Fiserv's Small Business Index rose to 146 in September 2026, with small business sales up 2.2% year over year and 0.7% month over month, the strongest annual gain since June, as back-to-school demand lifted retail spending. Average tickets climbed 4.2% year over year while total foot traffic fell for the eleventh straight month, down 2.0% year over year and 0.2% month over month. Total Retail sales rose 3.0% year over year and 1.3% month over month, matching June's high, with transactions up 2.4% and average tickets up 0.5%; Sporting Goods, Hobby and Miscellaneous Retailers gained 5.5% on 6.6% transaction growth, led by a 10.4% increase among Sporting Goods Retailers, and clothing foot traffic rose 6.1% even as average tickets fell 4.7%. Food Services and Drinking Places sales fell 1.0% year over year and 0.2% month over month as transactions declined 3.9%, while Gas Station sales surged 21.1% year over year and 6.0% month over month on a 20.9% rise in average tickets, though inflation-adjusted sales fell 5.0%. Prasanna Dhore, Chief Data Officer at Fiserv, said the results reflect the resilience of consumers and small businesses but also the trade-offs households are making as they manage higher costs.
Fiserv, Inc.Fiserv's Small Business Index rose to 146 with small business sales up 2.2% YoY, its strongest annual gain since June, driven by back-to-school retail demand.
