{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-forecast","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/financial-forecast","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"financial-forecast","term":"Financial Forecast","group":"Reading the business","definition":"A projection of a business's future financial performance, including revenue, expenses, and profit. Buyers use this to understand potential growth and assess the viability of their investment.","what_it_means":"Lenders often require a financial forecast, especially for acquisitions with significant changes or growth plans, to evaluate repayment capacity. As a buyer, you must scrutinize the assumptions behind it and compare it to historical performance and industry trends.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-forecast","official_sources":[],"related":[{"slug":"cash-flow-statements","term":"Cash Flow Statements","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/cash-flow-statements"},{"slug":"business-plan","term":"Business plan","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/business-plan"},{"slug":"financial-projections","term":"Financial projections","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-projections"},{"slug":"industry-benchmarks","term":"Industry Benchmarks","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/industry-benchmarks"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What if my personal financial statement shows low liquid assets?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-if-my-personal-financial-statement-shows-low-liquid-assets"},{"question":"Are SBA 7(a) loans exclusively for businesses with financial difficulties?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/are-sba-7-a-loans-exclusively-for-businesses-with-financial-difficulties"},{"question":"What if my business is new and has no financial history?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-if-my-business-is-new-and-has-no-financial-history"},{"question":"Does misrepresenting financial information on the SBA application automatically kill approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-misrepresenting-financial-information-on-the-sba-application-automatically-kill-appro"},{"question":"How does my personal financial history affect SBA 7(a) loan approval?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/how-does-my-personal-financial-history-affect-sba-7-a-loan-approval"},{"question":"What specific financial documentation will I need to provide for my personal finances?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-specific-financial-documentation-will-i-need-to-provide-for-my-personal-finances"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Financial Forecast","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/financial-forecast","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}