Basin Range Economics
Regional Business PulseNo. 6 · October 2026
Regional Business Pulse · Reno Sparks · Q3 2026Data to 30 September 2026
Formation holds up while layoff notices double
New entity filings and license issuance both rose on a year ago. SBA lending and the layoff record moved the other way, led by warehousing and manufacturing
1Business formation
Filings and licenses both rose on the third quarter of 2025. Reno accounted for most of the license growth, while new licenses in unincorporated Washoe County fell for the second quarter running as residential construction trades slowed.1
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New entity filings | 4,812 | 4,530 | up 6.2% |
| New licenses, Reno | 1,486 | 1,412 | up 5.2% |
| New licenses, Sparks | 512 | 498 | up 2.8% |
| New licenses, unincorporated | 341 | 356 | down 4.2% |
| SBA approvals | 118 | 131 | down 9.9% |
| Workers in WARN notices | 1,140 | 610 | up 86.9% |
Source: Nevada Secretary of State, city and county license records, SBA approval data, Nevada DETR WARN notices
Source: Nevada Secretary of State filings, City of Reno, City of Sparks and Washoe County business license records, Basin Range Economics
2Small business lending
SBA approvals in Washoe and Storey counties fell by 13 loans on a year ago. National banks still made the most 7(a) loans, but Nevada based banks held their 504 volume and made the largest share of loans to firms under three years old.
| Lender type | 7(a) loans | 504 loans | Amount, $m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada based banks | 38 | 6 | 31.4 |
| National banks | 41 | 4 | 36.2 |
| Credit unions | 12 | 1 | 5.8 |
| Nonbank SBA lenders | 16 | 0 | 9.1 |
| All lenders | 107 | 11 | 82.5 |
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 approval data, Q3 2026
3Layoff notices
Nine employers filed WARN notices for the metro in the quarter. Two distribution operators account for 420 of the 1,140 workers, and both notices cite consolidation of regional fulfillment rather than closure of the site.2
| Employer | Location | Sector | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third party logistics operator | Sparks | Warehousing | 260 |
| Battery materials manufacturer | Storey County | Manufacturing | 210 |
| Casino resort operator | Reno | Gaming and hospitality | 180 |
| Parcel distribution center | Reno | Warehousing | 160 |
| Home goods retailer | Reno and Sparks | Retail | 140 |
| Four other employers | Metro | Mixed | 190 |
| Nine notices | 1,140 |
Source: Nevada DETR WARN notices, July to September 2026
Source: Nevada DETR WARN notices, Basin Range Economics sector coding
4Against our Owner Survey
5What to watch in the fourth quarter
Whether license growth in Reno survives the seasonal fourth quarter dip, the effective dates of the two warehousing notices in November, and whether SBA approvals recover now that the federal fiscal year has turned.
How this pulse is built
- The metro means Washoe and Storey counties, the federal definition of the Reno metropolitan area
- Licenses count new issuances only, not renewals or ownership transfers
- Every count traces to a filing, license record, loan approval or notice held on file for subscribers who ask
Approved for subscribersDana WhitcombPrincipal Economist · 9 October 2026
1 Entity filings count new domestic and foreign entities with a principal or registered agent address in the metro, excluding commercial registered agent addresses.
2 Workers are counted in the quarter the notice is filed. Effective dates may fall in a later quarter.