New Report: Small Businesses Enter 2026 with Sustained Confidence, Expanding Access to Capital and Growing Use of AI

Rhea-AI Summary

Enova (NYSE: ENVA) highlights resilient small business confidence in a January 28, 2026 report with key operational and market metrics.

Key findings: 94% of small businesses expect growth in 2026; 74% prefer non-bank lenders; 56% report AI use (87% report benefit); top challenges include inflation (31%) and cash flow (29%). The survey covered 468 borrowers and 3.45 million loan applications.

Positive

• 94% of small businesses expect growth in 2026
• 74% prefer non-bank lenders for working capital
• 56% report AI use; 87% of AI users cite positive impact
• $67B in loans provided to >14M customers by Enova historically

Negative

• 31% of small businesses cite inflation as a top challenge
• 29% cite cash flow as a top challenge

News Market Reaction

+0.99%

1 alert

+0.99% News Effect

On the day this news was published, ENVA gained 0.99%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Growth expectations: 94% AI adoption rate: 56% Non-bank lender preference: 74% +5 more

8 metrics

Growth expectations 94% Small businesses projecting growth in 2026

AI adoption rate 56% Small businesses reporting AI use

Non-bank lender preference 74% Businesses choosing non-bank working capital solutions

Positive AI impact 87% AI users reporting positive impact on business

AI in marketing 63% AI-using businesses applying AI to marketing

Survey respondents 468 businesses Small businesses with working capital loans

Applications analyzed 3.45 million Small business applications over past 15 months

Cumulative lending $67 billion Loans and financing provided by Enova over 20+ years

Market Reality Check

Price: $165.17 Vol: Volume 380,449 vs 268,025...

normal vol

$165.17 Last Close

Volume Volume 380,449 vs 268,025 20-day average (1.42x), showing elevated trading interest ahead of this AI-focused report. normal

Technical Shares at $157.70, trading above the $118.11 200-day MA and 6.51% below the $168.68 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

ENVA slipped 0.54% with mixed peer action: several credit-services names like BF...

ENVA slipped 0.54% with mixed peer action: several credit-services names like BFH, LU, WU and QFIN were down, while SEZL was up, pointing more to company-specific positioning than a clean sector-wide move.

Previous AI Reports

3 past events · Latest: Nov 20 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 3 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 20	AI leadership hires	Positive	-1.0%	Expanded AI-focused leadership team to drive customer success and marketing.
Oct 22	AI trend report	Positive	+2.3%	Joint report showing strong small-business optimism and rising AI adoption.
Aug 26	AI planning survey	Positive	+3.5%	Survey highlighting growth expectations and preference for non-bank lenders.

Pattern Detected

AI- and data-focused updates have usually coincided with modestly positive moves, though one leadership-focused AI release saw a small negative reaction.

Recent Company History

Recent history for Enova centers on growth initiatives, capital returns, and AI/data leadership. AI-tagged reports with Ocrolus have repeatedly highlighted strong small-business optimism and rising AI adoption, with prior releases on Aug 26, 2025 and Oct 22, 2025 both followed by positive price moves. A separate AI-themed leadership announcement on Nov 20, 2025 saw a mild decline. Against that backdrop, this new 2026 confidence and AI-usage report extends the same narrative of resilient small-business demand and fintech penetration.

Historical Comparison

AI

+2.2 %

Average Historical Move

Historical Analysis

Past AI-tagged Enova/Ocrolus reports and platform updates led to average moves of 2.22%, making this another data-driven signal on small-business demand and AI usage.

Typical Pattern

AI-tagged releases show a progression from baseline optimism and AI exploration toward higher adoption rates and more sophisticated, data-driven workflows for small-business lending.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights resilient small-business confidence, with 94% expecting growth and more...

Analysis

This announcement highlights resilient small-business confidence, with 94% expecting growth and more than half adopting AI, particularly in marketing. It reinforces Enova’s positioning in non-bank working capital lending, where 74% of businesses favor alternative providers. Prior AI-tagged reports with Ocrolus similarly emphasized optimism and data-driven underwriting. Investors may watch future survey waves, credit performance metrics, and AI adoption rates to gauge how these trends translate into Enova’s results.

Key Terms

working capital loans, ai workflow, cash flow analytics

3 terms

working capital loans financial

"The report is based on responses from 468 small businesses with working capital loans"

Working capital loans are short-term loans companies use to cover everyday operational expenses—such as payroll, inventory purchases, or utility bills—when incoming cash is delayed or uneven. Investors care because frequent or growing reliance on these loans can signal ongoing cash-flow stress and higher financial risk, while occasional use can simply smooth predictable ups and downs; like a household using a short-term loan to bridge paychecks, it affects a company’s short-term stability and flexibility.

ai workflow technical

"Ocrolus, an AI workflow and cash flow analytics platform for lenders."

An AI workflow is the step-by-step process that turns raw data into useful automated decisions or outputs using artificial intelligence — like a factory line where each station cleans data, trains a model, tests it and puts the result into use. Investors care because a well-designed AI workflow increases speed, reduces errors and cuts costs for companies using AI, improving productivity and competitive advantage much like upgrading from manual tools to a reliable machine.

cash flow analytics financial

"Ocrolus, an AI workflow and cash flow analytics platform for lenders."

