For the first time, Statistics Iceland is publishing data on the age distribution of insolvent public and private legal units, from 1998 onwards. For the period 1998-2014, 49.6% of insolvent legal units are less than 7 years old, and 34.3% are 7-12 years old. Only 16% of legal units are 13 years or older when they are declared insolvent. For the year 2014, 9.1% legal units that were declared insolvent were 1-3 years old, 23.7% were 4-6 years old and 30.6% were 7-9 years old.
Corporate insolvencies decreased by 20% over the last 12 months, from May 2014 to April 2015, compared to the prior 12 months. There were 769 corporate insolvencies in that period. The greatest decrease of insolvencies was in Financial and insurance activities, 22% over a 12 months period.
New registrations of private limited companies increased by 8% over the last 12 months, from May 2014 to April 2015, compared to the prior 12 months. There were 2,107 new registrations in that period. The highest increase of new registrations was in Professional, scientific and technical activities, 44% increase over a 12 months period.
| New registration and insolvencies | ||||||
| April | May- April | |||||
| 2015 | 2014 | % | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 | % | |
| New registration | ||||||
| Total | 185 | 180 | 3 | 2,107 | 1,956 | 8 |
| A Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 13 | 7 | 86 | 98 | 86 | 14 |
| C Manufacturing | 10 | 7 | 43 | 83 | 82 | 1 |
| F Construction | 20 | 14 | 43 | 248 | 184 | 35 |
| G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 22 | 23 | -4 | 279 | 276 | 1 |
| H Transportation and storage | 3 | 5 | -40 | 44 | 43 | 2 |
| I Accommodation and food service activities | 13 | 11 | 18 | 140 | 118 | 19 |
| J Information and communication | 17 | 19 | -11 | 174 | 170 | 2 |
| K Financial and insurance activities | 16 | 36 | -56 | 312 | 312 | 0 |
| L Real estate activities | 33 | 9 | 267 | 248 | 256 | -3 |
| M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 21 | 21 | 0 | 212 | 147 | 44 |
| N Administrative and support service activities | 6 | 16 | -63 | 140 | 157 | -11 |
| Insolvencies | ||||||
| Total | 66 | 83 | -20 | 769 | 881 | -13 |
| A Agriculture, forestry and fishing | - | 3 | - | 23 | 28 | -18 |
| C Manufacturing | 5 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 57 | -7 |
| F Construction | 11 | 11 | 0 | 145 | 167 | -13 |
| G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 14 | 15 | -7 | 140 | 166 | -16 |
| H Transportation and storage | 3 | 2 | 50 | 22 | 28 | -21 |
| I Accommodation and food service activities | 5 | 7 | -29 | 64 | 61 | 5 |
| J Information and communication | 1 | 4 | -75 | 35 | 40 | -13 |
| K Financial and insurance activities | 3 | 8 | -63 | 51 | 65 | -22 |
| L Real estate activities | 14 | 12 | 17 | 96 | 116 | -17 |
| M Professional, scientific and technical activities | 5 | 8 | -38 | 68 | 66 | 3 |
| N Adminstrative and support service activities | 1 | 2 | -50 | 33 | 32 | 3 |