Lenders are ranked on their overall small business lending, not by lending under SBA programs.

The number of small business loans outstanding under $100,000 increased 25 percent between June 2004 and June 2005, according to a report released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The increase came mostly from credit card use by small business. The report also noted that the number of small business loans outstanding between $100,000 and $1 million increased 5 percent during the same period.

“Access to credit is vital for small business survival,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist for the Office of Advocacy. “That is why we produce our annual lending report, so that trends in small business finance are made clear.”

The report, Small Business and Micro Business Lending in the United States, for Data Years 2004-2005, uses both Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Reports) from June 2005 and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) reports for 2004 to review small business lending activities by financial institutions. This year’s edition expands to include savings banks, and savings and loan institutions.

The report also ranks lenders in each state by their small business lending activities, as well as ranking large national financial institutions. The report includes data on American Territories as well as the states. Lenders are ranked on their overall small business lending, not by lending under SBA programs.