Lenders › First Business Bank
7(a) lenderMadison, WisconsinFDIC-insured bank165th of 2,184 by approvals
First Business Bank
SBA 7(a) loan approvals by fiscal year, where they went, how large they were, and how loans from earlier years turned out.
SBA approvals by fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs 1 October to 30 September, so FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. *FY2026 is open: approvals to 30 Jun 2026 only.
First Business Bank, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is an FDIC-insured bank in the SBA 7(a) program. SBA approved 229 of its 7(a) loans worth $260M in FY2021 to FY2025, which places it 165th of 2,184 active 7(a) lenders by number of approvals.
In FY2025, the latest complete fiscal year, it had 51 approvals totalling $64.2M, up 16% on FY2024 (44). FY2026 to 30 Jun 2026 adds 20 more.
The median approval was $785K, against $190K for the 7(a) program as a whole; 0.4% of its approvals were for $150,000 or less (program: 47.8%).
Its loans went to businesses in 38 states and territories and 133 counties, led by California (25.3%), Florida (8.7%) and Wisconsin (7.9%). The largest industry group was accommodation and food services at 21.0% of approvals, and 26.6% of approvals were to franchise businesses.
Of 502 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 31 as charged off (6.2%), 424 as paid in full and 47 still outstanding; the 7(a) program figure for the same approval years is 6.6%, so the rate here is close to it.
Loan status is as recorded by SBA at the data date; charge-off rates are computed on loans approved at least five fiscal years ago. Jobs supported are self-reported estimates from the SBA loan application, which SBA does not review, audit or validate. Loans appear under the lender they are assigned to today, so a lender's figures include loans it took over. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Approvals by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Approvals | Dollars approved | Median approval | Average approval | Jobs supported, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026* | 20 | $28.1M | $483K | $1.4M | 270 |
| FY2025 | 51 | $64.2M | $854K | $1.3M | 742 |
| FY2024 | 44 | $40.6M | $684K | $924K | 680 |
| FY2023 | 45 | $59.1M | $763K | $1.3M | 923 |
| FY2022 | 45 | $53.1M | $993K | $1.2M | 549 |
| FY2021 | 44 | $42.6M | $750K | $968K | 611 |
| FY2020 | 33 | $37.0M | $815K | $1.1M | 618 |
| FY2019 | 22 | $27.2M | $1.2M | $1.2M | 666 |
| FY2018 | 27 | $34.8M | $716K | $1.3M | 704 |
| FY2017 | 35 | $20.0M | $329K | $572K | 665 |
| FY2016 | 135 | $106M | $268K | $787K | 3,140 |
Approvals are counted in the year SBA approved them and include approvals later cancelled. In the five fiscal years before the current window (FY2016–FY2020) the lender had 252 approvals. First approval on file: FY2010.
How earlier loans turned out
Only loans approved at least five fiscal years ago (FY2010–FY2021) are counted, because newer loans have had little time to be paid in full or charged off. "Charged off" is SBA's status for a loan on which it has written off the remaining balance.
| Loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | This lender | California | 7(a) program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals in these years | 583 | 79,249 | 639,905 |
| Cancelled or never disbursed | 81 | 10,102 | 79,313 |
| Disbursed loans | 502 | 69,147 | 560,592 |
| Paid in full | 424 | 52,688 | 435,813 |
| Charged off | 31 | 4,430 | 36,891 |
| Still outstanding (status exempt from disclosure) | 47 | 12,029 | 87,888 |
| Charged off, share of disbursed loans | 6.2% | 6.4% | 6.6% |
| Dollars charged off, share of disbursed dollars | 3.3% | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Dollars charged off | $12.5M | $565M | $5.70bn |
By approval year
| Approved in | Disbursed | Paid in full | Charged off | Charged off, share | 7(a) program, same year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 36 | 19 | 1 | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| FY2020 | 33 | 25 | 1 | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| FY2019 | 21 | 16 | 0 | — | 6.7% |
| FY2018 | 18 | 17 | 0 | — | 7.9% |
| FY2017 | 25 | 16 | 4 | — | 7.7% |
| FY2016 | 112 | 93 | 8 | 7.1% | 7.2% |
| FY2015 | 95 | 81 | 13 | 13.7% | 6.9% |
| FY2014 | 50 | 47 | 2 | 4.0% | 6.4% |
| FY2013 | 63 | 62 | 1 | 1.6% | 6.0% |
| FY2012 | 35 | 34 | 1 | 2.9% | 6.3% |
| FY2011 | 9 | 9 | 0 | — | 6.9% |
| FY2010 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | 9.2% |
A share is shown only where at least 30 loans from that year were disbursed.
