We recently compiled a list of the 7 Best Warehouse Stocks To Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO) stands against the other warehouse stocks.
The Global Warehousing Industry at a Glance
According to a report by IMARC, the global warehousing and storage industry was valued at $505.1 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $700.2 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 3.5% between 2024 and 2032.
On a regional level, Asia Pacific currently dominates the global market. India’s booming warehousing and logistics sector has been witnessing a strong momentum. As reported by the real estate research and brokerage firm Colliers India, the sector recorded $2.5 billion in inflows in Q2. The industrial and warehousing sector accounted for 61% of total investments with $1.5 billion. As compared to Q2 2023, the institutional investments in the industrial and warehousing segment surged 11 times. The rapidly growing e-commerce and retail consumption in the country are expected to drive the demand for AI-enabled warehouses and micro-fulfillment centers in the next quarters.
Global giants have also looked to expand into India’s warehousing market in an attempt to diversify their supply chains beyond China and leverage the national economic boom and growth potential over the next 15 to 20 years. However, India lags in the warehousing stock with estimates from Avendus Capital stating that China has three times more than India’s 412 million square feet of Grade A warehouses meanwhile the US has 13 billion square feet of warehousing stock.
In light of the current events taking place in the US, a surprising sector that could potentially benefit from the ongoing port strikes is warehousing. This is the event of the first such shutdown in almost 50 years with tens of thousands of dockworkers going on strike indefinitely at ports across much of the country. As analyzed by CNBC’s Diana Olick, warehouses will see more demand and higher pricing power as tenants need workarounds for their goods and containers. An example of this case is the cold storage warehouse firms such as those storing food inventory which are expected to experience increased demand in the case of import disruptions. Warehouse REITs such as Prologis are providing storage areas to temporarily store inventory. However, this is only a short-term win since ports closing for the long term will be a loss for all including warehouses with no goods coming in or out of them. Since the warehouse construction has been low and occupancy rates on warehouses are currently high, the higher pricing power is only valid for the short term.
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 7 best warehouse stocks to buy according to analysts, we first sifted through ETFs and online rankings to gather a preliminary list of 25 such stocks. We then selected the top 7 stocks that had the highest upside potential, according to Wall Street analysts. The best warehouse stocks to buy according to analysts are arranged in ascending order of their average upside potential, as of October 3.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A fleet of trucks leaving a depot, loaded with consumer goods, representing the companies logistical services.
GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO)
Average Upside Potential: 39.44%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 29
GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO) is a dominant contract logistics company with a presence in 27 countries. The company designs and operates the most technologically advanced logistics solutions in the world. It serves a range of industries including aerospace, agribusiness, e-commerce, healthcare, and the public sector among others. The firm is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The company serves as a global leader in providing cutting-edge logistics solutions for multinational companies and blue-chip market leaders. With approximately 200 million square feet of warehouse space and 970 warehouse locations, the numbers for the firm represent a strong market position. GXO delivers an outsized growth driven by secular tailwinds including e-commerce, outsourcing, and automation. With leadership in technology and automation combined with a sound financial profile, the GXO difference is evident.
The second quarter proved to be promising for GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO). The firm witnessed record revenue of $2.8 billion, up 19% year-over-year, with organic revenue growth of 2%. Simultaneously, the company is set to sign a record amount of new business in 2024 and signed new business wins of approximately $270 million in annualized revenue during the quarter. A strong consumer demand in the UK and European markets and the momentum in business are positive signs for the firm.
A global scale, tech and automation leadership, structural organic growth, and resilient margins make GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO) an attractive warehouse stock to invest in. As of October 3, the average upside potential for the stock is 39.44%.
Overall GXO ranks 1st on our list of the best warehouse stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of GXO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued AI stock that is more promising than GXO but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.