Worcester Business Journal Special Editions

Worcester Business Journal www.wbjournal.com 2015 Economic Forecast 7 What do you expect housing prices to do in 2014? What is your estimate for your company's revenue performance for 2015 compared to 2014? What is your estimate for your company's bottom line (net income/profit) for 2015 compared to 2014? What's the biggest impediment to business growth in Massachusetts? Businesses are torn between a static housing market and a rising one. e market didn't seem to perform as well in 2014 as last year's survey respondents thought it would. Four in five foresee higher sales in 2015. And there's a little more optimism on the profit front, as 77 percent see more earnings next year, compared with 73 percent for this year. Taxes and the cost of living are always big issues, but note the drop in concern over health care costs over last year, in a state that blazed the trail in providing health insurance for all its citizens. 2015 Increase more than 20% ........5% Increase 11-20% ..................... 12% Increase 1-10% ....................... 63% Decrease 1-10% ........................7% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 1% Decrease more than 20% ..... 0% No growth ............................... 12% Increase more than 20% ........8% Increase 11-20% ..................... 17% Increase 1-10% ....................... 53% Decrease 1-10% ........................4% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 4% Decrease more than 20% ..... 1% No growth ............................... 14% Increase more than 20% ........7% Increase 11-20% ........................9% Increase 1-10% ....................... 55% Decrease 1-10% ........................8% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 1% Decrease more than 20% ..... 2% No growth ............................... 18% Increase more than 20% ........2% Increase 11-20% ..................... 14% Increase 1-10% ....................... 61% Decrease 1-10% ..................... 10% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 0% Decrease more than 20% ..... 0% No growth ............................... 14% Increase more than 20% ........7% Increase 11-20% ..................... 10% Increase 1-10% ....................... 56% Decrease 1-10% ........................5% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 4% Decrease more than 20% ..... 1% No growth ............................... 17% Increase more than 20% ........4% Increase 11-20% ..................... 10% Increase 1-10% ....................... 51% Decrease 1-10% ........................8% Decrease 11-20% ..................... 2% Decrease more than 20% ..... 2% No growth ............................... 23% Note: Numbers for some questions may not add up to 100 due to rounding. 2013 Increase 62% Decrease 4% Flat 34% 2012 Increase 44% Decrease 4% Flat 52% 2011 Increase 12% Decrease 15% Flat 72% 2014 2013 2012 2014 2013 2012 2014 High taxes 25% High cost of living 30% Other 18% High health care costs 11% Slow regula- tory process 11% High energy costs 5% 2012 High taxes 18% High cost of living 22% Other 19% High health care costs 18% Slow regulatory process 17% High energy costs 6% 2014 Increase 50% Decrease 3% Flat 47% 2013 High taxes 22% High cost of living 23% Other 20% High health care costs 17% Slow regulatory process 14% High energy costs 5%

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