The U.S. pharmacies and drug stores industry is expected to keep growing in 2020, with a projected total annual revenue of more than $300 billion, according to global market research company IBISWorld. Keep up with demand and grow your drug store with the right pharmacy loan for your business. Let’s take a look at pharmacy finance options that you can use to successfully fund your operations.
Financing Your Pharmacy for Success
Whether you’re looking to expand your client base, stock your shelves with new products, hire staff or get working capital, financing can help you make your vision become reality. Here are a few cases in which you might obtain a pharmacy business loan.
Purchase Inventory
Consider financing if you’re short on funds and need to stock your pharmacy or purchase additional over-the-counter items that are in demand. Use a pharmacy loan to:
- Order medications in bulk from your wholesaler
- Stock medical supplies and equipment
- Purchase nutritional supplements
- Add a greeting card and gift aisle
Buy Specialized Equipment
Do you have a compounding pharmacy and need specialized equipment, such as a sterilizer, incubator or convection oven? Need to replace your pharmacy refrigerator? Whatever the case, pharmacy equipment financing can help you access the funds you need when you need them.
Pay for Rent
According to a 2019 article by the Houston Chronicle, on the less expensive side of things, you could spend $150,000 to nearly $200,000 a year to rent 800+ square feet of pharmacy space, assuming approximately $15-$20 per square foot. That’s certainly not a small amount. If your revenue fluctuates throughout the year, you might find it difficult to cover your overhead without financial assistance.
Cover Payroll
According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for pharmacists is $126,120, while pharmacy technicians annually earn $32,700. When some months are slower than others, finding the funds to pay your workers can be challenging. However, maintaining your staff is essential to keep your business running.
Advertise Your Pharmacy
Are you finding it tough to compete with the national pharmacy and drug-store chains? If business is waning, putting an effort into marketing your pharmacy may be an effective way to increase traffic. However, frequency, placement and method of advertising can cause expenses to add up quickly. Consider if applying for a loan for your pharmacy shop can help.
How Much Can My Business Qualify For?
5 Best Pharmacy Loans and Financing
Here are some of the best small business loans for pharmacy owners.
1. Business Lines of Credit
If you’re looking for flexible pharmacy funding, a business line of credit could be your go-to. How does it work? A lender approves you for a certain credit limit, let’s say $10,000. You can tap into that $10,000 at any moment throughout your approved term. If you need $5,000 to cover an emergency expense, use your credit line to do so. You still have another $5,000 at your disposal, and you pay interest only on the amount you borrowed. As you pay down your debt, your credit line is restored up to your original approval amount.
2. Term Loans
A business term loan provides you with one lump sum of funds. Repayment can range from 1-5 years. A term loan is an option to consider if you’re funding a long-term investment, such as debt refinancing.
Longer term loans are also available. In contrast, short-term loans typically have repayment periods ranging from a few months to 1.5 years, but usually have higher interest rates than longer term loans. Depending on your lender and specific loan type repayment installments can be daily, weekly or monthly.
3. SBA Loans
Lenders throughout the nation partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer affordable financing to small business owners. The SBA guarantees a portion of each loan — up to 85% in some cases — offered by a participating lender. Because of this, lenders have more incentive to fund borrowers. Loan terms can range from 5-25 years depending on the SBA loan type and use of funds. While the application process is extensive, SBA loans offer some of the most competitive terms on loans.
4. Equipment Financing
Use pharmacy equipment financing to purchase or lease the costly items you need to keep your drug store up to standards. With an equipment loan, the equipment you purchase serves as collateral, securing the loan. If you fail to repay your loan, your lender can collect by seizing the equipment. Lenders might allow you to finance the equipment up to its total value.
5. Merchant Cash Advances
If you’ve been turned down for other financing, have been in business only a few months and need fast access to funds, a merchant cash advance might be a viable financing option for your pharmacy. With this type of funding, you get an advance of funds based on your business’s expected revenue. Repayment terms range from 3-18 months, and you’ll likely be set up on a daily repayment schedule until your advance and fees are paid.
