C.H. Robinson's $5B Mega-Deal, Amazon's Chicago Warehouse & Prime Day: The Latest Logistics News
C.H. Robinson to Buy RXO for $5 Billion
A massive wave of consolidation just hit the freight brokerage space. C.H. Robinson has agreed to acquire RXO in a deal valued at approximately $5 billion. The combination of these two giants will create a logistics behemoth with an enterprise value exceeding $25 billion. To put this in perspective: Robinson and RXO reported a combined gross domestic transportation-management revenue of $17.4 billion last year, effectively capturing almost 14% of the entire market. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2027. Source: WSJ
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days Nears $10 Billion
The early holiday shopping push is officially working. Amazon’s October "Prime Big Deal Days" event drove an estimated $9.86 billion in online sales for U.S. retailers across the two-day stretch. The manufactured shopping holiday successfully pulled forward massive amounts of consumer spend as shoppers hunted for bargains ahead of the traditional Black Friday/Cyber Monday rush, with mobile transactions making up over half of the total sales. Source: Retail Dive
The 9-Month Wait for Tariff Refunds
Remember that massive wave of IEEPA tariff refunds we discussed over the summer? For many small businesses, the reality of getting that cash back has been a bureaucratic nightmare. A new report highlights the grueling administrative friction brands are facing, with some waiting over nine months just to claw back $164,000 in unlawfully collected duties. Between navigating complex CBP portals and chasing down carriers to waive administrative fees, the refund process is proving to be a massive headache for Main Street operators. Source: WSJ
Amazon Buys $195M Vertical Warehouse in Chicago
Amazon is doubling down on hyper-local urban fulfillment. The e-commerce giant just paid an estimated $195 million for a hulking, multi-level vertical warehouse located right off the Kennedy Expressway near Goose Island in Chicago. The massive facility has sat empty since its completion a couple of years ago, but it now gives Amazon an unparalleled, multi-story logistics node right in the heart of one of the country's densest delivery markets. Source: Chicago Business
