The Integrated Firm-Level Database (IFLD): a new microdata infrastructure for analysing Austrian firms

Summary

The Integrated Firm-Level Database (IFLD) combines administrative and supervisory data on Austrian firms into a unified microdata infrastructure. Its key innovation is that it links previously fragmented
information on firm characteristics, financial statements, bank lending, ownership and insolvencies within clearly defined firm populations. The IFLD reveals that the Austrian economy is dominated in number by small firms, while economic activity and financing are highly concentrated among relatively few firms.
Ownership is often concentrated among a small number of owners, predominantly natural persons.

Highlights

Small firms dominate by number
The majority of Austrian nonfinancial firms are very small. Among firms subject to disclosure
requirements for which information is available, the median firm has two employees, an annual turnover of around EUR 369,000 and total assets of around EUR 547,000. A comparatively small number of
large firms account for much of economic activity.

Direct bank financing is limited
Only around 36% of Austrian non-financial firms have a loan from an Austrian credit institution. Also, bank lending is highly concentrated, with a small share of borrowers accounting for the bulk of outstanding credit.

Ownership patterns differ sharply by firms’ economic weight
In 62% of limited liability companies, the majority shareholder is a single natural person. At the same time, firms majority-owned by a single legal person account for 79% of total assets. This shows that corporate ownership dominates among economically important firms.