Getting new corporate credit depends on a number of factors. They include the business character of the corporation, the ability of the corporation to repay any borrowed funds, the business and economic conditions in which the corporation is operating, and the general financial health of the corporation.

When a bank or other lending institution receives an application for new corporate credit they examine these factors with a fine tooth comb before granting the monies requested. They will want to review the financial statements and records of the corporation for at least two years and they will perform a number of other checks to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date.

One of those checks before approving new corporate credit is likely to be a request for the corporation’s Paydex Score. This rating is prepared and distributed by Dun and Bradstreet, a financial reporting agency, and measures how well a corporation is doing in paying its bills to suppliers and vendors of their products and services. It is seen by many in the business community as a good indicator of how well a corporation is doing financially and by the banks and other lending institutions as a measure of the financial health of the corporation.

A lending institution reviewing a request for new corporate credit is almost certainly going to request a business credit report from one of the major business credit information services. These reports contain all of the financial records of the company as well as a statement on their current assets and liabilities. The bank will check these reports against the information provided by the corporation before agreeing to a request for new corporate credit.

Another way that the financial institutions will evaluate a request for new corporate credit is to request the personal financial records and ratings of the officers of the corporation. This will help them determine whether or not the personal integrity and character of the corporation as represented by the officers holds up to close scrutiny. This examination is usually quite thorough and may include checks on not only the finances of the individuals but may even include police, security and background checks to ensure that the persons and corporation they are dealing with meet their standards.

Lending institutions may also do their own market research into the business and economic conditions faced by the corporation before ageing to new corporate credit. If the corporation is in a rapidly expanding line of products or services that is in great demand it will have a much better chance of success in getting new corporate credit than one whose market is stagnant or dormant.

Even if a corporation meets all of these requirements they may still be asked to provide guarantees or collateral to back up their request for new corporate credit.