investment plans for the next three years is to support primary growth strategies, with the percentage in micro-enterprises being comparatively higher (54% versus 42%-43% for small and medium-sized enterprises). However, the remaining 54% follow more “mature” strategies to enhance efficiency (either cost reduction or productivity increase).
