Middle Market Commercial Financing Trends to Watch in 2014

Growth Seen in Restaurant, Commercial Real Estate and Healthcare Financing

  • Restaurant Sales Set to Increase in 2014; Fast Casual Leads Growth
  • Commercial Real Estate Is a Sector of Choice for Investors; Low Interest Rates Drive High Prices
  • Healthcare M&A Seen as Improving as Consolidation Increases

NEW YORK--()--Critical sectors of the U.S. economy should see continued or renewed strength in 2014, according to business leaders at CIT Group Inc., (NYSE: CIT) cit.com, a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies. Bob Bielinski, Managing Director, CIT Corporate Finance, Retail and Restaurants; Matthew Galligan, President, CIT Real Estate Finance; and Steve Warden, President, CIT Corporate Finance, Healthcare, share their 2014 outlooks for their respective industries in “Thoughts On: 2014 Commercial Financing Trends,” (cit.com/2014trends) the latest piece of market intelligence to be featured in CIT’s Executive Insights series (cit.com/executiveinsights).

The executives each offer key insights into the top trends they see ahead in their industry:

Bob Bielinski Restaurants

  • Improved economic data, including resilient consumer spending, rising home prices and continued job creation, suggest sales should increase in 2014. The most notable growth will continue to come from fast casual brands, which are taking market share.
  • The current favorable lending environment will continue into 2014. Large and middle market restaurant companies, as well as franchisees of top-tier brands, will have ready access to capital for acquisitions, remodels and/or new builds.

Matthew Galligan Commercial Real Estate

  • As investors search for returns in a low-interest-rate environment, where bonds are out of favor, and bargains are getting harder to find in the stock market, real estate is back in vogue. The flow of abundant investment dollars into the sector from banks, insurance companies, commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) and foreign investors have fueled the sale and refinancing of properties during a recent wave of maturities in the CMBS market.

Steve Warden Healthcare

  • M&A in middle market healthcare is likely to pick up in 2014, after two consecutive years of decline — the drivers will be consolidation pressure and continuing Affordable Care Act implementation giving better visibility into the future.
  • Healthcare companies that are focused on growth and margin expansion are going to see increasing pressure to evolve from “fee for service” models to “fee for value” models with an emphasis on quality, low-cost outcomes.

To read more from each executive, visit cit.com/2014trends. For additional insights and perspectives from CIT executives on the industries they support, visit cit.com/perspectives.

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About CIT Corporate Finance

CIT Corporate Finance provides lending, leasing and other financial and advisory services to the middle market with a focus on specific industries, including: Aerospace & Defense, Business Services, Commercial Real Estate, Communications, Energy, Entertainment, Gaming, Healthcare, Industrials, Information Services & Technology, Restaurants, Retail and Sports & Media. cit.com/corporatefinance

About CIT

Founded in 1908, CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with more than $35 billion in financing and leasing assets. It provides financing, leasing and advisory services to its clients and their customers across more than 30 industries. CIT maintains leadership positions in middle market lending, factoring, retail and equipment finance, as well as aerospace, equipment and rail leasing. CIT operates CIT Bank (Member FDIC), its primary bank subsidiary, which, through its Internet bank BankOnCIT.com, offers a suite of savings options designed to help customers achieve a range of financial goals. cit.com

Contacts

CIT MEDIA RELATIONS:
C. Curtis Ritter, 973-740-5390
Director of Corporate Communications
Curt.Ritter@cit.com
or
Matt Klein, 973-597-2020
Vice President, Media Relations
Matt.Klein@cit.com
or
CIT INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Barbara Callahan, 973-740-5058
Senior Vice President
Barbara.Callahan@cit.com

Release Summary

Critical sectors of the U.S. economy should see continued or renewed strength in 2014, according to business leaders at CIT Group Inc., (NYSE: CIT) cit.com.

Contacts

CIT MEDIA RELATIONS:
C. Curtis Ritter, 973-740-5390
Director of Corporate Communications
Curt.Ritter@cit.com
or
Matt Klein, 973-597-2020
Vice President, Media Relations
Matt.Klein@cit.com
or
CIT INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Barbara Callahan, 973-740-5058
Senior Vice President
Barbara.Callahan@cit.com