Growth outlook 2026: What leaders expect in the coming year
This article is part of our second annual Risk + Reward series. Capital One Business and Inc. partnered to survey 349 business leaders in November 2025 to explore how they navigate risk and rewards in pursuit of business growth. View our key findings and other articles in this series.
Despite uncertainty in the economy and other areas, business leaders are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.
During the past 12 months:
- 77% have seen revenue growth.
- 40% have increased revenue up to 10%.
Looking ahead 12 months:
- 94% expect an increase in revenue.
- 96% expect to increase earnings.
- 47% expect an increase in head count.
Earnings versus revenue growth
- 77% of companies expect revenue growth of up to 10%.
- 59% of companies expect earnings growth by at least 10%.
Business leaders shared their plans for growth over the next 12 months
37% expect defensive growth mode:
- Resilience/keeping up with the competition 28%
- Preservation/staying in business 9%
37% expect moderate growth mode:
- Continued growth (moderate increases) 37%
26% expect offensive growth mode:
- Aggressive growth 24%
- Disruptive/transformational growth 2%
Inside the numbers: Who is planning for offensive growth mode
- 32% of larger companies
- 20% of smaller
Source: Inc. and Capital One Business Risk & Reward Survey 2025
