FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anthony Smith, NFIB Oregon State Director, anthony.smith@nfib.org
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

SALEM, Ore., March 10, 2026—From Anthony Smith, state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in Oregon, on today’s findings from the monthly NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, which fell 0.5 points in February to 98.8 but remained slightly above the 52-year average of 98. The Uncertainty Index decreased three points from January to 88.

“Competition from large businesses is at a five-year high, which is why it’s especially troubling that Oregon politicians would even consider taking away a powerful economic development tool like bonus depreciation and replacing it with a new tax credit program that very few small businesses will be able to utilize. But this is what the Legislature did during the 2026 session with SB 1507 and HB 4084.”

In conjunction with the February report, NFIB also released a new episode of the NFIB Research Center’s “Small Business by the Numbers” podcast. Listen to the latest episode here.

From NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg

“Although optimism declined slightly, small businesses report feeling more certain in February as they look toward the coming months. High sales and increased profits made February a more positive month for many owners, but competition from large businesses is putting stress on Main Street firms as they navigate the current economic climate.”

Highlights from the Latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index

• Seasonally adjusted, a net 34% reported raising compensation, up 2 points from January and the highest level since March 2025.
• The frequency of reports of positive profit trends rose 7 points from January to a net negative 14% (seasonally adjusted). The last time earnings trends were this high was in December 2021.
• The net percent of owners raising average selling prices fell 2 points from January to a net 24% (seasonally adjusted). This marked the third consecutive month that actual price increases slowed, though the changes remain well above the historical average.
• When asked to evaluate the overall health of their business, 12% rated it as excellent (down 2 points), 55% as good (up 1 point), 26% as fair (down 1 point), and 5% as poor (up 1 point).
• Eight percent reported competition from large businesses as their single most important problem, up 2 points from January. The last time competition from large businesses, reported as the top issue, was this high was in May 2021.

Keep up with the latest Oregon small business news at www.nfib.com or on X at @NFIB_OR

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

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