Acquis, a provider of equipment insurance solutions, has released new research revealing that while confidence among small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is declining, the vast majority continue to invest highlighting a shift toward resilience, efficiency, and risk management.
The company surveyed 500 SMBs to understand current business sentiment, investment intentions, and the key challenges facing the market in 2026.
The findings show that optimism has fallen steadily over the past year, with 55% of businesses reporting they feel optimistic about the future of their business in April 2026, down from 65% in 2025. At the same time, pessimism has increased, with 25% of SMBs now expressing concern about their long-term future, up from 20% last year.
Despite this softening confidence, investment appetite remains strong. Four in five (80%) SMBs say they are likely to invest in new equipment in the next 12 months, demonstrating that businesses continue to prioritize growth critical spending even in a more uncertain environment.
This resilience reflects a shift in mindset. Rather than pursuing expansion at any cost, SMBs are increasingly focused on improving productivity, strengthening operational efficiency, and building resilience into their business models. Across sectors, priorities such as supply chain optimization, technology investment, and cost management are overtaking more aggressive growth strategies.
However, the research also highlights growing pressure around funding. Concern about access to capital has risen by 8 percentage points over the past 15 months, with 41% of businesses now worried about securing funding. At the same time, many SMBs are turning to a broader mix of funding options, including credit cards, unsecured borrowing, and internal cash reserves, to support investment.
While leasing usage is increasing, it remains underutilized compared to other funding methods, suggesting an opportunity for the industry to better position leasing as a flexible, strategic tool for managing both cost and risk.
The findings also point to an increasing focus on operational resilience. More than three-quarters (77.6%) of SMBs say they would be willing to pay more for insurance that guarantees business continuity, with 78% valuing fast repair and replacement of critical equipment. However, many businesses report challenges with claims experiences:
- 30% say claims are slow to resolve.
- 35% of claims involve disputes.
- 23% report poor customer service highlighting a gap between expectations and delivery at critical moments.
Acquis recently hosted a livestream with Monitor in which equipment finance executives explored this research and shared what they are seeing in the market. Watch the livestream recording here.
Commenting on the findings, Nick Leader, CEO at Acquis, said: “While confidence has softened, the reality is that U.S. SMBs are not standing still. Businesses are continuing to invest, but the way they are investing is changing. The focus has shifted from growth at any cost to building resilience, improving efficiency, and protecting operations against disruption.
“At the same time, access to funding is becoming more challenging, and many businesses are relying on short-term or higher-cost solutions to move forward. This creates a significant opportunity for the equipment finance industry to reposition leasing not just as a way to fund equipment, but as a strategic tool that helps businesses manage risk, preserve cash, and maintain operational continuity.
“Those providers that can combine flexible finance with strong protection, fast replacement, and responsive service will be best placed to support SMBs in the year ahead.”
