In August, 16 Percent Fewer Bankruptcies Than a Year Earlier

This article discusses the recent bankruptcy figures in the Netherlands, focusing on the decline compared to last year.

12-9-2025 06:30

These are the latest figures on this subject. View earlier figures.

In August, after correcting for court days, 278 companies were declared bankrupt, reports Statistics Netherlands (CBS). That is 54 fewer bankruptcies than in the same period a year earlier, a decrease of 16 percent. Compared to July, the number of bankruptcies decreased by 7 percent.

The focus of the news article on bankruptcies is not only on the development compared to a year earlier but also on the bankruptcy rate. This is the number of declared bankruptcies per 100 thousand companies. The bankruptcy rate provides a clearer picture of the development of the number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands. It also allows for better comparisons between sectors. The number of companies can fluctuate over time and can vary greatly between sectors.

Companies and institutions

Bankruptcy Rate Decreases

The bankruptcy rate in August was 7.5. A year earlier, 9.1 companies were declared bankrupt per 100 thousand companies.

Since the start of the series in 2015, the bankruptcy rate peaked in March 2015 at 24.8. After that, a decline set in, and in August 2021, a record low of 3.4 was reached. Subsequently, the number of bankruptcies per 100 thousand companies rose again until 2024. After that, the bankruptcy rate stabilized until the autumn of 2024. Since then, the trend has been slightly declining.

Bankruptcy Rate Highest in the Hospitality Sector

Not corrected for court days, in August, relatively the most bankruptcies were declared in the hospitality sector. Per 100 thousand companies in the hospitality sector, 30.8 went bankrupt, compared to 25.6 a year earlier.

August 2024