A meaningful share of equipment financing applicants present FICO scores below 650. This report uses 4,200+ Brobas Capital underwriting records to quantify the distribution of those applicants, their realistic approval probability by score band, the rate premium they pay, and the recovery pathways that meaningfully change outcomes within 6–12 months.
Credit Score Distribution
Across 4,200+ equipment financing applications submitted to Brobas Capital in 2024, 32% of applicants presented a primary FICO score below 650. The single largest band was 600–649.
Approval Rates by FICO Range
Approval rates rise sharply between the 550–599 and 650–699 bands, reflecting the transition from non-traditional-only lender pools to mainstream lender access.
Recovery Roadmap
Borrowers who follow a structured 12-month credit recovery program (Brobas Capital "Credit Recovery" framework) gain an average of 85 FICO points, materially improving access to prime equipment lenders.
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Month 1: Pull all 3 bureau reportsAnnualCreditReport.com. Dispute errors, identify collections, calculate utilization.Week 1
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Month 1–2: Open secured credit cardDiscover Secured or Capital One. $200 deposit. Keep utilization <10%.30 days
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Month 2: Credit-builder loanSelf / Credit Strong, $25/mo for 12 months. Adds an installment trade line.12 months
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Month 3–6: Authorized user addFamily member with long history and low utilization adds applicant.90 days
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Month 6: Settle collectionsPay-for-delete letters on accounts <$500. Focus on most recent.60 days
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Month 9–12: Equipment loan readyScore typically 660+. Eligible for prime equipment financing.Goal
Brobas Capital Partners Research. (2026). Bad Credit Equipment Financing Report. Report BCP-2026-005. Retrieved from https://brobascap.com/publications/bad-credit-equipment-financing-report