In 2014, the country had 31,223 high-growth companies, that is, those which had had a 20% increase, at least, in the number of workers, for a period of three consecutive years, and had 10 or more salaried pemployed ersons in the first year of observation. Although high-growth companies represent only 1.3% of the total active companies with at least one salaried employed person, they account for almost half of the jobs generated by them (46.7%).

Between 2011 and 2014, high-growth companies recorded na increase of 175.0% in the number of employed persons, with na increase of 1.6 million persons in 2011, to 4.4 million in 2014, an increment of 2.8 million job posts.

As for the distribution of these companies among the sectors, construction (9.6%) had the biggest proportion of high-growth companies in the total active companies with 10 or more salaried persons, although services (9,931) had the biggest number of salaried persons. Ths distribution of high-growth companies by economic activity showed that the three main sections were trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (26.5%); manufacturing industry (20.5%); and construction (12.2%).

In relation to gross value added, high-growth companies generated, in 2014, R$ 241.4 billion, that is, 12.8% of the total R$ 1.8 trillion generated in active companies with 10 or more salaried persons. So, the average value added (gross value added by the number of companies) of high-growth companies was R$ 8.2 million, above that of companies of 10 or more salaried employed persons (R$ 4.4 milllion).

The number of high-growth companies fell for the second year in a row , In 2013, there was decrease of 5.2%, and, in 2014, the decrease reached 6.4%.

In 2014, 2,717 companies were considered high-growth ones, since they had na increase of at least 20% a year, for two consecutive trienniums, that is, since 2009. Although these companies represent 8.7% of the high-growth companies in 2014, they employed 20.7% of the salaried employed persons and other compensation.

The analysis of the history of these companies in the period prior to continuous high growth (2005 to 2008) shows that 50.6% (1,373) had already recorded increase in salaried employed persons. These companies generated 34,956 job posts between 2005 and 2008, with an average anual increase of 15.5%. A significant sectorial element was observed in the phenomenon of continuous high growth, once 58.6% of the companies which had been increasing since 2005 concentrated their activities into 10 sections of activity, whereas retail trade encompassed 12.7% of them.

These are some highlights in the survey Statistics of Entrepreneurship 2014, which IBGE releases today (18/11/2016), in partnership with Instituto Empreender Endeavor Brasil, in the end of the Global Entrepreneurhip Week. The survey presentes characteristics of high-growth and gazelle companies (high-growth companies with up to five years of existence), such as age, size, characteristics of employed persons, sectors of activity, bringing, this year, a special analysis of the history o continuous high growth companies. The complete publication of Statistics of Entrepreneurship 2014 is available here.

From 2012 to 2014, there was significant decrease in the participation of high-growth companies in the overall number of companies with one or more employed persons, with a change from 1.5%, in 2012, to 1.4%, in 2013, to 1.3% in 2014. The same was observed in the participation of high-growth companies in relation to companies with 10 or more salaried persons, with a change from 7.6%, in 2012, to 7.0%, in 2013, reaching 6.4% in 2014, the lowest rate in the last three years.

There was also decrease in the proportion of salaried employed persons in relation to active companies with one or more employed persons in the period 2012 to 2014, with a change from 15.6%, in 2012, to 14.2%, in 2013, reaching 12.7%, in 2014.

This decrease of participation was also observed in the total salaries, withdrawals and other compensation, which fell from 14.4%, in 2012, to 12.7%, in 2013, and ended at 11%, in 2014. The average absolute monthly wage also fell in the same period, from 2.9 minimum wages, in 2012, to 2.8, in 2013, and reached 2.7, in 2014.

In three years, high growth companies of 2014 generated 2.8 million salaried positions 

High growth companies represent a small part of the active companies in Brazil, bu stand out in terms of increase of salaried positions. Salaried persons from high growth companies changed from 1.6 million in 2011, to 4.4 milllion in  em 2014, na incremente of 2.8 million salaried employed persons, and a change of 175.0%. The increase of salaried positions in high growth companies representes 46.7% of thejobs genrated in companies with one or more employed persons. 

