5 Questions with Mitsubishi HC Capital America’s Brian Rosa

The equipment finance industry is heading into 2026 with cautious optimism, supported by easing inflation, expected interest rate cuts and new business opportunities.   

After a difficult 2025, equipment and software investment is forecast to rebound in 2026, up 6.2% year over year, according to the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s U.S. Economic Outlook, released on Dec. 17. A key contributing factor is increased capital spending on technology and data centers, although it is important to remain balanced and disciplined amid sustained macroeconomic uncertainty, Brian Rosa, president of commercial finance at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, told Equipment Finance News.

Additionally, the growth in “equipment-as-a-service” offerings and equipment rental market continue to be opportunities for equipment dealers and lenders to expand their operations. As 2026 progresses, flexibility and relationship-driven financing represent key components for competitive success. 

Rosa recently shared Mitsubishi HC Capital America’s expectations for the equipment finance sector in 2026 with EFN. What follows is an edited version of the conversation.   

Equipment Finance News: As rate cuts come into view but macro uncertainty persists, how is Mitsubishi HC Capital America balancing growth opportunities with disciplined underwriting and collateral protection heading into 2026? 

Brian Rosa: We are balancing growth with disciplined underwriting by maintaining strong collateral standards and transparent partnerships while taking a long-term, measured approach to expansion amid rate cut expectations and macro uncertainty. This strategy reflects an emphasis on fundamentals to manage risk as economic conditions evolve. We remain cautious given uneven consumer trends and global trade pressures that could affect capital planning. 

EFN: AI-driven data centers and advanced computing projects are highly capital-intensive and long-dated. How are you structuring equipment financing to stay flexible as technology, demand and asset obsolescence risks evolve? 

BR: Financing for AI-driven data centers and advanced computing projects is structured with scalable, flexible solutions that can evolve alongside technology and demand shifts. We recognize these capital-intensive, long-dated investments require adaptable financing models that support project completion over time. We also approach these deals with selectivity and rigor to address obsolescence and market risk. 

EFN: You’ve highlighted a shift toward usage-based and as-a-service financing models. How are telematics and analytics beginning to influence underwriting, pricing and portfolio management decisions? 

BR: Telematics and analytics are beginning to influence underwriting, pricing and portfolio management by enabling more usage-based and as-a-service financing models that align with how businesses actually operate. These technologies support enhanced data insights that help underwriters assess risk and design efficient financing structures. The shift toward usage-based models rewards operational efficiency and modernizes traditional decision frameworks. 

EFN: With rentals, short-term leases and value-added services gaining momentum, how do you see the role of equipment finance changing from a pure lending function to a broader solutions provider? 

BR: Equipment finance is evolving from a pure lending function into a broader solutions provider that supports cash flow and asset flexibility. We are expanding offerings such as remarketing support and trade-in programs to meet changing customer needs. This broader role helps clients preserve working capital and adapt more quickly to operational shifts. 

EFN: As banks pull back from small-business lending, and private credit continues to expand, how are strategic bank partnerships reshaping deal flow, risk sharing and competitive dynamics in equipment finance? 

BR: These partnerships allow banks to access markets they cannot reach directly while enabling us to leverage creative structuring and relationship-driven financing. The shift also alters competitive dynamics, with private credit expanding as an alternative source of flexible financing. 

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