COVID-19 Surveys November 5, 2020As of mid-October, the share of executives who expected their companies’ profits to increase was double what it was six months before, according to surveys we’ve conducted monthly since March. A similar share predicts that customer demand too will increase. Executives report ever-more-positive expectations for their companies' profitability and customer demand. Expected changes at respondents' companies in next 6 months, % of respondents1 Chart summary Among executives surveyed in April 2020, most expected a decrease in profits and customer demands after the pandemic outbreak. The percentage of executives who expected an increase rose by 20% or more over the next few months. Chart data Profits Expected changes in profits by the share of executives surveyed in the months after the pandemic onset. Month in 2020 Increase No change Decrease March 42 22 33 April 27 9 61 May 33 10 54 June 37 11 49 July 45 14 37 September 53 13 31 October 55 16 27 Customer demand Expected changes in customer demand by the share of executives surveyed in the months after the pandemic onset. Month in 2020 Increase No change Decrease March 39 32 28 April 36 15 48 May 43 16 41 June 42 22 36 July 48 25 26 September 53 24 23 October 56 26 17 Notes 1Respondents who answered "don't know" are not shown. Questions were aksed only of respondents working for private-sector organizations. In Mar 2020, n = 1,060; in Apr 2020, n = 1,940; in May 2020, n = 2,290; in June 2020, n = 1,985; in July 2020, n = 1,900; in Sept 2020, n = 1,010; and in Oct 2020, n = 2,041. McKinsey & Company To read the survey, see “The coronavirus effect on global economic sentiment,” October 29, 2020.