M&A activity for the supply chain and logistics industry was robust in Q4 2022, rounding out the second-most active year for the sector since 2015. Due to a lagging Q2 and Q3 earlier in the year, 2022 M&A activity for the sector has fallen below activity levels in 2021.  

Global markets continued to trend down after 2021 peaks, depressing M&A activity across all industries. Strategic and financial acquirers remain bullish on the supply chain and logistics industry, with valuation multiples strengthening over the year.

The top global deals by transaction value in Q4 for the industry were predominantly in asset-intensive subindustries. The shipping, ports, and rail subindustries featured heavily.

North American private equity firms played a key role in Q4 through the creation of new platforms and tuck-ins. US-based asset-light logistics firms also played an important role in the industry’s activity over the quarter.