Survey: Tariffs Have Caused Double-Digit Operating Cost Hikes at Nearly Half of Companies
They’re really starting to sink in now.
That’s the key takeaway from the latest survey on tariff impacts by Endeavor Business Intelligence, the research division of IndustryWeek’s parent company, EndeavorB2B. Nearly 70% of the business leaders who responded to EBI early this month said the trade measures imposed by the Trump administration as well as some retaliatory actions by trading partners are “significantly” affecting their operations. Another 8% say the impact is starting to be felt now—while just 19% of executives say they don’t expect a significant impact.
“Companies most exposed to tariff-sensitive inputs or markets felt the pressure first, while others have experienced a more gradual build,” EBI analysts wrote in a report. “This staggered timeline points to a continuing wave of operational and cost challenges that may extend well into next year.”
Among survey respondents, the challenges are weighing heavier now than in May, when the EBI team last conducted a similar poll. Then, 34% of business leaders said their operating costs were up at least 11%. Three months later, that number has risen to 46%—heading toward the share that EBI’s first tariff poll from early April said was the expectation.
Also notable about companies’ approach to dealing with tariffs: While roughly one in six executives are still developing their response strategy, a number in line with May’s responses, 18% of them now say they are permanently adapting their business model to the tariff regime. That’s up from just 7% three months ago and another data point supporting the idea that tariffs aren’t going anywhere for a good while.
To download the report featuring many more details about the survey’s results, visit the EBI site right here.
