Trendsetter Barometer™ business outlook — Internationally focused US private companies outpace peers in prospective growth and spending

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PwC's quarterly Private Company Trendsetter Barometer tracks the growth expectations, investment focus, and economic views of privately held US growth businesses. This quarter's report incorporates the views of 201 chief executive officers (CEOs/CFOs): 114 in the product sector and 87 in the service sector.

Survey highlights

• Most Trendsetter companies (80%) continue to expect revenue growth for the next year, despite ongoing concern about lack of demand (70%).
  
  
  

  Growth expectations and barriers for private companies

• Private companies that sell abroad project a higher growth rate than their domestic-only peers (9.3% vs 5.1%) and are more inclined to increase operational spending.
  
  
  

  Private companies selling internationally derive 20% of their revenue from abroad

• Uncertainty prevails in Trendsetter companies' overall assessment of the US and world economies.
  
  
  

  Economic view: Uncertainty prevails among US private companies

• Trendsetter companies plan a 2.8% increase in their composite average workforce — up from 1.6% in the third quarter and the highest since before the economic downturn.
  
  
  

  The majority of private companies plan new hiring

• Dig Deeper: See what fast-growth Trendsetter companies are doing differently from their peers.
  
  
  

  Fast-growth private companies' spending behavior

Related thought leadership

• Innovation imperative: Keeping your company relevant
• Emerging markets calling: Growth beyond the comfort zone
• Building a presence in today's growth markets: The experience of privately held companies
• Talent riddle: Where are the workers who will power growth?
• Financing the Future: Strategies for Accessing Capital