Industries with Most Risky Business Environments in the US in 2025

1. Casting Agencies in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 7.14

Casting agencies play an intermediary role between producers and talent agencies. When the producer of a film, TV series, advertisement or other media project requires an actor with specific physical characteristics or acting skills, they reach out to a casting agency to provide candidates. Casting directors then send out requests to talent agencies for actors with matching traits. Talent agents submit available matching candidates to casting directors for an audition, in which the director evaluates the skills of the actor. Casting directors' expertise lies in their ability to spot strong candidates that also match the specific requests of the project's... Learn More

2. Telecommunication Networking Equipment Manufacturing in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 7.13

The Telecommunications Networking Equipment Manufacturing industry produces wired telecommunication equipment including network switches, routers, modems and gateways. This industry has experienced consistent declines in revenue over the years to 2023 despite an increasing number of broadband connections and a rising number of consumers that have acquired computers. Domestic demand for telecommunication network equipment products has greatly declined in the period, with a significant amount of demand satisfied by imports. The industry also experienced significant declines in revenue in 2020 because of volatility in the global economic environment brought on by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Revenue has plummeted, declining at a... Learn More

3. Chicken & Turkey Meat Production in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 7.07

Positive trends in demand variables and near constant demand from poultry processors along with a recovery in the price of poultry meat in 2021 have led to rising industry revenue over the five years to 2023. Additionally, increased demand for chicken as a substitute for other meats, particularly red meat, helped limit revenue declines amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, increasing health consciousness among US consumers has boosted consumption of white meat in general. A rising price of feed from a low prior to the period has also driven growth. As feed is the largest input cost for meat producers,... Learn More

4. Regional Banks in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 7.02

Regional banks are composed of commercial banks that have between $50.0 billion and $500.0 billion in domestic asset under management (AUM) and operations are not limited to one state. Banks that fall into this threshold provide the same services that the commercial banking industry provides. Also, regional banks have a significantly smaller scope of operations compared with large commercial banks that operate across the country.

Through the end of 2023, operators in regional banks have benefited due to increased consumer confidence and consumer debt levels. This coincided with the Federal Reserve raising the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) during the early portion... Learn More

5. Corn, Wheat & Soybean Wholesaling in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.89

Corn, wheat and soybean wholesalers distribute grains, such as corn, rice, wheat, dry beans and soybeans, which are essentials in most Americans' diets. Due to their necessary nature and the fact that households are typically unable to dramatically change their food preferences in the short run, the COVID-19 recession didn't drastically reduce revenue for wholesalers. Many companies endured some decline in sales because of falling demand from retail and manufacturing markets, so they still decided to reduce their capacity. As spending surged during the pandemic recovery, wholesalers, farmers and other industry operators couldn't increase their supply to match demand. Prices... Learn More

6. Computer Peripheral Manufacturing in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.88

The industry relies heavily on its performance in the international markets, since an overwhelming amount of downstream demand comes from exports. An appreciation of the US dollar during the current period has certainly depressed growth. As COVID loomed and US businesses closed, consumers were forced inside for the better part of a year. Further decreases in revenue were offset by consumers purchasing from the industry for personal entertainment purposes. Revenue ultimately increased at a CAGR of 0.6% to $14.3 billion over the five years to 2023, with an increase of 1.8% in 2023 alone as profit reached 4.3%.

Demand for computer... Learn More

7. Commercial Banking in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.84

The Commercial Banking industry is composed of banks regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Fed) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Banks generate most of their revenue through loans they originate to customers and businesses. Loans are made at various interest rates that are influenced by different factors, including the federal funds rate (FFR), the prime rate, debtors' creditworthiness and macroeconomic performance.

The industry experienced mixed performance. Industry operators benefited between 2017 and 2019 due to interest rate hikes by the Fed and increasing economic activity. In 2020, the COVID-19... Learn More

8. Copper, Nickel, Lead & Zinc Mining in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.74

The Copper, Nickel, Lead and Zinc Mining industry consists of companies that mine metal-bearing ores and sell them in raw form or as concentrates. Since the United States only contains one nickel mine, industry performance mainly depends on copper, lead and zinc production and prices. These minerals are key inputs in construction, electronics, and automobiles. Accordingly, demand fluctuates in unison with growth in global activity. China's vast appetite for copper and other metals creates a robust and direct relationship between Chinese demand and global market conditions. Industry performance has been stymied by waning global growth, particularly due to the ongoing... Learn More

9. Shoe Repair in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.72

The shoe repair industry comprises operators that repair footwear made of leather or rubber soles and other leather or leather-like goods. For decades, low-cost imported shoes combined with highly personalized marketing from fast-fashion retailers have encouraged consumers to purchase new shoes in place of repairing old ones, thus reducing demand for industry services. As a result, this movement toward online outlets to minimize costs has encouraged many operators to close up shop altogether, with the remaining players adapting to changing demand conditions. In addition, formal workplace attire has continued to lose popularity. It has shifted towards more casual styles, placing... Learn More

10. Corn Farming in the US

Business Environment Risk for 2025: 6.71

Revenue for the corn farming industry has been volatile over the past five years as corn prices and demand have fluctuated dramatically. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a downturn in revenue as the supply chain backed up products were left unsold, but massive increases in exports and boosted oil production caused revenue to skyrocket in 2021 and 2022. As a result of these outliers, revenue has risen an annualized 10.1% to $94.7 billion over the five years to 2023, including an increase of 0.3% in 2023 alone.

Domestic supply remained consistent through COVID-19 as a reduction in production from... Learn More