Top Ten Relevant Reads for Summer 2020

When considering the impact COVID-19 has had on equipment finance, members of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Research Committee developed a list of relevant reads to position you and your business for success. The following Top Ten list is comprised of both recent and historically pertinent reports and articles commissioned by the Foundation from a broad range of research partners.

2020 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook – Updated quarterly, this comprehensive report analyzes global and domestic trends impacting capital spending and economic growth in the coming year. It identifies signposts specific to the equipment finance industry and highlights key verticals. Look for the release of the Q3 Update in mid-July.
Going Digital: Current Activities and Future Expectations – This study provides key insights, including digital tools being used currently, digital initiatives to expect in the next few years, constraints to adopting digital solutions and strategies for creating a digital culture.
Vertical Market Outlook Series: Healthcare – This study provides an outlook on the healthcare sector in the U.S., demographic and spending trends and key developments and trends impacting this sector.
Industry Future Council Reports – During the 2017, 2018 and 2019 convenings of the Industry Future Council (IFC), participants focused conversations on technology, a changing workforce, a new customer base and incorporating innovation into strategic planning. All three reports will assist equipment finance firms as they implement changes to adapt for future growth. Watch a micro-lesson from the 2020 IFC session to learn how to think like a futurist.
Robots, Cobots and Finance – Increased robotics utilization among manufacturers and end-users will generate greater financing opportunities as robotics continue to change how business is conducted in the future. The study features a wide-ranging examination of the challenges and growth potential of robots and cobots and the financing risks for credit, residuals, legal, regulations and accounting.
Independents: Banking on the Non-Banks – How do independents create value and differentiate themselves from often much larger and lower interest rate competitors? This report shares how successful players identify key issues that can impact performance and highlights the importance of flexibility to change course. Adaptability is critical in the current environment.
On the Rise: How Inflationary Pressures and Rising Interest Rates Could Impact the Equipment Finance Industry – This report considers historical evidence for how equipment lessors and the overall credit market have responded during periods of rising inflation and interest rates that have occurred in previous business cycles.
Applied Economics Handbook: Make Better Business Decisions – During this global pandemic, you need all the help you can find when making important decisions in a world that is increasingly difficult to predict. This Handbook is your key! It is designed to help you synthesize the economic data you receive to make the best decisions possible.
Using Predictive Analytics to Improve Decisionmaking – Predictive analytics, a component of business intelligence, represents another step forward in equipment finance companies’ quest to exploit the increasingly large amounts of information available to them.
Making the Case for an Enterprise Risk Management Program – Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) offers a proactive, integrated and holistic view of the capital and earnings risks facing equipment finance companies. ERM cuts across both business entities and core functions, and it helps companies create value for shareholders, employees and clients.