Against the 7(a) program
| FY2021–FY2025 | This lender | 7(a) program |
|---|---|---|
| Median approval | $785K | $190K |
| Average approval | $1.1M | $518K |
| Approvals of $150,000 or less | 0.4% | 47.8% |
| Approvals to startups and businesses 2 years old or less | 46.3% | 34.3% |
| Approvals to franchise businesses | 26.6% | 11.5% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 15.3 | 10.5 |
| Charged off, loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | 6.2% | 6.6% |
States served
| # | State of the business (38 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 58 | $67.1M | 25.3% | |
| 2 | Florida | 20 | $16.5M | 8.7% | |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 18 | $15.4M | 7.9% | |
| 4 | Texas | 17 | $23.2M | 7.4% | |
| 5 | Virginia | 10 | $12.3M | 4.4% | |
| 6 | Washington | 8 | $13.4M | 3.5% | |
| 7 | Illinois | 8 | $10.1M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Maryland | 6 | $11.2M | 2.6% | |
| 9 | Oregon | 6 | $6.6M | 2.6% | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 6 | $6.5M | 2.6% | |
| 11 | Kansas | 6 | $3.9M | 2.6% | |
| 12 | New Jersey | 5 | $3.6M | 2.2% |
In California the lender accounts for 0.2% of all 7(a) approvals in FY2021–FY2025.
Counties served
| # | County of the business (133 in all) | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara County, CA | 9 | $11.2M | 3.9% | |
| 2 | Los Angeles County, CA | 8 | $10.5M | 3.5% | |
| 3 | Sacramento County, CA | 6 | $7.5M | 2.6% | |
| 4 | San Joaquin County, CA | 6 | $3.9M | 2.6% | |
| 5 | Orange County, CA | 5 | $7.4M | 2.2% | |
| 6 | Harris County, TX | 5 | $5.8M | 2.2% | |
| 7 | Johnson County, KS | 5 | $3.2M | 2.2% | |
| 8 | Alameda County, CA | 4 | $4.8M | 1.7% | |
| 9 | Cook County, IL | 4 | $3.8M | 1.7% | |
| 10 | Bergen County, NJ | 4 | $3.3M | 1.7% | |
| 11 | Broward County, FL | 4 | $3.0M | 1.7% | |
| 12 | Snohomish County, WA | 3 | $7.5M | 1.3% |
Industry mix
| # | NAICS sector | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accommodation and Food Services | 48 | 21.0% | |
| 2 | Retail Trade | 37 | 16.2% | |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 28 | 12.2% | |
| 4 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 18 | 7.9% | |
| 5 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 17 | 7.4% | |
| 6 | Manufacturing | 17 | 7.4% | |
| 7 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 16 | 7.0% | |
| 8 | Construction | 12 | 5.2% |
| # | Industry group | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurants and Other Eating PlacesNAICS 7225 | 43 | 18.8% | |
| 2 | Other Amusement and Recreation IndustriesNAICS 7139 | 17 | 7.4% | |
| 3 | Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order HousesNAICS 4541 | 10 | 4.4% | |
| 4 | Personal Care ServicesNAICS 8121 | 10 | 4.4% | |
| 5 | Couriers and Express Delivery ServicesNAICS 4921 | 8 | 3.5% | |
| 6 | Offices of PhysiciansNAICS 6211 | 7 | 3.1% | |
| 7 | Offices of Other Health PractitionersNAICS 6213 | 7 | 3.1% | |
| 8 | Services to Buildings and DwellingsNAICS 5617 | 6 | 2.6% | |
| 9 | Child Day Care ServicesNAICS 6244 | 5 | 2.2% | |
| 10 | Other Specialty Trade ContractorsNAICS 2389 | 5 | 2.2% |
Approval sizes
- $50,001 to $150,0000.4%1
- $150,001 to $350,00010.0%23
- $350,001 to $1 million54.1%124
- $1 million to $2 million20.1%46
- Over $2 million15.3%35
Loan terms
- Over 5 to 10 years45.9%105
- Over 10 to 20 years31.0%71
