Of 136,260 businesses that operated in Croatia last year, 40,098 or 29.4% had no employees, the Financial Agency (Fina) has reported based on data from annual financial statements.

Of the total number of businesses without employees, 35,940 operated on a regular basis, 1,810 were in liquidation and 2,348 in bankruptcy, Fina said, adding that 18,300 of them operated at a profit and 21,798 at a loss.

Although the share of businesses without employees in the total number of businesses was 29.4%, their share in total revenue was 2.5%, their share in total expenditure was 2.8% and their share in total profit was 8.5%. On the other hand, their share in total losses was 32.2%, with the total loss for the period of HRK 5.7 billion.

The largest number of businesses without employees operated in the trade sector (8,157), professional, scientific and technical activities (5,912) and the construction sector (4,497). Trade businesses generated the highest total revenues (HRK 4.4 billion), ahead of real estate businesses (HRK 3.9 billion) and businesses from the professional, scientific and technical sector (HRK 3.2 billion).

The total operating result of all businesses without employees was negative – a net loss of HRK 1.5 billion. The highest losses were posted by trade businesses (HRK 1.1 billion), construction businesses (HRK 938.7 million) and manufacturing businesses (HRK 266.1 million), while the lowest losses were reported by businesses engaged in other service activities (HRK 3.6 million).

(€1 = HRK 7.57)