Insolvencies: The number of company bankruptcies continues to rise

More companies filed for bankruptcy in August than in the same month last year. Small companies in particular seem to be affected. But: The number of newly founded companies is increasing.

In August, the district courts registered a total of 2,067 corporate insolvency applications. Photo: IMAGO/Christian Ohde

Frankfurt. The number of corporate bankruptcies in Germany rose again in August 2026. The district courts registered 2,067 requested procedures, as the Federal Statistical Office announced. That was 4.4 percent more than in August 2025.

“The number of bankruptcies reached its highest level in 13 years in August,” explained DIHK medium-sized business expert Marc Evers. The current slight economic upturn cannot stop development. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) does not see any relief in business closures for the rest of the year either.

"For the whole of 2026, we expect around 26,000 corporate bankruptcies. That would be an average of more than 70 bankruptcies per day and the highest annual level since 2012," explained Evers. The persistently high cost pressure leaves many companies with little room for investment and growth. “Economic policy now has it in its hands to create the conditions for a substantial upswing,” said the DIHK expert.

The companies needed noticeable relief in labor and energy costs, less bureaucracy and reliable framework conditions for investments: “Only when the companies can invest and grow on their own again will the wave of insolvencies come to an end.”

From January to August, 17,252 corporate bankruptcies were counted, 6.6 percent more than in the same period last year. However, there is currently less money at stake, as creditors' claims fell from 37.2 million euros in the same period last year to 25.9 billion euros. On average, smaller companies were affected.

The highest proportion of cases were in the transport and storage sector with 97.6 cases per 10,000 companies, followed by the hospitality and construction industries. The applications are only counted after the initial decision of the bankruptcy court. The actual application was often around three months ago. Based on these applications already available, the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle expects fewer cases for November and December.

At the same time, the number of new businesses being founded in Germany has increased. In the first nine months, the legal form and number of employees of 103,700 companies suggested greater economic importance, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office.

That was 4.5 percent more than a year earlier and, above all, significantly more than the 72,500 complete operational tasks in this category.

Including smaller businesses, 525,100 new businesses were founded in Germany in the first three quarters. That was 7.7 percent more than a year before.