More than half  (53.4%) of the high-growth companies have from 10 to 49 employed persons 

Most high growth companies were in the range of  10 to 49 salaried employed persons in 2014 (53.4%), but only 11.7% of the slaried persons were employed in companies that size. On the other hand, companies with 250 or more salaried employed persons, in spite of the low representativeness in the total high growth companies (8.7%), had a 61.5% participation in the total salaried employed persons. 

The average age of high growth companies is 13.7 years, below the average of companies with 10 or more salaried employed persons (14.8 years). The range up to 20 years of age held 79.9% of the high growth companies, with relatively stable participation in the thre years analyzed. The participation of this range of age in salaried persons and salaried and other compensation fell between 2013 and 2014, having changed from 68.0% to 66.7% and from 66.0% to 65.0%, respectively.

On the other hand, companies with 20 to 30 years of age, which made up 13.7% of the high growth ones, increased participation in salaried employed persons (from 14.5% to 17.0%) and in salaries and other compensation (from 13.8% to 16.0%).

Number of gazelle companies falls by 9.5% from 2012 to 2014

In 2014, from the total active companies with 10 or more salaried employed persons, 0.9% were gazelle ones (4,228), that is, high growth companies with up to five years of existence, in the year of reference. They had a reduction of 9.5% in relation to 2012, when amounting to 4,671 companies. Nevertheless, the representativity of gazelle companies in relation to high growth ones remained stable around 13.5% between 2012 and 2014.

Construction is the sector with the biggest proportion of high growth companies

In 2014, the sector of construction (9.6%) recorded the biggest proportion of high growth companies in the total active companies with 10 or more employed persons. However, in absolute figures, the biggest number of highgrowth companies is presente in the services sector (9,931).

The distribution of salaried persons of high growth comoanies by section of activity showed that the ones employing most persons were administrative activities and complementary services (23.0%); manufacturing industry (20.1%); trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (17.1%); and construction (14.3%). The sectors of  public administration, defense and social security; and eletricity and gas were close to zero between 2012 and 2014.

Salaried persons in high growth companies fell by 15.6% between 2012 and 2014

Between 2012 and 2014, there was decrease of 825.6 Thousand job posts, representing a decrease of 15.6% in the period. Only 6 out of the 19 CNAE sections recorded positive changes in salaried employed persons, the main highlights being: other servisse activites (12.9%); education (8.9%); information and communcaition (4.3%). The increase of salaried employed persons in these three sections was 16.4 thousand persons.

On the other hand, the decrease of salaried employed persons in high growth companies occurs mainly due to the decrease, in absolute figures, of the sections:  construction (-29.8%); manufacturing industry  (-20.9%); and trade, repair of motor vehciles and of motorcycles (-17.4%), which accounted, together, for a decrease of 668.8 thousand job posts in high growth companies.

Gross value added of high growth companies was R$ 241.4 billion

In 2014, active companies with 10 or more salaried persons generated R$ 1.8 trilllion in vgross alue added (difference between the gross value added of production and intermediate consumption, which refers to the value aggregated by the activity to goods and services consumed in its own process of production), and high growth companies accounted for R$ 241.4 billion, 12.8% of the total. This way, gross value added (value added divided by the number of companies) of high growth companies was R$ 8.2 million, above the result among companies with 10 or more salaried employed persons (R$ 4.4 million). In high growth companies, the activity air transport generated the biggest average value added (R$ 226.2 million).

The average productivity (ratio between gross value added and salaried employed persons) from work in high growth companies was R$58.4 thousand per employee, which represents 79.2% of the value observed in active companies with 10 or more salaried employed persons (R$ 73.7 thousand per  employee). The activity  extraction of oil and natural gas recorded the biggest average productivity among high growth companies (R$ 911.8 thousand per employee).

High growth companies accounted for a net reveneu of  R$ 813.8 billion, 12.5% of the total R$ 6.51 trillion net revenue generated by companies with 10 or more employed persons.

