The long-awaited rebound in consumer products deal volume remained out of reach in the second half of last year. … READ MORE >
Consumer products M&A: Cautious buyers limit activity
The first half of 2024 continued the downward trajectory of consumer products deal volumes. Cautious buyers weighed economic and political uncertainty, a softening consumer, and the lack of clarity on the timing and extent of interest rates against continued high seller expectations and limited availability of assets. Additionally, concerns over … … READ MORE >
Cautious, but optimistic, consumer products M&A climate for 2024
Add-on acquisitions are continuing to account for a larger share of deals. These acquisitions will be attractive for buyers given their cost effectiveness. … READ MORE >
Consumer products holiday season insights: Shopping growth to be lower, but still strong
RSM forecasts nominal retail sales from October through December 2023 will increase nearly 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. … READ MORE >
Don’t believe the hype: Student loan payments present modest drag on growth
Despite the hype and scare tactics around a well-telegraphed restart date, we estimate that it will result in only a 0.3 percentage point drag on GDP in the United States. … READ MORE >
Back-to-school outlook: What can we expect for holiday shopping?
If July’s retail sales are any indication, this year’s holiday sales will be largely focused on individual product categories and consumer spending by income level. … READ MORE >
Consumer products M&A cooled in the first half
Merger and acquisition activity among consumer products companies took a breather in the first half of the year as valuations were reset amid rising interest rates. … READ MORE >
July retail sales show upside surprise, helped by discounting and back-to-school events: RSM analyst perspective
Retail sales rose 0.7% in July from the prior month, beating analysts’ expectations for a 0.4% rise, likely driven by a series of July discount events at major retailers and the start of back-to-school shopping. The rise marked the fourth consecutive month of increases.
Stripping out spending on gas, food, autos and building materials, retail sales increased by 1.0%, double analysts’ expectations for a 0.5% increase, according to Commerce Department data released Tuesday. This control group is a key barometer for discretionary spending. … READ MORE >
Back-to-school outlook: Inventory levels point to sustained discounting strategies
Retailers will continue discounting through the back-to-school shopping season and beyond. … READ MORE >
Are the good times in consumer spending coming to an end?
Consumers have shown remarkable resilience as the economy has rebounded from the depths of the pandemic, but that could be changing. … READ MORE >