As the long-awaited economy recovery teeters along, we asked a select group of equipment leasing and finance executives to assess the state of the industry now and into 2012. These leaders continue to express the kind of optimism inherent in industry veterans who have weathered down cycles. Now with stronger portfolios and liquidity, they remain undaunted by economic uncertainties and continue to seek out — and find — opportunities.... read more

October 2011

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October 2011

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September/October 2011

From Linda Kester’s point of view, sales training generates goodwill and concrete skills that forge a path of excellence for your sales reps to follow. In the following article, she supports her viewpoint with five reasons for continuous sales training.... read more

July/August 2011

As the second calendar quarter came to a close, Dexter Van Dango can’t help but wonder if the old risk-monitoring pendulum hadn’t swung back past center toward the other side — the crazy side — the irrational exuberance, foolish behavior, dumb money side.... read more

July/August 2011

It’s an exciting time for servicers as they get more involved in global solutions for banks, lessors and captives. The industry once again is witnessing gradual consideration by small- or medium-size banks to invest capital in leasing.... read more

July/August 2011

Some leasing and finance executives bristle when they first hear the prices offered by a debt buyer for their charged-off accounts, or they operate off of a general notion that selling their debt just doesn’t make economic sense. What they are often missing, however, is a deeper analysis of their actual overall bad debt liquidation costs and assumptions. ... read more

July/August 2011

In a Monitor interview, Steve Battreall, GE Capital’s chief commercial officer, offers his candid view on a variety of issues facing the equipment finance industry. Here Battreall speaks to topics ranging from the much-discussed accounting changes to suffering equipment sectors. While much has been said that’s gloomy in nature, Battreall sees things a tad bit differently.... read more

July/August 2011

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July/August 2011

As the economy improves, equipment manufacturers and resellers are gearing up to meet pent-up demand. Third-party lenders providing captive services offer a viable option for those sellers that want to improve control over customer relationships by offering a broad range of financing options and customer support — while avoiding the up front investment of building their own captive program. We spoke with Ron Arrington, global president of CIT Vendor Finance, to discuss the challenges of a changing economy, recent developments within the CIT vendor portfolio and what’s going on in the third-party captive market.... read more

June 2011

The way CapitalSource’s Laird Boulden sees it, the economic recovery story has more to do with psychology than statistical analysis. In equipment finance, while things are improving, the mood is far from celebratory. Unprecedented bank liquidity has spawned new market entrants and intense competition, resulting in thinner margins, increasingly more aggressive terms and higher asset prices. But, he, like many in the industry, are more than willing to play the hand that they have been dealt.... read more

June 2011

Manufacturing has played a pivotal role supporting economic growth in the U.S. over the past year and a half, and the stage is set for this to continue. Manufacturing’s outsized contribution to growth, however, has not come from some Herculean strength in the sector. Ultimately, according to TD Bank economists James Marple and Alistair Bentley, until the housing and service sectors become more engaged in the recovery, manufacturing will reign supreme in underpinning it.... read more

June 2011

Today as equipment manufacturers recognize the strategic importance of providing financing options to increase market penetration and maintain the control of their customer base, The Alta Group’s Paul Frechette notes an evolving mindset among these manufacturers. More than just an aid to closing sales, these manufacturers look to their financing partners to meet the needs of an ever-savvier customer base.... read more

May/June 2011

The Monitor’s Most Active Vendor Leasing Companies enjoyed a turnaround year in 2010 with a majority reporting healthy gains in new business volume after two years of steady decline. ... read more

May/June 2011

In August 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued a proposal that would require leases for equipment, corporate aircraft and real estate to be recognized on a lessee’s balance sheet. Although it is expected that the final standard won’t be released until later this year, it’s likely that companies’ financial performance metrics and ratios could be impacted. Nevertheless, the core benefits of leasing remain intact.... read more

May/June 2011