Bluevine Survey Shows Small Business Profitability Forecasts Drop by Nearly 50% Year-Over-Year

New report finds small businesses are betting on growth despite lower profits in 2025

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today Bluevine, the largest digital banking platform for small businesses in the U.S.*, released the findings of its 2026 Business Owner Success Survey (BOSS) Report that found despite challenges in 2025, small business owners (SBOs) are still heading into this year with optimism around growth.

The survey, which is composed of over 1,000 company owners, founders, CEOs and other executives with polling partner Centiment, looks at how SBOs are adapting as economic headwinds persist. In the findings, Bluevine uncovered a gap between financial strain and optimism among U.S. small business owners for the year ahead.

SBOs Exceeding Profit Goals Drops Nearly 50% Year-Over-Year
According to the BOSS Report, only 30% of business owners said they finished 2025 with profitability above expectations, down from 57% at the end of 2024. 

More than one-third (34%) of SBOs said the rising costs of supplies has impacted their business in the last year. A similar percentage, (31%) said ongoing inflation has specifically impacted them. As a result, more than 1 in 4 business (28%) owners said they raised prices in 2025 to combat inflationary pressure.

Despite Challenges, SBOs Remain Optimistic About Growth
The BOSS Report also found that 78% of SBOs are optimistic about their profitability forecasts for 2026, nearly unchanged from last year.

When asked about which macroeconomic changes they were hoping for most in 2026: 49% said a decrease in inflation/cost of goods; 46% said increase in demand; 31% said decreased tariffs; 27% said decrease in supply chain costs; 22% said improvement in the labor market.

“Small businesses face challenges beyond their control from inflation to shifting consumer behavior, but our surveys have shown they continue to pivot and adapt amid uncertainty,” said Bluevine CEO Eyal Lifshitz. “Their optimism about 2026, despite these headwinds, underscores the resilience of small business, and we’re committed to providing the tools and resources they need to succeed.”

Interest in Accessing Capital is Up 66%
After years of tight margins caused by sticky inflation and elevated interest rates, far more survey respondents said they were interested in accessing capital in 2026 than in 2025, with 63% of respondents this saying they will seek capital in this edition of the BOSS Report compared to 38% in the previous edition, a 66% increase year-over-year.

SBOs Are Sacrificing Their Own Finances, Personal Lives to Stay Afloat
More than three-fourths (77%) of those surveyed say they have sacrificed something last year, like personal health and wellness, time with family or friends, or financial stability, to keep their business running. 49% of SBOs questioned whether entrepreneurship or running their business was worth it on a monthly basis, and 18% questioned it daily.

Looking Ahead and Seeking Change
In 2026 many SBOs said they plan to focus on internal improvements and growth initiatives. 42% plan to increase efficiency and productivity (implementing new software and automating workflows); 37% plan to launch new products or services (diversifying their product line or adding a new service offering); and 32% aim to strengthen their financial operations (reallocating budget, pursuing higher yields or investing). 

A full copy of the 2026 BOSS Report can be found here.

*As compared to publicly available data on the number of lifetime customer accounts held by other U.S. banking platforms dedicated to small business, as of March 2025.

Methodology
This survey was conducted by Centiment Audience of 1,067 company owners, founders, partners, CEOs, presidents, or managing directors of U.S. businesses with annual revenue between $50,000 and $5,000,000 for Bluevine between November 4th and 10th, 2025. Data is unweighted, and the margin of error is approximately +/-3% for the overall sample with a 95% confidence level.

About Bluevine
Bluevine is the largest small business banking platform in the U.S., serving as the financial operating system for startups and small businesses. Through a single account, companies can earn more, save more, borrow, and manage their money whenever and wherever they do business – without ever stepping into a branch. Accessible through one dashboard, its product suite integrates high-yield business checking, accounts payable, debit and credit cards, loans, and lines of credit. Since 2013, Bluevine has served over 900,000 customers, delivered over $17 billion in loans, and is currently trusted with over $1.8 billion in managed customer deposits.

Bluevine is backed by leading private and institutional investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, 83North, Citi Ventures, ION Crossover Partners, SVB Capital, Nationwide Insurance, and M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Arm). Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Lines of credit are issued by Celtic Bank. For more information, please visit bluevine.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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SOURCE Bluevine