NCEO Member Survey Preliminary Results

The NCEO's first survey of its ESOP membership is underway (a survey on equity compensation and one for service providers will follow). Results will change as more companies complete the survey, but some preliminary highlights are emerging:

• Similar to our survey in October 2008, the majority of companies report no change in their access to credit (72% and 79% for long- and short-term credit, respectively).
• Compared with the October survey, far more companies (38%, up from 23%) expect to shrink, but are confident about their survival, and 2% are concerned about their viability.
• 46% of responding companies have ESOPs that are currently leveraged.
• Two-thirds have internal trustees and 16% have institutional trustees.
• The greatest number of companies (38%) reported contributions between 4% and 10% of eligible compensation; 7% reported no contribution in the most recent year.

Member companies with ESOPs may complete the survey at this link. Participating companies will receive an advance summary of the results, and some results will be used to create a searchable database available exclusively to NCEO members.