Despite the apparent recovery from the effects of the pandemic, about 22% of North American public companies were not financially or operationally stable at the end of Q12021. Of these companies, 20% were stressed, meaning underperforming industry peers or experiencing pressure from internal or external sources, and 2% were distressed, meaning having trouble meeting financial obligations or experiencing severe operational challenges.

More than seven months into the novel coronavirus pandemic, a disturbingly large number of US companies are at risk, according to new research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) confirming that economic distress is deeply entrenched and shows no sign of letting up.