Tariffs in Aerospace: Will the Market Soar or Stall? w/ Bill Alderman

In aerospace and defense, predictability, stability and certainty are the fuel all deals run on. Buyers purchase companies expecting a sure thing that will sustain for decades. 

What happens when you throw the possibility of unpredictable tariffs into this market? 

You get buyer and seller uncertainty which slows the market down. No one knows exactly how President Trump’s tariffs will impact the supply chain and the deals that will get done. 

That doesn’t mean it’s gloom and doom, though. The market is still good, there’s still plenty of deals to be done, and investor uncertainty is turning into cautious optimism. With a little more comfort that the wheels won’t come flying off the bus, we’ll see more movement in the market.  

How is the new administration going to affect aerospace and defense? What’s the current state of M&A? In this episode, M&A specialist Bill Alderman returns for his quarterly check-in and today we talk about the tariffs and their impact on the market. 

 

You’ll also learn:

• What’s really going on with American defense contractors
• The pandemic hangover, aircraft production and how it’s affecting the market
• How the market is reacting to President Trump’s tariffs 
• The talent crisis America has to solve 

Guest Bio

William H. Alderman (Bill) is the Founding Partner of Alderman & Company. Bill is an M&A specialist in the middle market of the aerospace and defense industry with over $2 billion in mergers and acquisition-related transactions to his name. Prior to founding Alderman & Company in 2001, Bill worked for 15 years on Wall Street and in the Aerospace & Defense Industry, principally on M&A transactions in the middle market. His employers included BT Securities, Fieldstone, and General Electric. Bill is a Securities Principal registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and has four securities industry licenses (Series 7, 24, 63, and 65). Bill is a commercial pilot and owns and operates a Cirrus SR22.

• URL Link: https://www.aldermanco.com/
• LinkedIn - William Alderman https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamalderman/

About Your Host

Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association. 

 

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