In Brief: Fast-Growing Firms Upbeat on Economy

More than 75% of chief executive officers of rapidly growing companies are optimistic about the national economy, according to a recent survey by Coopers & Lybrand.

The survey found only 3% of chief executives at 441 such businesses were pessimistic and 21% uncertain. Roughly half the companies were high-tech companies.

The chief executives expect revenues for their companies to increase by an average of 25.8% over the next 12 months.

A survey at midyear 1997 showed chief executives expected a 28.5% revenue rise for the year ending June 30, 1998.

Over 60% of technology companies responding to the more recent survey sold some products overseas. Chief executive officers of these companies expect international business to account for an average of 23% of revenues in 1998.

Only 28% of the businesses surveyed applied for new bank loans during the third quarter, compared with 32% in the same period of 1996. The businesses paid an average of 9.31% in interest.

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