The market brief: Retail M&A 2026
In this report:
- Why identical valuation multiples bought completely opposite assets in the same 12 month
- The 4 asset types attracting strategic buyers, from vertical integration to scale consolidation
- Why traditional sector classification matters less than company-specific resilience
- What the recent SkinKandy and GYG listings reveal about public investor appetite
Decode the Retail M&A market: What are acquirers actually paying for?
Retail deal volume fell 31%—but the market isn’t slow, it’s highly disciplined.
As macro pressures mount—with a 4.35% RBA cash rate, 4.2% inflation, and mandatory ACCC merger laws—the bar for a fundable transaction has never been higher. Yet, the raw data hides a fascinating paradox: two major 2025 acquisitions closed at nearly identical valuation multiples, but what the buyers actually walked away with couldn’t have been more different.
What separates the assets commanding a premium from those facing severe valuation pressure?
Find out in our latest e-book.
