Fastest Declining Industries in the US by Revenue Growth (%) in 2026

1. Chicken Egg Production in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -12.6%

Over the past five years, chicken egg producers have had to contend with severe revenue volatility. While per capita egg consumption has remained stable, a severe drought across most of the United States pushed the price of feed upward. This, combined with lingering challenges from supply chain bottlenecks and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), have pushed the price of eggs upward. Widespread inflation in 2022 also contributed to surging egg prices, and while the industry benefited from an upswing in revenue that year, price spikes set the stage for plummeting prices in 2023. As a result, industry-wide revenue has dropped... Learn More

2. Database & Directory Publishing in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -8.0%

The era of the phone book is dead. The catastrophic fall of the Database and Directory Publishing industry between 2018 and 2023 has been driven by the sustained migration from print to digital advertising, as publishers historically generated the majority of their revenue from the sale of advertisement space in printed publications. Forced to focus on digital presence, the industry has experienced immovable competition from online search engines and social media platforms, limiting the industry's digital advertisement sales. As a result, industry revenue has been eroding at a CAGR of 7.9% over the past five years, and is expected to... Learn More

3. Petrochemical Manufacturing in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -7.7%

The industry produces goods that make up the fundamental building blocks of a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including detergents and pharmaceuticals. Since petrochemicals are essential to the production of many products, demand for petrochemicals is relatively stable. Industry revenue has been volatile due to the industry's sensitivity to changes in prices of its key inputs, primarily crude oil and natural gas. With commodity prices falling dramatically in 2020, oil and gas prices collapsed due to the pandemic. As the economy recovered from the pandemic in 2021, and as a byproduct of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, oil and... Learn More

4. Newsprint Paper Manufacturing in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -7.4%

The industry produces newsprint, a type of paper packaged in long rolls for use in printing presses. Newspapers and advertisements are most commonly printed on newsprint paper, which is primarily composed of wood pulp. The shift to digital platforms has significantly affected the newsprint industry, with demand for traditional print media plummeting and COVID-19 accelerating the push toward digitalization. Trade tensions and tariffs, notably between the US and Canada, have impacted the industry, increasing costs and affecting imported newsprint availability, causing uncertainty for future operations. Alongside these challenges, companies have had to navigate supply chain disruptions and form flexible strategies... Learn More

5. Egg & Poultry Wholesaling in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -6.1%

Shifting health trends have challenged the Egg and Poultry Wholesaling industry in 2023. Egg and poultry products' popularity has gone down due to changing health-conscious trends, including more consumers move toward plant-based diets. For example, between 2004 and 2019, there was a 30-fold increase in the number of vegans in the United States, according to an Ipsos Retail Performance study.

As many egg and poultry wholesalers operated at a loss during the current period, many were forced to close distribution facilities in an effort to consolidate operators. Several other operators were forced out of the market entirely due to intense competition... Learn More

6. Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -5.9%

Billboard and outdoor advertising companies generate revenue through leasing advertisement space on display faces, including billboards, public transit and street furniture. Demand for the industry's services depends on trends in advertising expenditure, which makes the industry sensitive to fluctuations in consumer spending, retail sales, corporate profit and overall economic conditions. Operators face competition from various advertising media, with the most significant competitor being online advertisements.

COVID-19 caused states to shut down most of the US economy in 2020, which resulted in a massive plunge in consumer spending. Since many industries that use outdoor advertisements (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, restaurants) rely heavily on... Learn More

7. Paper Mills in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -5.8%

The Paper Mills industry, which produces a range of communication papers and personal care products, has contended with many obstacles to success. Rising foreign competition from industry frontrunners and developing economies – which can produce and export at lower costs – plus a persistent decline in downstream demand for paper and paper products have hindered the industry in recent years. Due to these ongoing factors, industry-wide revenue shrunk at a CAGR of 4.0% to $36.1 billion over the past five years, including a decrease of 0.2% in 2023 even as the economy recovers from the pandemic.

Major industry operators have had... Learn More

8. Recordable Media Manufacturing in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -5.2%

Recordable media manufacturers produce optical and magnetic media, including blank audio tapes, videotapes and diskettes. Companies also mass duplicate audio, video and software data on similar platforms. Through 2023, recordable media sales have plummeted as digital media streaming services revolutionize how individuals and businesses consume, store and interact with information. Consumer preferences have shifted toward streaming services and downloadable entertainment, while businesses have transitioned to digital software downloads and cloud data storage. The accessibility, convenience and affordability of services digital media platforms provide are key drivers of this shift. The pandemic has also accelerated consumer demand for video streaming subscriptions... Learn More

9. Postal Service in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -5.3%

Postal service in the United States includes establishments that are part of the national postal service. The industry includes the United States Postal Service (USPS), which delivers first-class mail, marketing mail, packages, periodicals and offers other services. As online communication, media and transactions have grown in popularity, traditional mail has become less popular, hurting the industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for mail delivery declined because companies couldn't afford to pay for physical mail anymore. Package delivery soared since households wanted to purchase items without risking catching the virus, boosting revenue for the USPS in 2020. Corporate profit increased as... Learn More

10. Oil & Gas Drilling Equipment Manufacturing in the US

2026-2027 Revenue Growth: -5.2%

The Oil and Gas Drilling Equipment Manufacturing industry provides machinery and equipment to oil and gas extractors. Major global events, such as the pandemic and the Ukraine war, have negatively impacted machinery manufacturers by creating significant volatility in commodity prices. Major production and travel slowdowns harmed demand for oil and gas, resulting in fewer extraction projects and lowering the need for machinery. Although prices bounced back as the economy re-opened, many oil and gas companies turned to imported machinery, which is more affordable. The Ukraine war, however, disrupted the global oil and gas supply chain, boosting demand for domestic production.... Learn More