(Adds background and details on GXO)
By Sabrina Valle
NEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) - GXO Logistics ( GXO ), a
provider of logistics services with a market value of roughly $6
billion, is exploring a potential sale after receiving takeover
interest, according to a person familiar with the matter.
GXO, which was spun off from trucking company XPO in 2021,
is working with a financial advisor to field acquisition
interest from suitors, which include rival logistics providers,
the source said, requesting anonymity as the discussions are
confidential.
It has not made a final decision to proceed with a sale, and
it is possible that the talks may not result in a deal, the
source added.
A spokesperson for the Greenwich, Connecticut-based company
declined to comment.
GXO's shares jumped more than 8% on the news in trading
after the bell on Wednesday.
GXO is one of the world' largest providers of supply chain
management tools. Its services include AI-powered robotics,
transportation, warehousing, and logistics for industries such
as aerospace & defense, e-commerce, healthcare, and consumer
packaged goods.
GXO has struggled as a publicly traded company, having lost
more than a fifth of its market value since it was spun off from
XPO.
Grappling with sluggish customer demand in the UK and Europe
last year, its shares have fallen some 17% this year,
underperforming a 6% drop in the S&P 500 Air Freight & Logistics
index. The decline in its share price has helped
make it an attractive acquisition target.
However, in recent quarters, GXO has witnessed an uptick
in its fortunes as it has signed new customers. The company
reported revenue growth of 19% to $2.85 billion in its most
recent quarterly earnings report.
"Fundamentally, GXO's long-term contract model provides a
highly visible, predictable, and resilient financial profile.
Under the surface, contract durations are lengthening and GXO's
expertise in robotics and AI is driving meaningful new business
wins with a record sales pipeline that now sits at $2.3
billion," Jefferies analysts said in an Aug. 6 note.
The company, which counts the likes of Apple ( AAPL ), Nike ( NKE )
, Nestle and Whirlpool among its
customers, has more than 130,000 employees across more than 970
facilities.