PwC

The report observed that T&L dealmaking activity gained renewed traction over the second half of this year, with buyers prioritizing strategic alignment over scale. And it added that acquirers focused on subsectors offering defensible growth, operating efficiency, and exposure to high-barrier markets, with activity across what the firm called the full value chain, ranging from infrastructure to asset-light platforms, coupled with capital allocated for things like technology modernization, resilient supply chains, and specialized logistics services.

A combination of factors is having what could be viewed as a negative impact, when it comes to transportation and logistics (T&L) mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity. That was the primary thesis of a new report issued today by business consultancy PwC, entitled “Transportation & Logistics: US Deals 2025 Midyear Outlook.”

PwC operations transformation partner Carla DeSantis says tariff mitigation is only one data point in a broader supply chain plan.

In what could be viewed as a largely down freight market in recent years, driven by various factors, including inflation, uneven demand, and sluggish manufacturing, among other factors, a more stable part of the freight market appears to be an increase in logistics-focused mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity.

It goes without saying that in these days of rapid e-commerce growth, consumers are getting more accustomed to getting what they want, or ordered, when they want it. This, in turn, creates challenges for retailers to get orders to customers, challenges that can be expensive but needed. That is a key takeaway from the 2017 Holiday Outlook recently issued by PwC.

In its “Global Transportation and Logistics M&A Deal Insights 2017,” report PwC noted that total first quarter deal value at $18.2 billion was down 38 percent compared to the first quarter of 2016 and was up 2 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2016. There were 63 transportation and logistics deals in the first quarter, which was up 26 percent annually and down 9 percent compared to the fourth quarter.

The firm’s “Global Transportation and Logistics M&A Deals Insights Q3 2016” report” stated that total second half 2016 deal value of $53.3 billion was off by 22 percent compared to the first half of 2016, with total deal activity for all of 2016 down 6 percent annually at $122 billion.

In its “Global Transportation and Logistics M&A Deals Insights Q3 2016,” report, PwC said that M&A activity for the sectors has been stable in 2016, with 50 or more deals, respectively, in the first and second quarters, with the third quarter coming in at 50, which marked an 11 percent decline in deal volume compared to the second quarter of 2016 and the third quarter of 2015.

Second quarter merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the transportation and logistics sectors saw mixed results on a sequential and annual basis, according to data released today by PwC in its report entitled "Global Transportation & Logistics M&A Deal Insights Q2 2016."

Driven by a steady steam of megadeals, recent data from PwC in its quarterly “Intersections” report showed that 2015 was a banner year for transportation and logistics merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, with total 2015 deal value nearly doubling 2014’s output.

Changes in customer behavior are set to disrupt businesses in all industries over the next five years. Yet, most company operations are not designed to deliver what customers value – now or three years from now.

While third quarter transportation and logistics merger and acquisition (M&A) activity saw a decline, year-to-date deal making matched up well with recent years as deal value for the first nine months of 2015 hit its highest level going back to 2006, according to data issued in the Intersections report by PwC this week.

In the most recent edition of its quarterly report, entitled Intersections, consultancy PwC noted that fourth quarter merger and acquisition activity within the transportation and logistics sector was steady overall, while full-year deal making activity in 2014 was on the slower side as it was near a ten-year low.

Transportation and logistics merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the third quarter saw annual gains, which were driven by smaller deals in the trucking logistics, shipping, and passenger air sectors, according to data issued in the Intersections report by PwC this week.

For the quarter, PwC said there were 51 transportation and logistics transactions values at $50 million or more for a total of $20 billion, which was ahead of 38 deals for a cumulative $16.2 billion recorded during the first quarter and the 39 deals valued at a cumulative $16.b billion in the second quarter of 2013.