Core Insights - The Fiserv Small Business Index for February 2026 remains steady at 143, with year-over-year sales increasing by 1.2% despite a decline in foot traffic [1][2][3] Sales Performance - Year-over-year sales grew by 1.2%, while transactions (foot traffic) decreased by 0.8% [2] - Month-over-month sales saw a slight increase of 0.2%, and foot traffic changed minimally with a decrease of 0.1% compared to January [2] - Sales growth was primarily driven by higher average ticket sizes, which increased by 2.0% year-over-year and 0.3% month-over-month [2] Sector Analysis - Service-based businesses experienced sales growth, while restaurant sales declined due to reduced foot traffic [3] - Notable year-over-year sales increases were observed in the following subsectors: - Repair and Maintenance (+1.5%) - Health and Personal Care Retailers (+3.0%) - Accommodations/Hotels (+4.3%) [3] - Professional Services also saw a rise in sales (+4.2%) attributed to increased pricing in Tax Preparation, Business Services, and Legal Services [3] Retail Sector Insights - Retail sales grew slightly by 0.6% year-over-year and remained flat compared to January [4] - Foot traffic decreased by 0.2% from January but increased by 1.4% year-over-year [4] - Specific categories with month-over-month gains included: - Food and Beverage Stores (+0.8%) - Motor Vehicle Parts (+0.9%) - Health and Personal Care Retailers (+0.5%) [4] Restaurant Sales Trends - Sales in Food Services and Drinking Places (Restaurants) were flat year-over-year (+0.1%) and compared to January [5] - Foot traffic declined both month-over-month (-0.4%) and year-over-year (-2.1%) [5] - Limited-Service Restaurants saw a year-over-year decline of 1.8%, while Full-Service Restaurants grew by 1.4% [5] Weather Impact - A winter storm in the Northeast negatively affected small business sales, particularly in Rhode Island (-9.9%) and New York (-2.9%) [6] Index Methodology - The Fiserv Small Business Index is based on point-of-sale transaction data from approximately 2 million U.S. small businesses, providing a direct measure of consumer spending [7][8] - The index is benchmarked to 2019 and offers detailed insights into various industries and subsectors [8][9]

Core Insights - Fiserv's Small Business Index for January 2026 indicates a decline in small business sales due to seasonal shifts and harsh winter storms, with the index dropping 1 point to 143 [1] - Year-over-year sales increased by 0.7%, while month-over-month sales decreased by 0.5% [1] Consumer Behavior - Consumer foot traffic experienced a significant year-over-year decline of 2.0%, the sharpest since mid-2022, and a month-over-month drop of 0.8% [2] - Discretionary spending softened, with discretionary sales falling 0.4% year-over-year and 0.7% month-over-month, influenced by a 2.4% year-over-year decline in foot traffic [3] Sector Performance - Essential sales remained stable year-over-year, growing by 2.2%, but were flat month-over-month [3] - Professional and Administrative Services showed growth, with Administrative and Support Services increasing by 1.1% month-over-month, and Tax Preparation Services growing by 9.3% year-over-year and 5.6% month-over-month [4] - Small business retail sales were flat year-over-year and month-over-month, with core retail categories (grocery, clothing, furniture) growing by 1.5% year-over-year, while non-core retail categories declined by 2.7% [5] Restaurant and Service Sector Trends - Restaurant sales fell by 1.8% year-over-year, primarily due to a 3.6% decline in foot traffic, with limited-service restaurants experiencing the largest sales drop of 3.4% year-over-year [6] - Average ticket sizes in restaurants increased by 1.6% year-over-year, providing only a partial offset to the decline in sales [6] Impact of Winter Storms - The report highlights the impact of Winter Storm Fern on various regions and business types across the U.S., affecting consumer behavior and sales trends [7]