- Over 20 years23.1%53
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old28.4%65
- New business, 2 years or less20.1%46
- Startup, loan funds will open the business26.2%60
- Change of ownership25.3%58
SBA processing method
| # | Method | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preferred Lenders Program | 210 | 91.7% | |
| 2 | 7a General | 15 | 6.6% | |
| 3 | SBA Express Program | 3 | 1.3% | |
| 4 | International Trade Loans | 1 | 0.4% |
Franchise share
61 of 229 approvals in FY2021–FY2025 (26.6%) carried an SBA franchise code; across the 7(a) program the share is 11.5%.
| # | Franchise brand | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Banh Mi | 6 | 2.6% | |
| 2 | Sky Zone | 5 | 2.2% | |
| 3 | Wild Birds Unlimited | 4 | 1.7% | |
| 4 | American Family Care | 3 | 1.3% | |
| 5 | Escapology | 3 | 1.3% | |
| 6 | Minuteman Press | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 7 | Orange Theory Fitness | 2 | 0.9% | |
| 8 | The Salad House | 2 | 0.9% |
Questions and answers
How many SBA loans does First Business Bank make?
SBA approved 51 7(a) loans through First Business Bank in FY2025, worth $64.2M, and 229 over FY2021 to FY2025. That ranks 165th of 2,184 active 7(a) lenders by number of approvals.
How large are First Business Bank's typical SBA loans?
The median 7(a) approval in FY2021 to FY2025 was $785K and the average $1.1M. The program-wide median was $190K.
What is First Business Bank's charge-off rate?
Of 502 disbursed loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021, SBA records 31 as charged off (6.2%), 424 as paid in full and 47 still outstanding; the 7(a) program figure for the same approval years is 6.6%, so the rate here is close to it. Loans are listed under the lender that holds them today, so the figure includes loans taken over from other lenders. Status is as recorded by SBA on 30 Jun 2026.
Which industries does First Business Bank lend to most?
By number of approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: restaurants and other eating places (43); other amusement and recreation industries (17); electronic shopping and mail-order houses (10); personal care services (10).
Where does First Business Bank make SBA loans?
In 38 states and territories. California 58, Florida 20, Wisconsin 18, Texas 17, Virginia 10. In California it accounts for 0.2% of all 7(a) approvals.
Is First Business Bank's SBA lending rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 140, against 122 in the three before: rising (+15%).
Where does this data come from?
From the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, as of 30 Jun 2026. Borrower names and addresses in those files are discarded when the files are read and appear nowhere on this site.
About these figures
Figures are totals of the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, data through 30 Jun 2026. SBA updates the files quarterly. Counts are loan approvals, including approvals later cancelled; the five-year window is FY2021–FY2025, the five latest complete fiscal years. Charge-off rates use only loans approved in FY2010–FY2021, at least five fiscal years ago, and count disbursed loans SBA records as charged off. Loans are listed under the lender they are assigned to today. Dollar figures behind fewer than three approvals are not shown, and no borrower is named anywhere on this site.Methodology · Report an error