How the numbers are built
How CapBench measures industry risk
CapBench summarizes SBA 7(a) activity by industry so a buyer can see how a sector finances and performs before committing. Each industry view aggregates the 7(a) loans in that sector to show volume, typical acquisition loan size, pricing, and failure behavior.
Data sources
- •SBA 7(a) loan records grouped by industry code
- •CapBench sector aggregation and acquisition-loan tagging
What each industry view shows
For every sector we report 7(a) loan volume, the typical acquisition loan size, the rates lenders charged, and the cohort charge-off rate — the share of seasoned loans in that industry that failed.
Acquisition figures isolate loans used to buy an existing business, so the typical loan size reflects business purchases rather than startups or expansions.
What this does not tell you
- •Industry aggregates describe a sector's loan history, not the prospects of any single business in it.
- •Sector boundaries follow SBA's industry codes; a business may sit near the edge of its assigned category.
- •Charge-off rates are backward-looking on seasoned cohorts and shift with economic conditions.
AI summary
This page explains the methodology behind how capbench measures industry risk on CapBench: where the underlying data comes from, exactly how the numbers are calculated, and what the result can and cannot tell you. Every figure is derived from public SBA 7(a) and FDIC records.
It exists so any stat CapBench publishes can be traced back to its source and computation rather than taken on faith. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and CapBench is not a lender.
Source: CapBench SBA Intelligence, based on public SBA, lender, franchise, FDIC, and related records. CapBench is not a lender and does not guarantee financing.
How this content is made
CapBench's guides and data pages are compiled from public records — SBA 7(a) FOIA loan data, FDIC filings, the eCFR (13 CFR Part 120), and the SBA SOP 50 10 — and checked against the current rulebook. Content is produced by CapBench's SBA-intelligence system with editorial review; every figure traces to a named public source, and pages show the date they reflect.
It is general information from the public record, notlegal, tax, financial, or investment advice — confirm specifics with a qualified professional or the SBA. See our methodology and data sources. CapBench is an independent information service and is not a lender or an SBA representative.
Want help reading SBA data for a specific deal?
Tell us the business or brand you're looking at and we'll point you to the lenders most active in that space — and what their loans have actually done.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day
Backed by data on 1,000+ SBA lenders and 300,000+ funded deals. Your details go only to lending partners you ask to be matched with — never sold to advertisers.