NZ Business Failures
In Aug 2026 the Insolvency and Trustee Service handled 69 company liquidations (vs 45 in Aug 2025). Over the last 12 months it handled 712, up 19% on the 12 months before. These are only liquidations administered by the Official Assignee, so the national total is higher.
Built from Insolvency and Trustee Service figures. Figures refresh automatically.
Liquidations in Aug 2026
69
vs 45 in Aug 2025 · Aug 2026 · Insolvency and Trustee Service
Last 12 months
712
vs 600 in the 12 months before · Aug 2026 · Insolvency and Trustee Service
Change on the previous 12 months
+19%
rolling 12-month total · Aug 2026 · NZ Business Alliance calculation
Share heard in Auckland
55%
of liquidations in the last 12 months, by court · Aug 2026 · Insolvency and Trustee Service
Liquidations, rolling 12 months
Company liquidations administered by the Official Assignee, trailing 12-month total since 2014
Liquidations by month
Monthly count since July 2021. January is always near zero because of court vacations.
Liquidations by financial year
July to June, complete years only
Where cases are heard
Liquidations by court in the last 12 months
What this means for your business
- Credit risk: liquidations handled by the Official Assignee are up 19% on the previous 12 months. When failures rise, late payments and unpaid invoices tend to follow, so check the terms you give customers and keep an eye on large debtors.
- Suppliers: a supplier that fails can leave you without stock or with deposits at risk. Ask key suppliers about their position, and know who your alternatives are.
- Local picture: 55% of cases were heard in Auckland over the last 12 months, so the problem is concentrated in the largest market.
Why this is only part of the picture
These figures count only liquidations administered by the Official Assignee through the Insolvency and Trustee Service. Most company liquidations are run by private liquidators and do not appear here, so the real number of New Zealand company failures is higher. A change in this count can also reflect who applies to the court (for example, tax or creditor applications) as well as how many businesses are in trouble. Treat it as an early warning signal, not a complete count. We are working on adding company registrations and removals from the Companies Office.
Data tables
Liquidations by financial year
| Financial year (July to June) | Liquidations |
|---|---|
| 2013/14 | 393 |
| 2014/15 | 175 |
| 2015/16 | 148 |
| 2016/17 | 120 |
| 2017/18 | 118 |
| 2018/19 | 86 |
| 2019/20 | 58 |
| 2020/21 | 69 |
| 2021/22 | 97 |
| 2022/23 | 251 |
| 2023/24 | 381 |
| 2024/25 | 586 |
| 2025/26 | 681 |
Liquidations by court, last 12 months
| Court | Liquidations |
|---|---|
| Auckland | 395 |
| Christchurch | 54 |
| Hamilton | 47 |
| Tauranga | 36 |
| Wellington | 36 |
| Rotorua | 24 |
| Napier | 22 |
| Whangarei | 16 |
Sources and method
Insolvency and Trustee Service, monthly ITS administered liquidations (Crown copyright, reused with attribution). Monthly figures come from the published tables, with a blank before the latest published month treated as zero. Rolling and yearly totals are calculated by NZ Business Alliance. Data built 2026-10-30.