Worcester Business Journal Special Editions

6 2016 Economic Forecast www.wbjournal.com Worcester Business Journal Do you have plans to expand next year? Will you raise capital next year? Do you plan to make a major investment in property, plant or equipment next year? e number of businesses seeking to go aer new money hit a four-year low this year. One in five business leaders said they were planning some kind of major investment in 2016. Despite a small decline from last year, the majority of business leaders still feel there is room for growth. 2016 What method do you primarily plan to use to raise capital next year? Crowdfunding, once again, got no votes this year, but joining the answer with no votes was bank loans. * This answer choice was added in 2012. 2014 2013 2012 2015 2014 2013 2012 2015 2014 2013 2012 2015 2013 2012 2014 2015 Yes, with new product lines 16% Yes, with expansion into new geographic territories .......... 13% Yes, with new or expanded facilities .........................................5% Yes, with a combination of some or all of the above .................. 17% No ............................................... 49% Yes, with new product lines 13% Yes, with expansion into new geographic territories .......... 15% Yes, with new or expanded facilities .........................................6% Yes, with a combination of some or all of the above .................. 18% No ............................................... 48% Yes, with new product lines 14% Yes, with expansion into new geographic territories .......... 10% Yes, with new or expanded facilities .........................................9% Yes, with a combination of some or all of the above .................. 24% No ............................................... 43% Yes, with new product lines 16% Yes, with expansion into new geographic territories .......... 14% Yes, with new or expanded facilities ...................................... 10% Yes, with a combination of some or all of the above .................. 19% No ............................................... 46% Private investment (including venture capital) ...................... 28% Micro investors, or "crowdfunding" * ......................0% Bank loans ................................ 28% Public markets ........................ 16% Other ......................................... 28% Private investment (including venture capital) ...................... 35% Micro investors, or "crowdfunding" * ......................0% Bank loans ................................ 32% Public markets ...........................3% Other ......................................... 32% Private investment (including venture capital) ...................... 26% Micro investors, or "crowdfunding" * ......................8% Bank loans ................................ 13% Public markets ........................ 11% Other ......................................... 42% Private investment (including venture capital) ...................... 20% Micro investors, or "crowdfunding" * ......................0% Bank loans ...................................0% Public markets ........................ 30% Other ......................................... 50% Yes 17% No 54% Don't know 29% Yes 16% No 64% Don't know 20% Yes 18% No 60% Don't know 22% Yes 12% No 65% Don't know 24% Yes 17% No 54% Don't know 29% Yes 18% No 58% Don't know 24% Yes 26% No 57% Don't know 17% Yes 20% No 66% Don't know 14%

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