Loans for Exporters

Chart showing number of SBA loans to exporters has increased 20-fold since 1987.

Lately, more and more small companies have been talking about exporting. But as many would-be exporters will tell you, export financing is often a stumbling block. Fortunately, the opportunities to finance overseas sales appear to be improving, as [the table below] indicates. Since 1987 the Small Business Administration has increased the dollar level of 7(a) loan guarantees to small-business exporters by more than 20-fold, to $241 million. And SBA officials expect an even brighter outlook as more bankers become familiar with the ins and outs of exporting.

Number of loans to exporters $ approved in millions
1987 58 $12.0

1988 116 33.2

1989 112 36.1

1990 137 42.6

1991 348 123.1

1992 617 241.0

Source: Small Business Administration, Washington, D.C., January 1993.

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