Economy: NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for February 2022

The National Federation of Independent Business® (NFIB®) released its Small Business Optimism Index for February 2022:

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Predicted: 97.0
Actual: 95.7

Change from Previous Month: -1.442% (-1.4 points.)

Change from 12 Months Previous: -0.104% (-0.1 point.)

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CHART: NFIB Small Business Optimism Index
February 2022 Update

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CHART: NFIB Small Business Earnings
Last 3 Months

February 2022 Update

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From Today's Report:

"...The In February, the NFIB Optimism Index decreased by 1.4 points to 95.7, the second consecutive month below the 48-year average of 98. Twenty-six percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business, a four-point increase since December and the highest reading since the third quarter of 1981.

'Inflation continues to be a problem on Main Street, leading more owners to raise selling prices again in February,' said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. 'Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages also remain problems, leading to lower earnings and sales for many.'

Price raising activity over the past 12 months has continued to escalate, reaching levels not seen since the early 1980s when prices were rising at double-digit rates. Unadjusted, 4% of owners reported lower average selling prices and 68% reported higher average prices. Price hikes were the most frequent in retail (79% higher, 4% lower), wholesale (77% higher, 4% lower), construction (73% higher, 3% lower), and manufacturing (72% higher, 6% lower). Seasonally adjusted, a net 46% of owners plan price hikes.

As reported last week in NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 48% of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period. Ninety-three percent of owners hiring or trying to hire reported few or no qualified applicants for their open positions.

Key Findings Include:

-- The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased seven points to a net 68% (seasonally adjusted), a 48-year record high reading.

-- Owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months decreased two points to a net negative 35%.

-- Forty-eight percent of owners reported job openings that could not be filled, an increase of one point from January.

-- Inventory accumulation plans fell one percentage point, following a five-point decline in January, following the massive inventory build in Q4..."