More investments expected in 2026, profitability declined
Statistics Netherlands | CBS
Source published: 6 November 25
More investments expected in 2026, profitability declined
Entrepreneurs expect to invest more in 2026 despite a decline in profitability and negative business confidence.
Entrepreneurs expect to invest more in 2026 than this year. However, they saw their profitability decline last quarter and business confidence remains negative. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Chamber of Commerce (KVK), the Economic Institute for Construction (EIB), MKB-Nederland, and VNO-NCW based on the Netherlands Business Cycle Survey.
On balance, over 3 percent of entrepreneurs expect to invest more in 2026. Entrepreneurs in the real estate sector expect this most often with a net 25 percent. Nine sectors expect to invest more, while the other three expect to invest less. In culture, sports and recreation, and retail, entrepreneurs expect to invest more, whereas last year they expected a decrease. In agriculture, forestry and fisheries, hospitality, and information and communication, entrepreneurs expect to invest less in 2026.
October 2024
Balance % positive and negative responses
1) In this sector, the question was not available in October 2024
Decline in profitability last quarter
At the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, more entrepreneurs indicated that their profitability had decreased rather than increased in the past quarter; the balance was therefore negative. In eight of the twelve sectors, entrepreneurs are more negative about profitability. Because entrepreneurs in construction are more positive about their profitability, the total figure is almost the same as last year. Furthermore, only in wholesale, industry and real estate were entrepreneurs less negative than a year ago. In car trade and repair, entrepreneurs were most negative about profitability development with a balance of -21 percent.
October 2024
Balance % positive and negative responses
Business confidence remains negative
Business confidence in the fourth quarter of 2025 stands at -4.0 and remains almost the same compared to the previous quarter. Entrepreneurs were more negative about the economic climate in the past quarter than about their expectations for the coming quarter. Business confidence has been continuously negative since early 2022 and is at the average (-4.0) since 2012.
Economic climate development
Economic climate expectation
Balance % positive and negative responses
Business confidence only positive in information and communication
In information and communication, business confidence is the only sector still positive. In all other sectors, the sentiment indicator is negative, and in most sectors slightly more negative than last quarter. In rental and trade of real estate, sentiment has declined most sharply. In business services, the figure has shifted from positive to negative. In hospitality, confidence has improved the most but is still negative. Entrepreneurs in agriculture, forestry and fisheries are the most negative.
July 2025
Labor shortage still main obstacle
At the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, 33 percent of entrepreneurs indicated a labor shortage as the main obstacle in their business operations. This has been the most mentioned obstacle since the third quarter of 2021. Additionally, 22 percent said insufficient demand was the main obstacle. Over 10 percent of entrepreneurs mentioned financial constraints. Over 33 percent said they experienced no obstacles.
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