Logistics & Transport: Beta, Multiples & WACC by Sector

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What the numbers say.

The logistics sector has shifted noticeably this month. It is valued notably lower than a month ago: the median EV/EBIT fell to 11.8x and most companies became cheaper. The beta eased to 0.54, and the cost of capital stands at 6.5 %. The choice of peers and settings moves the value more than it did in August.

EV/EBIT is the multiple to use

It is the tightest multiple in this group, with a dispersion of 23 % across the 20 companies. EV/Sales spreads by 66 % because it carries the growth differences with it.

The beta to use: 5 years, monthly, 0.54

Among the stable settings it has the tightest spread: R² 16 %, 16 of 20 betas significant, less liquid group (median bid-ask spread 0.85 %). It is the smartZebra standard setting. The settings alone move the median beta from 0.27 to 0.64.

The settings matter

Ten of the twenty companies move the EV/EBIT median by −12 % to +13 %, the settings by up to 61 %. Logistics sits in the settings corner of the map.

Each line runs from last month’s beta (light dot) to this month’s (blue dot), on the same beta setting.

Do the usual yardsticks hold this month?

Position on the sector map

This sector in gold, the other 19 sectors in blue. Dashed lines at 40 pp are illustrative.

Construction

Chemicals

Utilities

158

Telecom

Media

Travel & Leisure

Retail

Luxury

Consumer Goods

Logistics

Business Serv.

Aero & Defence

Electrical Eq.

Medtech

Pharma

IT Services

Semiconductors

Software

Automotive

Machinery

Logistics

How much the choices move the result

Beta and fit

R² (median)

16 %

Significant betas

16 of 20

Median bid-ask spread

0.85 %

Beta range across settings

0.27–0.64

What moves the value?

Change vs. prior month

−7 % vs. August

Peer impact on the median

−12 % to +13 %

Spread from peer choice (pp)

Spread from beta settings (pp)

Position on the sector map

Settings decide

Cost of capital

Cost of equity (CAPM)

“kE = rf + β · MRP”

rf = base rate, MRP = market risk premium, β = sector median beta.

WACC

“WACC = E/(D+E) · kE + D/(D+E) · kD · (1 − t)”

kD = base rate + credit spread; t = peer-average tax rate.

Tax rate

“t = average tax rate of the 20 peers”

Shown above as Tax rate (%).

Selection rules

Best-fit multiple

“lowest dispersion across the 20 companies”

The reference multiple is used only as a fallback.

Beta setting

“tightest spread among stable settings”

Replaces 5y monthly only if it passes the two-month rule.

Status

“|Δ value| ≤ 1 % and |Δ β| ≤ 0.03 → stable”

Up to ±5 % / ±0.06 → shifted a bit; beyond → shifted noticeably.

Scope

The 20 largest European listed companies by market value with core business in logistics, parcels, shipping, airports and transport infrastructure; primary listing on a European exchange; banks, insurers, financial services and real estate are excluded.