U.S. M&A activity in the Transportation and Logistics (“T&L”) sector declined sharply in 2025, totaling 121 transactions, down 28% from 168 transactions in 2024. Strategic buyers largely paused acquisition activity amid an exceptionally fluid policy environment, including heightened trade uncertainty.

Q4 2025 – QUARTERLY M&A MARKET RECAP U.S. Industrial Manufacturing M&A activity stabilized in Q4 2025, with 81 announced transactions. While Q4 deal volume declined 22.1% year over year, this represented an improvement from Q3 2025’s 77 announced transactions. Compared to Q1 2025, Q4 activity increased 14.1%, signaling a gradual recovery toward more normalized deal…

Q4 2025 reflected lower transaction volumes alongside sustained strategic engagement. Global distribution M&A activity declined 36% year over year during the quarter, with U.S. volumes exhibiting a similar contraction.

Global packaging M&A maintained steady volume to open 2026 with 30 deals in January, which was in-line with historical levels for January but below the record 45 transactions announced in January 2025.

52 global plastics M&A transactions were recorded in January 2026, which represented one of the most active months for plastics M&A since PMCF began tracking the sector.

With the conclusion of 2025, the Human Capital Management (HCM) landscape reflects upon a year of structural transition with demand varying significantly between key sectors within professional and commercial staffing services.