Home › Credit Standards Index

Industry Profiles

Recent Articles

Oil & Gas Refining Credit Benchmarks

March 11, 2020

How will the world's major oil & gas companies weather the current economic storm?  A close examination of the industry benchmarks will provide the answer.

Last year, the price of U.S. crude oil rebounded 34.5 percent to reach $61.06 per barrel after suffering a 25 percent decline in 2018 that ended with crude at $45.33 per barrel -- a decline that enabled oil companies to bolster sales, profitability and operating cash.

view

The World's Leading Food Processing Companies

May 8, 2017

Poultry and snack companies lead the way in the food industry as American companies dominate the upper tier in liquidity and solvency. 

The United States is the world's largest producer of chicken accounting for 21 percent of the world's total production so it's little wonder that two of America's largest poultry processors are among the top ten companies in credit standards for the food processing industry.

view

Independent Oil & Gas Benchmarks Strong, DSO Improves

February 28, 2016

Credit standards for the world's independent oil & gas exploration companies show an industry more than capable of meeting future economic challenges but with some pot holes along the way. 

Independent oil & gas explorers, long known for high credit standards driven by low credit risk and high cash flow, strengthened those standards in 2014, according to data recently compiled for the Credit Standards Index (CSI).  Get the latest DSO, bad debt, cash flow and liquidity benchmarks in this CreditPulse exclusive.

view

Major Oil & Gas DSO and Bad Debt Benchmarks

November 3, 2015

DSO improves and cash flow surges but an upward spike in bad debt allowance shows that some major oil companies may be taking unnecessary credit risks. 

The days sales outstanding (DSO) benchmark for the major oil and gas refining industry group of the credit standards index (CSI) improved for the fourth consecutive tracking cycle, according to the latest industry data compiled by CreditPulse.

view

Communications Equipment Credit and DSO Benchmarks

August 24, 2015

Liquidity, solvency and market capitalization decline as the 54-company industry group becomes more international, according to the latest CSI figures.

The DSO and bad debt allowance benchmarks for the communications equipment industry group of the Credit Standards Index (CSI) improved slightly in 2014 from the 2013 levels but still remain higher than the 2011 levels.  Click here for the most complete and accurate benchmarks for the communications equipment industry. 

view

CATV Industry Analysis and Credit Benchmarks

July 17, 2015

The 2014 benchmarks for the cable television industry reveal some unmistakable trends in credit risk and profitablilty that companies would be wise to follow.

Cable companies have tightened their credit standards in recent years even as most have been losing subscribers, according to the 2014 industry benchmark data compiled for the Credit Standards Index (CSI).  Improved credit standards have led to higher profitability.  See the official results and get the latest benchmark data in this CreditPulse exclusive.

view

Software Technology Bad Debt & DSO Benchmarks

June 8, 2015

Two key credit risk benchmarks improved slightly but profitability and operating cash flow dropped sharply as industry market capitalizations reach record highs. 

In the past three years, the software technology industry has seen an influx of new publicly-traded companies with extraordinarily high market capitalizations.  But the majority of these companies, many of them cloud-based, have yet to realize a profit.  Get the complete software technology industry benchmarks in this CreditPulse exclusive.

view

Aerospace & Defense DSO Benchmarks

April 28, 2015

Credit risk and receivables effeciency remain stable but debt continues to climb, particularly among the major European defense contractors, in the government-supported aerospace & defense industry.

Days' sales outstanding, or DSO, the most important method for measuring receivables effeciency and collections performance, remained remarkably stable in 2014 from the 2013 figure, falling just 0.23 days, according to the latest industry data compiled by CreditPulse.

view

Chemical Industry DSO Benchmarks

March 18, 2015

Days' sales outstanding (DSO) levels in the chemical industry show the importance of the age-old accounting metric in assessing credit performance and standards.

Long known for liquidity challenges, the chemical industry has seemingly turned the corner as current ratio, a key measure of liquidity, and operating cash flow have improved in recent years.  Read more as CreditPulse provides an extensive report on the credit benchmarks for the chemical industry.

view

Medical Equipment & Supplies DSO Benchmarks

February 2, 2015

A six-year review of credit benchmarks for the medical equipment and supply industry, one of the largest industry groups in the CSI, show steady improvement in credit risk with high liquidity.   

The technology-driven medical equipment and supply industry is governed by an unusual paradox in the world of credit standards -- relatively slow turnover of accounts receivable and low operating cash flow yet one of the highest liquidity and solvency rates of any other industry.

view