After a strong 2021, consumer products deal activity contracted in the first quarter as market uncertainty affected deal urgency. As we enter the second quarter, more recent activity points to a rebound in consumer products closed transactions. Consumer products companies continue to benefit from ... READ MORE >
Consumer products
Canadian retail sales rebound amid strong auto demand
Retail sales in January went up by 3.2%, fully offsetting December’s decline despite the spread of the omicron variant, according to Statistics Canada. In terms of volume, sales increased 2.9%, and there was growth in most industries. The fact that most sectors were little affected by omicron ... READ MORE >
Consumer goods spending continues hot trend
Consumer goods spending rebounded on a month-over-month basis in January, increasing 7.6% compared with a 6.8% decline in December 2021 when consumer spending was impacted from concerns of the omicron variant and elevated holiday sales in October and November 2021. This 7.6% increase exceeded the 2.1% ... READ MORE >
As inflation has risen, companies ask: ‘Can I really raise my prices?’
As companies across virtually every sector of the economy continue to grapple with inflation at its highest level in 30 years, more executives are taking a closer look at whether to increase prices. But there are more dynamics at play than just rising costs, and businesses need to take a broader view as ... READ MORE >
Consumer products industry outlook: Spring 2022
From managing channel opportunities and supply chain challenges to addressing the tight labor market, consumer products businesses face a variety of issues this year. Retailers, restaurants, apparel companies, and food and beverage businesses continue to navigate a volatile economic environment. Key ... READ MORE >
Retailers capitalize on opportunities while restaurants look for consistency: Spring 2022 outlook
Even with the increases in digital and e-commerce, many retailers will leverage physical stores as a sales channel as well. A tightened labor market is constraining the restaurant industry’s ability to provide the exceptional experiences customers expect. Read about other sectors Coming off a ... READ MORE >
Price increases are necessary but could prove costly for food and beverage companies: Spring 2022 outlook
Robotics, artificial intelligence and other solutions will help alleviate the constraints on labor. Growing food and beverage businesses will maintain or improve market share while passing along costs to consumers. Read about other sectors If 2021 was the year for middle market food and beverage ... READ MORE >
Can apparel sales growth continue? – Spring 2022 outlook
Apparel companies, especially those in the middle market, will need to pay close attention to inventory levels to ensure balance sheets are not burdened with excess product. Beauty and personal care brands should experience strong performance as customer mobility increases and COVID-19 cases ... READ MORE >
Consumer products M&A insights from the fourth quarter
Each quarter RSM’s senior industry analysts and mergers and acquisitions professionals provide a glimpse into the middle market consumer products deal environment. Here's the latest for the fourth quarter. While closed consumer products mergers and acquisitions transactions declined each quarter last ... READ MORE >
Consumer confidence improves despite concern over omicron variant and inflation
Consumer confidence advanced in December for the third month in a row, driven by a strong labor market and recovery in spending since September, despite risks from the omicron variant and inflation. The headline consumer confidence index rose by 3.9 points to 115.8 on the month, the largest ... READ MORE >