Glossary · Reading the business
In short
This is a record of how a business has managed its past debts and financial obligations. A strong history indicates reliability, which is crucial for lenders assessing risk.
Lenders will pull a credit report for the target business to evaluate its past performance, looking for timely payments, liens, or defaults. A poor business credit history can signal underlying issues with the company's financial health or management practices, making the deal harder to finance. Review this during your due diligence.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
Pressure-test the numbers before you make an offer
Send us the asking price and the seller's cash flow — we'll show whether the deal services SBA debt and where the add-backs are likely to hold up.
Free · No documents · Usually same-day