Economy doesn't affect leasing attitudes.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: Leasing

Equipment leasing is a popular activity, and the recent recession hasn't really had much impact on companies' interest in leasing or their ability to lease. Asked if they had relied more or less on leasing in the past year, respondents to a new research poll were fairly evenly divided among those who said they had and those who hadn't.

Most of the respondents said they currently lease equipment, with computers and office equipment tying for the most popular categories, followed by technology/telecommunications, material handling, industrial and manufacturing and vending. Only 7 percent said their company did not lease any equipment.

The Equipment Leasing Association (ELA), a non-profit association representing companies involved in the dynamic equipment leasing and finance industry, and Financial Executive magazine conducted this survey to understand the equipment acquisition strategies of Financial Executive readers. The study specifically sought to identify how the readers' companies currently finance equipment and their business attitudes toward leasing as a strategic financing option.

The Web-based survey was posted on the FEI Web site in April. The questions were prepared and the results analyzed by the ELA. Respondents included CFOs, vice presidents of finance and a host of other finance titles, including controller, treasurer and purchasing manager.

The respondents varied widely by industry and company size; more than a dozen industries were represented, with manufacturing the largest bloc, with about 40 percent of those answering. Most of the respondents' companies had more than 1,000 employees, and 45 percent had more than $500 million in annual sales.

Asked how they currently finance equipment, the largest number, 78 percent, said they use cash. Leasing...