Bankruptcies

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Short Term Statistics, Business Statistics
Søren Dalbro
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Bankruptcies 2022

The purpose of these statistics on bankruptcies is to analyze trends in the number of bankruptcies as well as in selected characteristics of companies gone bankrupt. These trends are considered as an essential economic or short time indicators. Compilation of the statistics was established in January 1979 based on a 'simple count method'. In 2009 the method was changed to a registry-based method. Quarterly statistics on selected and aggregated NACE-sections are published from July 2021.

Data on petitions for liquidation proceedings are calculated on experimental basis as a high frequent (weekly) short time indicator. They cover the period since 2011.

Statistical presentation

The statistics on declared bankruptcies show monthly the development in the number of announcements by industry, region, company age, turn-over and employment. Furthermore average company age, total turn-over and total employment (lost jobs) in bankrupt companies are calculated. The bankruptcies are moreover calculated for so called active companies, i.e. companies with employment and/or turnover >= 1 million DKK, as well as inactive companies, i.e. companies without employment and turnover less than 1 million DKK.

Figures on petitions for liquidation proceedings are calculated on experimental basis as a high frequent (weekly) short time indicator. They cover the period since 2011.

The declared bankruptcies are from July 2021 published quarterly together with figures on new registered enterprises on selected and aggregated sections in the so called Quarterly Business Demography, QBD..

Statistical processing

Data from The Danish Official Gazette (Statstidende) are checked for missing reports and duplicates.

The announced bankruptcies in the month of reference are added on business sector, turnover, age, employment and geography. The bankruptcies are moreover calculated for so called active companies, i.e. companies with employment and/or turnover >= 1 million DKK, as well as inactive companies, i.e. companies without employment and turnover less than 1 million DKK. The main series with the total number of bankruptcies are seasonal adjusted together with the series of bankruptcies in active companies.

The series on petitions for liquidation proceedings are checked at delivery. Some of the petitions for liquidation proceedings are removed from data as they cover private bankruptcies.

Relevance

The statistics on declared bankruptcies and petitions for liquidation proceedings are used by public and private decision-makers as short time indicators and as indicators of the state of affairs in enterprises.

Accuracy and reliability

There are no changes to former published data. Company ages can be underestimated due to companies changes in the 'cvr'-number. Turn-over and employment figures does not necessarily reflect the situation on the time of bankruptcy as these data refer to an earlier reference period (year or quarter).

Earlier published figures on petitions for liquidation proceedings can be changed by new data deliveries.

Timeliness and punctuality

The statistics on declared bankruptcies is nearly always published on the fourth working day after the reference month.

Publications on declared bankruptcies are released on time, as stated in the release calendar.

The statistics on petitions for liquidations are normally published every Wednesday but delays may occur.

Comparability

The figures for declared bankruptcies before 2009 are not fully compatible with the later figures as the former figures also contain personal bankruptcies. The size of the difference is not available.

Accessibility and clarity

Statistics on declared bankruptcies are published monthly in a Danish press release, at the same time as the tables are updated in the StatBank. In the StatBank, these statistics can be found under Bankruptcies. For more information, go to the subject page

Statistics on petitions for liquidations are published weekly in the Statbank and at https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/emner/erhvervsliv/erhvervslivets-struktur/konkurser)

Statistics on Quarterly Business Demography are published quarterly in the Statbank. (Link og dokumentation kommer på, når det er oprettet)