AtradiusPaymentPracticesBarometer2024 B2Bpaymentpracticestrendandcashflow Australia Surgeininsolvencyriskoffradardespitecashstruggles AbouttheAtradius PaymentPracticesBarometer TheAtradiusPaymentPracticesBarometerisanannualsurveyofbusiness-to-business(B2B)paymentpracticesinmarketsacrosstheworld. OursurveyprovidesuswiththeopportunitytoheardirectlyfromcompaniespolledabouthowtheyarecopingwiththeimpactofthecurrentchallengingeconomicandtradingenvironmentonpaymentbehaviouroftheirB2Bcustomers.ThiscangivevaluableinsightsintohowbusinessesarepaidbytheirB2Bcustomers,andhowtheytacklethepainpointscausedbypoorpaymentpractices. Thefindingsaboutwhatmeasuresareundertakentofundasuddenneedforcash,andwhatcreditmanagementtoolstheyusetomitigatetheriskoflong-termcashflowproblems,mayalsobevaluableinformationinhelpingunderstandhowcompaniesrespondtothecrucialissueoflateornon-paymentinthecurrentuncertaintimes. However,thesurveyalsohasastrongfocusonthechallengesandrisksthatcompaniespolledbelievetheywillencounterduringthecomingmonths,andtheirexpectationsforfuturebusinessgrowth. TheresultsofoursurveycansupplyusefulinsightsintothecurrentdynamicsofcorporatepaymentbehaviourinB2Btrade,andidentifyemergingtrendsthatmayshapeitsfuture.Thiscanbeextremelyusefultocompaniesdoingbusiness,orplanningtodoso,inthemarketspolled. Inthisreport,youwillfindthesurveyresultsforAustralia. ThesurveywasconductedduringQ12024.Thefindingsshouldthereforebeviewedwiththisinmind. AtradiusPaymentPracticesBarometer–SurveyresultsforAustralia–20242 Inthisreport B2Bpaymentpracticestrendsandcashflow4 Surgeininsolvencyriskoffradardespitecashstruggles Keyfiguresandcharts6 Lookingahead7 DomesticeconomykeyworryforAustralianbusinessprospects Keyfiguresandcharts8 Surveydesign9 Disclaimer Thispublicationisprovidedforinformationpurposesonlyandisnotintendedasinvestmentadvice,legaladviceorasarecommendationastoparticulartransactions,investmentsorstrategiestoanyreader.Readersmustmaketheirownindependentdecisions,commercialorotherwise,regardingthein-formationprovided.Whilewehavemadeeveryattempttoensurethattheinformationcontainedinthispublicationhasbeenobtainedfromreliablesources,Atradiusisnotresponsibleforanyerrorsoromissions,orfortheresultsobtainedfromtheuseofthisinformation.Allinformationinthispub-licationisprovided’asis’,withnoguaranteeofcompleteness,accuracy,timelinessoroftheresultsobtainedfromitsuse,andwithoutwarrantyofanykind,expressorimplied.InnoeventwillAtradius,itsrelatedpartnershipsorcorporations,orthepartners,agentsoremployeesthereof,beliabletoyouoranyoneelseforanydecisionmadeoractiontakeninrelianceontheinformationinthispublicationorforanylossofopportunity,lossofprofit,lossofproduction,lossofbusinessorindirectlosses,specialorsimilardamagesofanykind,evenifadvisedofthepossibilityofsuchlossesordamages. CopyrightAtradiusN.V.2024 AtradiusPaymentPracticesBarometer–SurveyresultsforAustralia–20243 (%ofrespondents) 64% 31% 5% Yes No Idonotknow Keysurveyfindings ■Risinginterestratessharplycurtailedbusinessborrowingcapacity,promptinganincreaseduseoftradecredit.59%ofbusinessespolledinAustraliasaidtheynowrelyonthis,whilealsoreportinga35%increaseintradecreditofferedtoB2Bcustomers. ■PaymenttermswereextendedbynearlytwoweeksbyAustraliancompanies,andnowaverage35daysfrominvoicing.Theprimaryfactorscitedweretofosterlong-termcustomerrelationships,boostsales,andgainvaluableB2Bcustomercreditinformation. ■Thecreditrisklandscapewasmixed.Baddebtsremainedsteady,standingat7%ofallB2Binvoices,whilelatepaymentsaffected45%ofallB2Binvoices,down4%onthepreviousyear.Theaveragedelayonlatepaymentsof20daysbeyondtheduedatewasunchanged. Australia Didyouseeanincreaseintherequestsforrepaymentplanswithyourcustomersinthelast12months? Sample:allsurveyrespondents Source:AtradiusPaymentPracticesBarometerAustralia–2024 B2Bpaymentpracticestrendsandcashflow Surgeininsolvencyriskoffradardespitecashstruggles Aclearupwardtrendintheuseoftradecreditasasourceoffinancingwasastand-outfindinginoursurveyofbusinessesinAustralia.59%ofcompaniespolled,7%morethanlastyear,saidtheyactivelyoptedfortradecreditasanalternativetotraditionalbankloansamidaperiodofhigherinterestratesandfinancialcosts.Perhapssurprisingly,despitepotentialincreasedcostsofthisstrategicmove,oursurveyfounda35%increaseintheamountoftradecreditofferedbybusinessestoB2Bcustomers,notablyintheagri-foodsector.Thestrategyalsoinvolvedanotablelooseningofpaymentterms,especiallyintheconstructionindustry,whichwereextendedbytwoweeksandnowaverage35daysfrominvoicing.Companiespolledsaidreasonsforadoptingamorelenienttradecreditpolicyincludedfosteringlong-termcommercialrelationships,sustainingthebuyingpowerofB2Bcustomers,andacquiringvaluableinformationaboutB2Bcustomersandtheircredithistorywhichcouldhelpmitigatefinancialrisks. Thisstrikingshiftinbusinessbehaviouroccurredwithinthecontextofarelativelymixedcreditrisklandscape.Baddebtsweresteadyat7%ofallB2Binvoices,andthe20-dayaveragepaymentdelaywasalsounchangedonthepreviousyear.OursurveyfoundimprovementsinDays-Sales-Outstanding(DSO)acrossmultiplesectors,exc