Table of Contents:
The payment context in Italy
In the current economic landscape, Italian companies are showing signs of improvement in the punctuality of payments. According to a study conducted by Cribis, in the fourth quarter of 2023, 45.1% of companies met their payment deadlines, an increase of 1.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. This positive trend is a sign that companies are trying to adapt to a complex macroeconomic environment, trying to improve their financial reliability
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Analysis of payment times
The average payment time fell to 65 days, an improvement compared to 69 days recorded in the same period last year. However, despite the improvement at the national level, significant differences persist between the various Italian regions. Companies in the North continue to perform better than those in the South, where structural difficulties and the lower availability of cash represent significant obstacles
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Regional differences in payments
According to Cribis analysis, the North East is confirmed as the most virtuous area, with 53.1% of payments made on time. On the contrary, the regions of the South and the Islands show a punctuality rate of only 33%. The best-performing regions include Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, while the greatest critical issues are found in Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily. Here, the rate of on-time payments is significantly lower, highlighting the need for interventions to improve the economic situation
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Delays and sectors in difficulty
Despite the overall improvement, severe payment delays remain an issue. Currently, 4.4% of companies have significant delays, down from 5.1% in 2023. Microenterprises, while showing a positive performance with 46.3% of on-time payments, record the highest rate of serious delays, equal to 5%. Among the sectors most affected, catering stands out with 7.7% of businesses paying more than 90 days, followed by construction and the food industry
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Conclusions and future prospects
In summary, the payment landscape in Italy is showing signs of improvement, but regional and sectoral disparities remain significant. Companies must continue to work to improve their reliability and address economic challenges. Cribis’s analysis offers valuable insights for understanding current dynamics and planning future strategies to ensure greater financial stability
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