Cash flow analytics is the process of measuring and interpreting the actual cash coming in and going out of a business, including regular operating receipts, one-time payments, and future cash projections. For investors it shows whether a company generates enough real money to pay bills, invest and return capital, much like checking whether a household has enough cash in the bank despite credit cards or paychecks; strong cash flow reduces risk and supports valuation decisions.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

94% of small businesses anticipate growth over the next year as owners invest in efficiency and plan ahead amid evolving market conditions

CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Small business confidence remains resilient heading into the new year, according to the latest Small Business Cash Flow Trend Report from OnDeck, a market leader in small business lending and Ocrolus, an AI workflow and cash flow analytics platform for lenders.

Key findings include:

• Growth Expectations. 94% of small business owners project growth in 2026, matching a survey all-time high.
• Top Challenges. Inflation (31%) and cash flow (29%) remain the top challenges for small businesses in the fourth quarter.
• Non-Bank Lender Preference. Small businesses are increasingly leveraging the speed and ease of non-bank lenders for their working capital needs, with 74% choosing these solutions over traditional banks.
• AI Adoption. Among the 56% of small businesses reporting AI use, adoption is concentrated in marketing (63%). Overall, 87% of all AI users report a positive impact on their business.
• 2026 Planning Strategies. Small business owners report that consumer spending trends (38%) and access to credit (37%) are among the most influential factors shaping their business strategies heading into 2026.

"Small business owners are entering 2026 with confidence and clarity. They're investing in AI and maintaining disciplined cash flow strategies while using a wider range of financing options, like OnDeck, to support sustainable growth," said Cory Kampfer, Co-President of Small Business at Enova.

"The data shows that small businesses are taking a proactive approach to growth," said David Snitkof, General Manager of Small Business at Ocrolus. "With access to real-time, AI-driven cash flow insights, lenders can move faster, and business owners can make informed decisions that support success in the new year and long-term."

The report is based on responses from 468 small businesses with working capital loans and over 3.45 million small business applications for working capital financing during the past 15 months. The nationwide survey was completed between December 15–23, 2025. For more information and complete survey results, please visit: ondeck.com/small-business-trends.

About OnDeck®
OnDeck®, part of Enova International, is the proven leader in transparent and responsible online lending to small businesses. Founded in 2006, the company pioneered the use of data analytics and digital technology to make real-time lending decisions and deliver capital rapidly to small businesses online. Today, OnDeck offers a wide range of term loans and lines of credit customized for the needs of small business owners. OnDeck has provided loans to customers in 900 different industries nationwide. For more information, visit www.ondeck.com.

About Enova
Enova International (NYSE: ENVA) is a leading online financial services company that serves small businesses and consumers who are underserved by traditional banks. For over 20 years, Enova has provided over $67 billion in loans and financing to more than 14 million customers by offering a suite of market-leading products powered by the company's world-class analytics, machine learning algorithms and proprietary technology. You can learn more about the company and its portfolio of businesses at www.enova.com.

About Ocrolus
Ocrolus is a vertical AI workflow and analytics platform that transforms messy documents and digital data into regulatory-grade decision intelligence. Since 2016, Ocrolus has used purpose-built, lending-specific AI models trained on financial documents to help financial institutions make faster and more accurate credit decisions. For more information, visit www.ocrolus.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-report-small-businesses-enter-2026-with-sustained-confidence-expanding-access-to-capital-and-growing-use-of-ai-302672764.html

SOURCE OnDeck

FAQ

What does Enova's Jan 28, 2026 report say about small business growth expectations (ENVA)?

Most small businesses expect expansion: 94% forecast growth for 2026. According to Enova, this figure matches an all-time survey high and suggests broad owner optimism heading into the year.

How are small businesses changing financing choices according to Enova's ENVA report?

Small businesses are favoring speed: 74% choose non-bank lenders over banks. According to Enova, this reflects greater use of online and alternative working-capital solutions for faster access to funds.

What level of AI adoption did Enova report for small businesses in 2026 (ENVA)?

AI use is growing: 56% of small businesses report using AI. According to Enova, adoption is concentrated in marketing (63%) and 87% of AI users report a positive business impact.

What top challenges for small businesses did Enova identify in the Jan 28, 2026 report (ENVA)?

Inflation and cash flow lead concerns: 31% cite inflation and 29% cite cash flow as top challenges. According to Enova, these issues remained the primary operational pressures in Q4 2025.

How large was the survey sample and data set behind Enova's small business report (ENVA)?

The report used both survey and application data: 468 small business respondents and over 3.45 million loan applications. According to Enova, the survey ran December 15–23, 2025.

What operational implications does Enova highlight for lenders from the Jan 28, 2026 findings (ENVA)?

Faster, data-driven lending matters: real-time AI cash flow insights can speed decisions and support borrowers. According to Enova, lenders using these tools can better serve proactive small-business planning.