Austria's firms face peak restructuring wave in 2026

A survey by EY‑Parthenon of restructuring and turnaround experts for European banks finds that almost half of Austrian respondents (47 %) expect the peak of a corporate restructuring wave to hit in the second half of 2026, while another fifth (21 %) see the peak in early 2027. Companies are confronting a combination of rising energy and material costs, weaker demand, geopolitical uncertainty and tighter financing conditions.

The most pressured sectors are identified as automotive, trade, real estate, manufacturing and construction. Partners Jürgen Kogler and Ben Trask of EY‑Parthenon Austria note that the automotive supply chain is especially strained, and that weak consumer sentiment is spreading to consumer‑adjacent industries. Typical restructuring actions include renegotiating credit agreements, insolvency or liquidation, and a rise in mergers and acquisitions as firms seek strategic solutions.

Banks stress the importance of out‑of‑court resolutions and owner contributions to support viable business plans.