Valley National Bancorp’s Valley National Bank released its second annual Middle-Market C&I Survey, finding that middle-market commercial businesses reported stronger 2025 performance but are entering 2026 facing rising uncertainty. Among 500 firms surveyed, 92% rated cash flow as good or very good, while productivity and profitability also increased year over year; however, more respondents cited challenges tied to inflation and interest rates (57%) and geopolitical and trade-policy concerns (52%). The report says companies are prioritizing efficiency, customer retention, pricing discipline, and greater adoption of AI and data analytics, even as many acknowledge gaps in cash-flow management, forecasting, cost control, and fraud mitigation.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Valley National Bancorp published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 202602191015BIZWIRE_USPR_____20260219_BW198777) on February 19, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.