Land

An in-depth review of the Land sector, based on a dataset of 150 companies, reveals a payment landscape that generally favours prompt settlement, though significant volatility remains. Having analysed the central tendency metrics, we observe a distinct divergence between the mean and the median. The median payment time sits at a respectable 33 days, representing the true centre of the dataset. However, the average payment time extends to 37.6 days. This gap indicates a positive skew in the data distribution, driven by a minority of slow-paying entities that distort the overall picture. Consequently, whilst the standard deviation of 18.7 days suggests that payment behaviour is somewhat unpredictable, the majority of the sector appears to maintain reasonable terms.

A granular look at the distribution tiers highlights that nearly half of the sector—specifically 44.7% or 67 companies—falls into the 'Fast' category, settling invoices within 30 days. When combined with the moderate payers (31-45 days), we realise that approximately three-quarters of the sector settle debts within a standard 45-day commercial window. The interquartile range of 20 days further supports this, with the 25th percentile standing at a swift 26 days and the 75th percentile at 46 days. This data suggests that suppliers trading with the upper echelons of this sector can generally expect efficient cash flow. However, it is crucial to note that 26.3% of payments are classified as late, indicating that internal inefficiencies or cash preservation strategies are still prevalent amongst a quarter of the sample.

Despite the generally positive trends, credit controllers must remain vigilant regarding the long tail of the distribution. Our analysis identifies that 13.2% of companies take over 60 days to pay, with a worrying cohort of 8.7% falling into the 'Very Slow' (61-90 days) bracket. Most critically, the data exposes extreme outliers at both ends of the spectrum. Whilst the fastest payer settles in just 3 days, the slowest drags on to 132 days—a delay that could jeopardise the liquidity of smaller suppliers. Two companies specifically fall into the critical 90+ day category. Suppliers must organise their credit terms carefully when dealing with these outliers, as the gap between the best and worst performers is immense.

Geographically, the dataset is heavily weighted towards the South, with London, the East of England, and the South East accounting for the majority of the sample. This regional bias suggests that the payment culture described is largely reflective of practices in the UK's primary economic hubs. In summary, whilst the median of 33 days indicates a healthy baseline, the 26.3% late payment rate and the existence of extreme delays require suppliers to specialise their credit risk assessments rather than applying a broad-brush approach.