Transport, postal and warehousing: how the industry looks
This page gathers the figures we hold on transport, postal and warehousing. Each section names its own source.
Each source groups industries its own way, so the edges of transport, postal and warehousing differ a little from section to section.
- Median sale multiple6.5times EBITDA
- EBITDA margin18.6%share of sales, 2024-25
- Still trading after four years47.3%of businesses trading in June 2022
- Days to pay small suppliers26July to December 2025
- Wage change+3.2%the year to June 2026
What stands out
- In 2025-26, 21.7% of the industry's businesses stopped trading, and 13.8% across all industries.
- In 2024-25, EBITDA was 18.6% of sales across the industry and 14.7% across all industries the ABS covers.
- Of businesses trading in June 2022, 47.3% in the industry and 61.9% across all industries were still trading four years later.
Where a line gives a figure across all industries, it comes from the same source and period as the industry's. The sections below name each source.
Use these figures
Set your own EBITDA margin beside the industry's on industry margins.
Get your own earnings on the same basis as the deals, and set them against the sector's multiples, in the earnings calculator.
Set the days your own invoices take beside the industry's on payment times.
What businesses sold for
- Transport, postal and warehousing6.5 times EBITDA, middle half 4.5 to 7.5, 10+ deals
- Road freight and logistics6.0 times EBITDA, 5+ deals
Deal details
Transport, postal and warehousing: median 6.5 times EBITDA. The middle half of deals ran from 4.5 to 7.5 times (10+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2010 to 2026).
Road freight and logistics: median 6.0 times EBITDA (5+ deals of A$10 million to A$500 million, announced 2010 to 2025).
What multiple will my business sell for?
In Australia, transport, postal and warehousing businesses bought between 2010 and 2026 sold for a median of 6.5 times EBITDA, across 10+ deals.
Source: deals in our database with a published value. Counts by onestepright.
See every transport, postal and warehousing figure on its sale multiples page.
How deal activity has moved
2015-19 against 2020-26, among the deals in our database.
These count deals in our database, not every deal in the market.
Source: deals in our database. Counts by onestepright.
Margins
In 2024-25, EBITDA was 18.6% of sales across the industry, and operating profit 9.9%.
- Purchases15.8%
- Labour23.0%
- Other costs
- EBITDA18.6%
Every business in the industry together, 2024-25.
What is the average profit margin in transport, postal and warehousing?
Across every transport, postal and warehousing business added together, EBITDA was 18.6% of sales in 2024-25, and operating profit 9.9%.
Every business in the industry is added together, so the figures are not a typical business.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Industry (8155.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare margins across industries.
How many businesses are still trading
About 47 in every 100 were still trading four years later.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare survival across industries.
Businesses that started and stopped
Each is a share of the businesses trading at the start of the year.
Few exits are insolvencies.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (8165.0). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare exits across industries.
How fast large businesses pay small suppliers
- This industry26
- All industries23
The typical large business in this industry, against all industries.
In July to December 2025, the typical large business in the industry paid small suppliers in 26 days, and paid 73% of its invoices within 30 days.
Source: Payment Times Reporting Register. © Commonwealth of Australia. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Compare payment times across industries.
What costs did
What wages and input prices did in this industry, and what businesses in it announced. Each comes from its own source and grouping of industries.
Each bar comes from its own source, named below.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Wage Price Index, Australia (6345.0), private sector, total hourly rates excluding bonuses. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
No input price series or announced rises fit this industry yet.
What listed chief executives' bonuses pay for
The share of the sector's ASX 200 companies using each measure in their chief executive's bonus plans, FY2025.
Short-term plan
Share of the sector's ASX 200 companies using each measure, FY2025.
Based on 5+ companies.
Long-term plan
Share of the sector's ASX 200 companies using each measure, FY2025.
Based on 5+ companies.
Source: ASX 200 companies' remuneration reports, FY2025. Shares of companies, not weights.
Small business cost ratios
The ATO publishes cost ranges for these small business industries in the sector.
Show the 5 industries
Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO.
See transport, postal and warehousing in New Zealand.
See transport, postal and warehousing in the United Kingdom.
See transport, postal and warehousing in Canada.
See transport, postal and warehousing in the United States.
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