> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://apidoc.cufinder.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Decline Signal

> A company shows a clear distress pattern.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Signal key" icon="code">
    `decline_signal`
  </Card>

  <Card title="Category" icon="category">
    Composite
  </Card>

  <Card title="Source" icon="world">
    Composite of headcount, hiring, and activity signals.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

A company shows a clear distress pattern.

## When it fires

<Card title="Trigger condition" icon="bolt">
  `employee_decrease` AND `jobs_dropped_to_zero` AND `page_dormant` within 90 days.
</Card>

## Magnitude

High, a clear distress pattern.

<Note>
  For the full bucket definitions used across percentage-based signals, see [Magnitude buckets](/buying-signals/concepts/magnitude-buckets).
</Note>

## Why it matters

A clear distress pattern to flag. Shrinking headcount, zero open roles, and a silent page together paint an unambiguous picture of contraction, a strong signal to pause expansion outreach or, for efficiency tools, to reframe around survival and cost.

## How to read it

<CardGroup cols={1}>
  <Card title="Distress">
    Three aligned decline signals confirm real contraction.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pause expansion">
    Net-new spend is unlikely in this state.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Efficiency angle">
    Cost-cutting tools may still find a fit.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Outreach playbook

<Tip>
  Strong caution. Pause expansion pitches; consider cost-reduction positioning.
</Tip>

## Related signals

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Employee Decrease" href="/buying-signals/signals/decline/employee-decrease">
    A company's employee count dropped by at least one.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Jobs Dropped to Zero" href="/buying-signals/signals/decline/jobs-dropped-to-zero">
    A company that had open roles now has none.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Page Dormant" href="/buying-signals/signals/activity/page-dormant">
    The company stopped posting for an extended period.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Risk Score" href="/buying-signals/signals/composite/risk-score">
    A nightly composite score ranking a company's decline and risk.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

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</Card>