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Germany faces high corporate insolvencies as business failures hit 2013 levels
Germany is experiencing a significant wave of corporate insolvencies, though recent data shows a slight monthly reprieve. In May 2026, registered business insolvencies fell by 2.0 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 1,995 filings. However, the broader trend remains concerning; from January to May 2026, total insolvencies rose by nearly five percent to 10,546.
The first half of 2026 saw approximately 12,900 corporate failures, the highest volume since 2013. The transport and storage sector has been most heavily impacted, with 57.2 cases per 10,000 companies, followed by the hospitality and construction industries. Experts from Creditreform suggest that a meaningful trend reversal may not occur until mid-to-late 2027.
Specific corporate failures are also impacting employment. The hardware chains Hellweg and BayWa Bau- und Gartenmärkte have filed for insolvency in self-administration. While many retail locations may be transferred to new operators, the closure of their central offices in Dortmund and Garching is expected to result in approximately 340 job losses. Some analysts view this surge not merely as a crisis, but as an expression of necessary economic structural change driven by digitalization and shifting consumer behavior.
Entities
BayWa · Creditreform · Germany · Hellweg · Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle · Patrik-Ludwig Hantzsch · Steffen Müller
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 27 percent of German companies are currently facing financial pressure. www.upday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Corporate insolvencies in Germany are expected to rise steadily through the end of 2026. www.kurierverlag.de · www.muensterlandzeitung.de · www.upday.com · www.experten.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Total damages to creditors reached an estimated 28.5 billion euros by mid-2026. www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 7.5 percent of companies are unable to cover interest payments from their operating results. www.upday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Germany recorded approximately 12,900 corporate insolvencies in the first half of 2026, the highest since 2013. www.kurierverlag.de · www.muensterlandzeitung.de · www.upday.com · www.experten.de
- [● 5 SOURCES] A reversal in the insolvency trend is not expected until mid-to-late 2027. www.kurierverlag.de · www.muensterlandzeitung.de · www.upday.com · www.experten.de · www.leinetal24.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] The prolonged economic crisis has depleted the financial reserves of many small businesses. www.kurierverlag.de · www.muensterlandzeitung.de · www.upday.com · www.experten.de
- [DISPUTED] In May 2026, corporate insolvencies in Germany fell by 2.0 percent compared to the previous year to 1,995 filings. www.leinetal24.de · fenix-magazin.de · www.onetz.de · www.volksfreund.de · www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The insolvency of Hellweg and BayWa Bau- und Gartenmärkte is expected to result in job losses for approximately 340 employees at their headquarters in Dortmund and Garching. www.zeit.de
- [DISPUTED] The transport and storage sector recorded the highest insolvency rate at 57.2 cases per 10,000 companies. www.leinetal24.de · fenix-magazin.de · www.onetz.de · www.volksfreund.de · www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de
- [DISPUTED] Between January and May 2026, corporate insolvencies in Germany rose by nearly five percent to 10,546. www.leinetal24.de · fenix-magazin.de · www.onetz.de · www.volksfreund.de · www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de