Lending data
Who actually lends to wholesale businesses in Louisiana?
60 SBA 7(a) loans went to wholesale businesses in Louisiana recently, at a median of $200,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
60 SBA 7(a) loans went to wholesale businesses in Louisiana in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $200,000 over 10 years. The most active lender was BayFirst National Bank, with 9 loans.
What lending to wholesale businesses in Louisiana actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Wholesale trade, Louisiana | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 60 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $200,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $126,200 - $491,250 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 23.3% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 8.9% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to wholesale businesses in Louisiana. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BayFirst National Bank | 9 | $150,000 | 0% | 13.25% |
| American Bank | 8 | $370,000 | 50% | 10.75% |
| Newtek Bank | 5 | $400,000 | 0% | 11.50% |
| Planters Bank and Trust Company | 4 | $50,000 | 100% | 9.93% |
| Northeast Bank | 4 | $300,000 | 0% | 10.25% |
| Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 4 | $276,350 | 0% | 12.00% |
| Gulf Coast Bank | 2 | $284,250 | 50% | 8.88% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 2 | $175,000 | 0% | 10.60% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 2 | $407,500 | 0% | 10.88% |
| Home Bank | 2 | $455,500 | 50% | 10.00% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $200,000 is 33% above the $150,000 national median. Expect lenders in this market to be geared toward bigger deals, and expect a small request to get less attention.
- This is a hard market for new businesses. Only 23% of these loans went to startups, against 34% nationally. If you are pre-revenue, work from the startup table below rather than the main list.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 37% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Rates run higher here. The median initial rate of 10.75% is 0.50 points above the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 23.3% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Bank | 4 | $370,000 | 50% | 10.75% |
| Planters Bank and Trust Company | 4 | $50,000 | 100% | 9.93% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in Louisiana: construction, restaurants and hotels, retail, healthcare, personal services, professional services
- Wholesale in comparable states: Idaho, Alabama, New Hampshire, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina