Household Products Market Update

Macroeconomic turbulence and trade anxieties are hitting public equities hard, but private markets are painting a very different picture. We’re seeing a pronounced disconnect. Following a robust first quarter, household products M&A continued its momentum into Q2 2026, racking up approximately $2.6 billion across 55 deals. Private capital is actively seeking defensive harbors. Sponsors continue to allocate capital to insulated, internationally exposed subsectors that buffer against domestic trade tensions—evaluating cash-generative assets discounted by macro fears to build scale through add-ons. Over the next six to 12 months, we expect multiples for these defensive, consumable assets to find strong support. While public markets weather the storm, corporates are rewriting the playbook. Buyers are increasingly utilizing joint ventures to optimize supply chains and expand their reach—without the heavy lift of full acquisitions. We saw standout activity this quarter, like Griffon Corporation’s joint venture with AMES Australasia, which optimized its international portfolio and unlocked strategic value within its lawn and garden segment, as well as its joint venture with ONCAP to launch Veritage Brands. Across the board, acquirers are relentlessly targeting durable, niche assets in insulated subsectors—just look at Church & Dwight’s targeted acquisition of the Miss Mouth’s brand. But don’t count the public indices out just yet. While public comparables posted a muted 2.1% trailing 12-month return—lagging the broader market due to late 2025 valuation troughs—the sector hit a major inflection point. As macro conditions stabilized, our proprietary index surged 11.7% over the past three months as of June 30, 2026. Appliances and tabletop, along with lawn and garden, drove the upward momentum. To explore the comprehensive data and strategic insights driving these market dynamics, download the complete Household Products Market Update report from Houlihan Lokey.