Cumulative net profit was up by 69.7% or EUR 1.309bn, mostly due to the micro and medium-sized companies, although big exporters remain the main engine of growth.

According to Marjan Širaj, the head of AJPES's statistics and information department, the Slovenian economy as a whole did well last year.

Results of course differ per sectors, he added. The most revenue was generated in the retail sector, car maintenance and repair, followed by manufacturing and electricity, gas and steam supply.

The 65,603 companies reporting to AJPES increased their revenue by EUR 3.528bn, while expenditure was up by EUR 2.189bn.

The profitable companies generated EUR 4.302bn in net profit, up from EUR 3.791bn in 2015, while the loss of companies in the red amounted to EUR 1.115bn, down from EUR 1.913bn in 2015.

The total value added increased by 7%, while EBITDA rose by 6%.

The head of the public records department, Zdenka Kajdiž, said a positive trend was detected in the reporting of claims. Last year, more claims were deleted from the registry than reported anew.

Sole proprietors generated EUR 4.745bn in revenue, up from EUR 4.406bn in 2015.

According to AJPES head Mojca Kunšek, two-thirds of the 58,455 sole proprietors had no employees, meaning that they work merely to support themselves.