16. Business Credit Scores

Understanding how your business score is measured can give you distinct advantages and help you make strategic choices with purchasing and payments.

Business Credit Scores

Reminder: When first applying for the credit options based on new vendors and credit card accounts, your business score will drop slightly. This should not be a concern, The drop is caused by inquiries and because accounts have been opened recently. It’s a normal process and the scores will increase as the payment history gets established and expanded.

The Paydex® Score from Dun & Bradstreet– Used by lenders when you apply for business loans and financing.

Your Paydex® Score will be directly connected to your D&B business credit report, making it very important to your overall business credit. It is similar to a FICO score, as it is a statistical measurement of a company’s credit trustworthiness. It’s based on reported tradelines and other factors. You score ranges from 0 to 100, and anything above 90 is considered exceptional, with ratings 89 or lower decent, and anything below 71 considered poor credit.

Set a goal for achieving at least an 80-score or higher, which will allow you to qualify for the majority of business lending options. To achieve this goal, have at least three trade points that report to D&B. (It’s best to have five, giving you the fastest route to a great score with Dun & Bradstreet.)

The ultimate goal should be to eventually have eight to ten trade points reporting to the D&B system. This will give you the best credit depth, history, and a diverse platform of credit reporting.

Click Here for Paydex® Score Sample Report from Dun & Bradstreet

Intelliscore Plus? from Experian– Used by lenders when you apply for business credit cards.

Intelliscore Plus? is the measurement system used by Experian to assess risk and determine business creditworthiness. It is a predictive system that helps Experian manage risk. Using over 800 different variables, the credit score system is based on important factors that include:

Credit: To determine your credit, Intelliscore Plus? looks at the number of trade experiences you have, the outstanding balances, your business payment history, credit utilization, and other factors.

Public records: The system also accesses publicly-available financial records, which can include bankruptcy, liens, and judgments against your business.

Demographic information: Demographics for your business include the time that it has been on file, the SIC code, and business size.

Click here to see a sample of Experian Business Credit report.

Your Credit Risk Score from Equifax Small Business – Used by lenders when you apply for business credit cards.

When it comes to scoring commercial entities, Equifax is more careful about the factors that create their model. A large portion of their model is based on payment history, including making payments on time and making consistent payments. They work to keep your company’s report free from public records or frequent inquiries. The score your receive is called the Small Business Credit Risk Score, which can be viewed by clicking on the file below.

Click here to see a sample of Equifax Business Credit report.