Industries with Riskiest Business Environments in United States in 2026

• 1. Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  The polystyrene foam product manufacturing industry, which produces expanded and extruded foam materials for construction insulation, packaging, and food service applications, faces significant performance challenges amid regulatory pressures and evolving market dynamics. Current industry revenue stands at $10.4 billion in 2025, reflecting a sharp -7.2% decline from the previous year as state-level foam bans and environmental regulations eliminate key market segments...

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• 2. Oil & Gas Drilling Equipment Manufacturing in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Falling oil prices and rising trade barriers have driven down drilling equipment manufacturers' returns. Earlier in the current period, Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to sanctions placed on Russia by various countries, which led to surging oil and gas prices. This uptick in prices led to strong US oil and gas production growth, boosting machinery sales in 2022 and 2023. Still, supply chain woes led to considerable increases in machinery production costs. Manufacturers passed these higher co...

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• 3. Printing in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Printing is in the midst of a considerable and steady decline as digital products and services continue to displace printed materials. The two largest markets, advertising and publishing, have expanded their online presence, resulting in reduced printing demand. Recent years have witnessed a significant drop in newspaper and magazine subscriptions, exacerbating the challenges for printers. Even though printing technology has advanced, demand for traditional print has plummeted, leaving printe...

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• 4. Restaurant Construction in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Restaurant construction spending plunged in 2020 and 2021, as permanent closures and uncertainty swept through the sector. Momentum quickly shifted in 2022 and 2023, when pent-up demand, modernization campaigns and fierce competition for prime real estate powered a sharp rebound even in the face of high interest rates. But that resurgence proved fleeting, with expenditures falling again in 2024 and 2025 under the weight of persistent cost pressures, economic headwinds a...

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• 5. Regional Banks in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Regional banks are composed of commercial banks that have between $50.0 billion and $500.0 billion in domestic assets under management (AUM) and operations are not limited to one state. Banks that fall into this threshold offer the same services as the commercial banking industry. In addition, regional banks have a significantly smaller scope of operations compared with large commercial banks that operate nationwide.

  Over the past five years, regional banks have benefited from rising a...

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• 6. Oil Field Drilling Services in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  The extraction of hydrocarbons dwarfs that of any other mineral or energy source in the country, which exposes oil field drilling services to various factors that directly impact revenue and profit. The period started off slowly as the economy was recovering from the pandemic, and many operations were gradually getting to full capacity, despite oil prices swelling. In 2022, growth really kicked off as production ramped up, bolstering the need for oil field drilling services. The rapidly growi...

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• 7. Oil & Gas Field Services in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Oil and gas field service providers are directly tied to oil and gas production, so the industry typically follows trends that are significant to that industry (IBISWorld Report 21111). The period started off on a low note as the pandemic massively weakened production, cutting down the need for field service providers as the number of rigs operating saw a steep drop. This drop carried on in 2021 but resurged in 2022, driven by favorable pricing because of supply chain i...

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• 8. Coal Mining in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Coal miners have experienced a turbulent few years, buffeted by shifting energy demands, volatile prices and geopolitical shockwaves. After sharp declines in 2020, when the pandemic crippled steel production and energy consumption worldwide, the industry saw a dramatic rebound as economies reopened in 2021. Surging electricity generation and steel demand pushed coal prices higher, driving up revenue and profit. The 2022 energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further fueled this ...

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• 9. Metal Pipe & Tube Manufacturing in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Manufacturers in the oil and gas industry heavily depend on oil and natural gas extraction, primarily because they rely on producing Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG), which are vital for oil drilling and pipeline construction. These metal pipes, known for their durability and resistance to harsh conditions, remain irreplaceable by alternative materials. However, the industry is not immune to global economic shifts, as seen during the pandemic when reduced oil consumption led to a decline in d...

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• 10. Paper Wholesaling in the US

  Business Environment Risk for 2026: 7

  Digitalization has deteriorated demand for traditional paper products. Demand for paper products has fallen as individuals, retailers, other wholesalers and corporate clients have adopted digital technology to perform tasks more efficiently and at a lower cost, reducing the need for paper. Moreover, as sales have moved online, wholesalers have been further cut out of the paper supply chain as more customers purchase directly from superstores and manufacturers. As the move toward hybrid-work a...

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