Fiserv, a global provider of payments and financial services technology, published the Fiserv Small Business Index for May 2025, with the seasonally-adjusted index remaining flat at 151. Despite shifting spending patterns as consumers navigate near-term economic uncertainty, small businesses maintained solid year-over-year sales growth of (+3.3%) and total transactions rose (+3.8%).
“Small businesses continue to show resilience, with May marking another month of year-over-year growth,” Prasanna Dhore, chief data officer of Fiserv, said. “The continued shift toward essential spending is now a defining trend—growing at double the rate of discretionary purchases as consumers are more intentional with their spending.”
Month-over-month sales (+0.2%) also grew while declining transactions (-2.7%) reflected lower consumer foot traffic. This is the first decline of this magnitude since February 2023, when transactions fell (-2.5%) compared to the month prior. The May average ticket size increased by (+2.9%) compared to April, reflecting a shifting mix of consumer spend, changing demand patterns, and potentially higher pricing for some goods and/or services. For contrast, in the 12 months prior to May, average ticket sizes declined at a modest average rate of (-0.3%) month-over-month.
Service-Based Small Businesses Drive Growth
Compared to May 2024, sales of Services (+3.9%) outperformed Goods (+1.9%), a continuing trend for 2025. Growth drivers on a month-over-month basis included the transportation and warehousing sectors. On an annualized basis, manufacturing and professional services showed the most momentum.
Compared to April 2025, Services (+0.4%) showed modest growth while goods (-0.3%) declined month-over-month, highlighting the continued consumer preference for experiences and essential services over material purchases.
Despite Declining Foot Traffic, Small Business Restaurant Sales Hold Steady
Small business restaurant sales grew modestly year-over-year (+1.8%). On a monthly basis, sales (+0.6%) grew while foot traffic (-5.6%) declined compared to April, with full-service restaurants experiencing the most significant drop.
Consumers Continue to Be Selective in Retail Purchases
Compared to 2024, small business retail sales (+0.9%) grew modestly while transactions (+2.9%) remained positive.
The average ticket size declined nearly (2.0%) year-over-year, suggesting consumers are shopping more frequently but spending less per visit. This trend is likely driven by promotional shopping and deal-seeking as households continue to navigate inflationary pressures. Growth was led by food and beverage retailers (+3.9%) and clothing retailers (+5.2%). Gasoline Stations (-5.4%) declined year over year due to significantly lower fuel prices while health and personal care retailers (-1.7%) also fell.
On a monthly basis, small business retail sales (-1.0%) declined as consumers became more selective in their purchases.
Regional Trends Highlight Broad-Based Small Business Strength
Compared to April, small business sales grew in 30 of 50 states, indicating broad, but not universal, growth. The most aggressive month-over-month sales growth was concentrated among smaller states, led by New Mexico (+5.9%), Maryland (+3.2%) and Rhode Island (+3.1%). Year-over-year sales growth was strongest in Washington (+13.3%), South Carolina (+11.3%) and Maryland (+10.1%).
Among major metropolitan areas, San Francisco (+10.0%) and Atlanta (+9.5%) were the strongest-performing large cities for small business sales growth year-over-year. Month-over-month sales growth was strongest in Dallas (+2.0%) and Chicago (+1.7%), indicating healthy momentum in key urban markets despite broader consumer caution.
To access the full Fiserv Small Business Index, visit fiserv.com/FiservSmallBusinessIndex.
