The Jordan Company is weighing a sale or IPO of Echo Global Logistics. The private equity firm took the non-asset freight broker private in 2021 for about $1.3 billion. After adding ITS Logistics this spring, Echo has grown into a roughly $5.4 billion 3PL.
Why now: The freight market appears to be recovering after a prolonged downturn. That is the window when owners tend to sell. J.B. Hunt reported strong earnings this week and pointed to tightening capacity. C.H. Robinson has also posted several quarters of margin gains driven by automation.
The catch: A buyer is not guaranteed. Forward Air also explored a sale earlier this year, but its private equity bidders walked away in March.
The precedent: An IPO would follow a path others have already taken. RXO and GXO both spun out of XPO earlier this decade and now trade as standalone logistics companies.
Why it matters: If Echo goes public, its valuation could become a benchmark for rivals such as RXO, ArcBest, and Uber Freight. It would also give shippers a clearer view of how much pricing power freight brokers are regaining as the market recovers.
