Data from the Experian Spain Center for Economic Studies shows that bankruptcy filings are down 6.6% year-to-date, reaching 2,682 bankruptcy filings compared with 2,872 in the first five months of 2025. In addition, the year-over-year variation also fell 4.3% in May, with 595 filings, versus 622 in the same month of the previous year.
Sector analysis shows that wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles continues to be the sector with the highest number of bankruptcies in the first five months of the year (605), but it registers a 17.1% decline versus the same period last year. In second place is Construction with 405 bankruptcy filings, a 6.6% decrease from the same period in 2025. Manufacturing Industry repeats in third place with 347 bankruptcies, down 9.6% when comparing the same periods year over year.
Geographically, Catalonia stands as the region with the most bankruptcy filings (663) so far this year, down 15.3% from the same period in 2025. In second place is Madrid with 567 filings, a 7.5% drop relative to the same period last year. In third place is Valencia with 395 filings, which translates to an increase of 3.6% compared with the same period in 2025.
The business landscape strengthens with 11,393 new companies
The formation of new companies in our country continues its upward trend, with 61,508 new firms incorporated thus far in 2026, representing a 13.3% rise in the first five months of 2026. However, the year-over-year rate shows a decline of more than 16%, with 11,393 companies formed in May, compared with 13,564 in May 2025.
Analyzing sector data, Construction stands as the sector with the most new companies formed, 9,440 new firms, up 20.7%. In second place is Wholesale and Retail Trade and Repair of motor vehicles with 9,000 new companies, 1.1% higher than the same period of the previous year. In third place are Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities with 6,199 new companies (+7.75%).
Geographic analysis shows that Madrid leads the region with the most newly created companies, with 13,211 new firms so far in 2026, up 9.3% from the same period last year. In second place is Catalonia with 11,613 new companies, up 10.1% from the same period last year. In third place is Andalusia with 10,000 new companies formed so far this year, up 11.2% from the same period last year.
May, the month with the lowest number of dissolved companies
May has consolidated its position as the month with the fewest dissolved companies, reaching 4,607 dissolved firms, up 11.2% from May 2025. Year to date, 32,804 companies have been dissolved, an 8.1% rise from the same period last year.
Wholesale and Retail Trade and Repair of motor vehicles leads the sectors’ ranking for the number of dissolved companies with 6,589 dissolved firms, up 11.6% from the first five months of the previous year. Second place is Construction with 4,802 dissolved companies, up 9.1% from the same period in 2025. In third place are Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities with 3,784 dissolved companies, up 5.5% from the same period last year.
The geographic analysis shows that Madrid again leads the region with the highest number of dissolved companies, at 7,671, up 7.1% from the same period last year. It is followed by Catalonia with 4,992 companies dissolved so far this year, up 10.1% from the same period last year. In third place is Andalusia, with 4,931 dissolved companies, up 13.4% from the first five months of 2025.
