This paper picked a topic of small and medium-sized enterprises to high-light several related problems. It is dedicated to the characteristics of small to medium enterprises, its denition and role within nancial and economic crisis and present recession. There are analysis and comparison of their development during the last ve or ten years in the Czech Republic and EU. The data based on which the analyses and comparison were carried out was obtained from the public databases and other cited sources. The paper is trying to respond to the question: "How is the development of SMEs dependent on business?" The paper discusses possibilities of nancial analysis, assessment of variations and break even point calculation for assessment of investment plan eciency of an agricultural co-operative (capacity of stalls for dairy cows). Optimistic, pessimistic and neutral variant of possible economic development of return on investment are described. A possibility of obtaining a special subsidy of the Rural Development Programme is considered as well. The following variables are dened: purchase price of milk, milk production costs and milk yield per year.