Commercial register entries in May 2016: more organisations founded than last year
In Switzerland, a total of 3,193 new companies were entered into the commercial register in May 2016. This is a 5.6% increase compared to last year. However, the number of new company registrations dropped by 9.55% in comparison with April 2016.
(Graph 1: New company registrations in Switzerland in May 2016; Source: Eidgenössisches Handelsamtsblatt SHAB)
In May 2016, a total of 3,193 new companies were entered in the commercial register in Switzerland. This represents a regression of 9.55% in comparison with the month before. This is not particularly surprising, as the figure is lower in May than in April every year (see graph 1). This is partially due to the high number of national holidays in May. However, there is some good news: the decrease is not as severe as in May of last year – the number of new company registrations is 5.6% greater than last year’s figure (May 2015: 3,023).
A positive first half of the year
A larger number of new companies were registered from January – May 2016 than in the same period last year. This positive trend shows that the Swiss economy has recovered well, and is growing once again. German-speaking Switzerland has achieved strong growth – the number of new company registrations is 5.3% higher compared to last year. French-speaking Switzerland has recorded an even greater figure of 11.2%. Ticino, however, suffered a 12% regression. As Ticino has the lowest population density, significant variations are not surprising.
Companies are also regularly removed from the commercial register, for example because they are no longer operating, or have gone bankrupt. In May 2016, a total of 2,301 companies were removed from the register. The number of newly registered companies is 27.9% higher than the number removed from the register.
Growth in the Cantons
A comparison of the Cantons shows that nearly all are achieving growth. The economically most important Cantons are all growing: Geneva (+19.1%), Basel-Stadt (+16.2%), Vaud (+13.0), Solothurn (+7.7%), Neuchâtel (+7.4%) and Zürich (+5.6%). With a 13.7% regression, Zug was the only Canton to experience a sharp decline in comparison with May 2015. An overview of the further growth figures is displayed in the graph below.
