New Industry Profile chapter provides context around financial ratios and benchmarks, helping bankers and other advisors make more informed decisions and have stronger client conversations

RALEIGH, N.C. — SEPTEMBER 28, 2026 — Vertical IQ, a leading provider of Industry Intelligence, has rolled out a new Financial Analysis chapter for its Industry Profiles, designed to help bankers, advisors and other professionals go beyond financial benchmarks to better understand why financial ratios look the way they do within a particular industry and what those numbers can reveal about a business.

Developed in collaboration with credit experts Credit Training, Inc., Vertical IQ’s new Financial Analysis content provides plain-language explanations of key financial measures within the context of each industry’s business model, operating cycle and risk profile. Rather than simply presenting an industry benchmark, the analysis explains the factors that influence it and how different financial measures relate to one another.

“Financial ratios are much more valuable when you understand the story behind the numbers,” said Bobby Martin, CEO and co-founder of Vertical IQ. “Knowing an industry’s typical leverage or liquidity is important, but a great advisor also understands why those ratios are typical for that industry and what might cause an individual company to differ. This new Financial Analysis chapter provides that context so our customers can make better decisions, ask better questions and have more meaningful financial conversations with business owners.”

Putting industry financials in context

Vertical IQ’s 1,600+ Industry Profiles covering 100% of the U.S. economy and Canada have long provided financial benchmarks that allow users to compare a company’s performance with others in its industry. The new Financial Analysis chapter builds on that existing benchmark data by explaining how an industry’s underlying characteristics influence its financial performance.

For example, the analysis may explain how an industry’s operating cycle affects working capital needs; why certain businesses typically carry more or less leverage; what drives liquidity requirements; or how labor, inventory, pricing and other operating factors affect margins and profitability.

Each industry’s Financial Analysis chapter covers areas like:

  • Industry risks
  • Cash conversion cycles, including sources and uses of cash
  • Accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable
  • Leverage and liquidity
  • Sales and revenue
  • Revenue outlook
  • Gross and operating profit margins
  • Major operating expenses
  • Profitability drivers and risks

Together, these insights help users see the relationships among financial measures rather than viewing individual ratios in isolation.

“Good financial analysis requires more than comparing a borrower’s ratio with an industry average,” said David Nicholson, owner of Credit Training, Inc. “You need to understand what is driving that benchmark and whether the company’s performance makes sense given the economics of its industry. Our goal with this content is to give Vertical IQ users that additional layer of understanding in a practical format they can apply to real-world financial analysis and client conversations.” 

Supporting stronger credit analysis

For bankers and lenders, one of the most important applications of the new chapter is credit underwriting and credit memo preparation.

A lender evaluating a company can already use Vertical IQ to compare its financial performance with industry benchmarks. However, the Financial Analysis chapter adds context that can help the lender explain what they are seeing in the financials and why a borrower may have higher leverage, lower liquidity or different margins than its peers, and determine whether those differences indicate increased risk or simply reflect how the business or industry operates.

By better understanding industry specific analysis, lenders can develop more insightful credit write-ups, more thoroughly assess repayment risk and make more informed decisions about loan structure and terms.

Making financial conversations more meaningful

The new chapter also gives bankers and advisors a resource for explaining financial performance to business owners. Rather than simply telling an owner that the company’s current ratio, leverage or margin differs from the industry benchmark, an advisor can discuss what typically drives that ratio within the industry, how the company compares and what business decisions may be influencing the result. For example, this analysis explains industry-specific items such as its primary cost of goods sold, operating expenses that drive profitability, and balance sheet-specific drivers of leverage and liquidity. 

“That context can turn a discussion about numbers into a broader conversation about working capital, pricing, operating expenses, growth, profitability and financial strategy,” noted Martin. “This insightful information will forge industry-specific expertise in credit analysis as well as in conversations with borrowers.”

The Financial Analysis content can also serve as a learning resource for newer bankers and advisors who are developing their financial analysis skills and industry expertise. Plain-language explanations help users understand how financial measures interact and how those relationships can differ substantially from one industry to another.

“There used to be more institutional knowledge and robust resources dedicated to training young bankers,” Martin said. “Today, the banking industry is devoting less to the valuable skill of understanding how financials work within various types of firms. Our Financial Analysis content works to fill that gap.”

“This is really about helping people become smarter Commercial Bankers,” added Nicholson. “Whether you’re underwriting a loan, preparing for a client meeting or a loan committee meeting, in discussions with a business owner or learning how an unfamiliar industry works, you need to understand more than just the numbers. You need to understand the what and the why they are what they are. That knowledge helps you connect the dots, tell the story and ultimately make better decisions.” 

Register for Vertical IQ’s upcoming free webinar on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m., ET, featuring Nicholson and showcasing real-world applications of this new Financial Analysis content. 

 

About Vertical IQ

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Vertical IQ is a nationally recognized leader in Industry Intelligence. Whether they’re discussing cash management with a local brewery or analyzing risk for a large-scale furniture manufacturing company, successful banks, credit unions, accounting, insurance and advisory firms use Vertical IQ to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business challenges before, during and after meetings. Covering 100% of the industries that comprise the U.S. economy and Canada, as well as 3,400 local economic reports, Vertical IQ equips users with the confidence and credibility to make memorable first impressions and sustain enduring relationships. Learn more at www.verticaliq.com

About Credit Training, Inc.

Founded in 2015, Credit Training, Inc. provides formal commercial credit training designed to drive financial professionals development, elevating skills to analyze financial risk and manage complex commercial loan portfolios. Led by founder and instructor David Nicholson, an experienced commercial banker and credit educator, Credit Training, Inc. trains credit analysts, portfolio managers and commercial lenders in financial analysis and C&I and CRE lending. More than 400 students have completed CTI’s formal credit training program, and more than 30 banks use Credit Training, Inc. for their commercial credit training needs. Learn more at www.credittraininginc.com.

 

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