1. Sales and momentum is building
Rolling annual sales rose again in October, both nominal (+5.1% YoY) and inflation-adjusted (+2.5% YoY). Manufacturing, retail, and food & beverage sectors led the gains, with Christchurch showing standout regional growth.
2. Debt growth is steady but controlled.
Total trade debt is up 4.2 percent year on year. Suppliers are extending credit more freely, supported by stronger control and improved debtor management.
3. Arrears are easing across most industries
Both 60-day and 90-day arrears edged lower nationally, continuing the retreat from mid-year highs. Improvements were strongest in concrete, steel, manufacturing, and food & beverage.
4. Regional contrasts remain
Wellington debtors saw arrears rise sharply, while Christchurch and Auckland improved. The North:South gap persists, but overall arrears trends are stable.
5. Defaults and inding-up applications are rising modestly
October saw a 14.7% YoY lift in debtors going ‘bad’ and a 14.6% rise in winding-up applications. These reflect enforcement tightening rather than systemic weakness.
For the full story including sector by sector detail and regional analysis read the CreditWorks Insights Report and see how your industry compares.
As the year winds down, we’d like to thank you for your continued support. 2025 has been a year of recalibration, resilience, and renewed momentum, so from all of us at CreditWorks, we wish you a safe and joyful festive season.
CreditWorks Group provides extensive, real-time credit data and historical insights, helping businesses understand the deeper credit risks and payment behaviours of their customers. Our secure and comprehensive services ensure that companies can make informed decisions based on a complete picture. Discuss with us today how we can help you with comprehensive credit reporting and monitoring of your customers.
Please note that due to the vast amount of data required to produce these reports, most of which is accessed from a multitude of external sources, there is an inevitable time delay in their generation. However we prefer to defer their publication in favour of ensuring greater accuracy.