8,.% of the high growth companies of 2014 had been growing at least 20% a year since 2009

Continuous high growth companies are those which keep at least a 20% increase of salaried employed persons per year, for two consecutive trienniums. It is observed that, from the total high growth companies in the triennium 2009-2011 (34,528), 13,528 (39.2%) continued to increase na average 20% in 2012; 7,071 (20.5%), in 2013; and 2,717 (7.9%) remained at the same level as in 2014.

These 2,717 continuous high growth companies employed, in 2014, 922,125 salaried persons and paid R$ 22.0 billion in salaries and other compensation.  In spite of representing 8.7% of the high growth companies of 2014, they employed 20.7% of the total salaried employed persons and paid 21.4% of the total salaries and other compensation.

23.3% of the continuous high growth companies are in the trade sector 

Four sections of activity accounted for 69.4% of the coontinuous high growth companies between 2009 and 2014: trade; repair of motor vechcles and motorcycles (23.3%); manufacuring industry  (19.7%); construction (14.6%); and administrative activities and complementary services (11.7%).

In relation to epersons employed in continuous high growth companies, 73.1% were concentrated into four sections of activity: administrative activities and complementary services (24.3%); trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (18.1%); manufacturing industry (17.4%); and construction(13.3%). On the other hand, sections such as electricity and gas; arts, culture, sports and recreation; public administration, defense and social security; and real estate activities accounted, together, for less than 0.5% of the salaried employed persons of high growth companies throughout the period.

Companies with 50 to 249 salaried employed persons (61.1%) prevailed among continuous high growth companies of 2014, followed by companies with 250 or more salaried employed persons (29.6%), and by companies with 10 to 49 salaried employed persons (9.2%). Regardless of their size, companies with 10 to 20 years of existence were the majority (47.4%) among continuous high growth ones and regarding salaried employed persons (46.8%). The average age of continuous high growth companies is 16 years, above the average age of continuous high growth companies (13.7 years), beinh also above the average age of compsnies with 10 or more salaried employed persons (14.8 years).

The total value added of continuous high growth companies in 2014 was R$ 48.2 billlion. The highest value aded is concentrated in companies with 250 or more salaried employed persons (R$ 36.7 billion). The average productivity of continuous high growth companies (R$ 59.1 thousand per employee) surpasses the productivity of high growth companies in 2014 (R$ 58.4 thousand per employee).

Ten activities hold 58.6% of the companies which have grown since 2005

The analysis of the history of high growth companies in the previous period (2005-2008) showed that among 2,715 continuous high-growth companies (2009-2014) present in 2008, 32.9% were created between 2005-2008, that is, 894 companies had existed fro 1 to 3 years before their history of high growth began, in 2009.

The other 1,821 companies had bee registered since 2005, and 1,373 (50.6%) had increase of salaried employed persons in the period prior to continuous high growth. These companies generated 34,956 job posts between 2005 and 2008, with na average anual increase of 15.5%.

There was a Strong influence from sectors in the phenomenon of continuous high growth, since 58.6% of the companies that had been growing since 2005 were responsible for 10 sections of activity. Out of companies which had grown before continuous growth, 12.7% were in retail trade, followed by wholesale trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles (8.7%), andcbuilding construction (7.4%).

More than half (50.8%) of the employed persons in high-growth companies are in the Southeast

The Southeast Regkion has most local branches of high-growth companies (48.0%) in a Major Region and of persons employed in these companies (50,8%). Nonetheless, the representativeness of local branches of high-growth companies in relation to branches of companies with 10 or more employed persons is highest in the North region (9.4%), followed by the Central West (9.2%), Northeast (8.9%), South (8.2%) and Southeast (7.9%).

In case of representation regarding employed persons, the North holds the first position, with 19.3%, followedy by the Northeast (18.6%), Central West (17.4%), Southeast (14.6%) and South (12.8%).

Number of high-growth companies falls for the second consecutive year