Skip to main content

Profitability Boost Fails to Ignite NSW Business

March 06, 2012

Better trading conditions have done little to quell nervousness amongst New South Wales small and medium businesses, according to the latest Sensis® Business Index.

Report author Ms Christena Singh said despite profitability and sales improving strongly in New South Wales during the quarter, business confidence had fallen.

“New South Wales achieved the nation’s strongest profitability performance this quarter and the strongest sales performance in the state since February 2008.

“However, businesses are not expecting these conditions to gain further momentum over the next three months, although employment is expected to strengthen slightly,” Ms Singh said.

The Sensis® Business Index shows business confidence in New South declined during the quarter on the back of concerns about decreasing business, vulnerability to global conditions and weak consumer spending.

“After a strong improvement last quarter, business confidence in New South Wales has slipped back this quarter, although not reversing all of last quarter’s gains,” she explained.

Support for the policies of the New South Wales Government fell marginally during the quarter, but remains above the state average, with the government now in fourth position in the state government popularity stakes.

The key reasons New South Wales small businesses said they support the state government’s policies were perceptions about:

  • Trying to help small business
  • Incentives to employ apprentices
  • Trying to fix problems created by previous government.

The key reasons New South Wales small businesses said they disapproved of the state government’s policies were perceptions about:

  • Too much bureaucracy
  • Cost of utilities
  • Support groups/helpline not helpful.

Key NSW Indicators for March 2012 Sensis® Business Index:

Indicator

March 2012

December 2011 

Business Confidence

+27%

+31%

Sales

+5%

-12%

Employment

-5%

-6%

Wages and Salaries

+4%

+2%

Prices

+8%

+4%

Profitability

-3%

-10%

Capital expenditure

-13%

-10%

Approval of NSW Government

-4%

-3%

ABOUT SENSIS

Sensis helps Australians find, buy and sell. Our integrated network of local search and digital marketing solutions delivers real, measurable business leads to Australian businesses. Sensis' multichannel network includes Yellow Pages®, White Pages®, the 1234 and 12456 Call Connect voice services, Whereis® digital mapping solutions and request-for-quote service, Quotify.

This increasingly diverse network spans print, online, voice, mobile, iPhone, iPad, Android, Telstra's T-Hub and satellite navigation, and information can also be shared from online to mobile and social networking sites. Sensis helps ensure our advertisers are found by more customers than ever by managing their presence across a growing number of advertising platforms including search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo!.

® Registered trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556). Sensis Pty Ltd (ABN 30 007 423 912) has responsibility for production of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories and related products on behalf of Telstra Corporation Limited.

® & ™ Registered trade mark and trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited (ABN 33 051 775 556).

Information & Downloads

Sensis Business Index, March 2012

Contact:

Damian Glass
Sensis Corporate Affairs
0459 818 553