Tariffs & Trade Wars: External Headwinds Loom Large
SmartStop’s public debut comes against a backdrop of escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada. On March 4, former President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, prompting Canada to retaliate with levies on U.S. steel and aluminum. Though tariffs are currently on hold until April 2, the potential for further trade disruptions remains a wild card for SmartStop’s Canadian operations.
“While certain of these announced tariffs have been delayed, the U.S. government may in the future impose, reimpose, increase or pause tariffs,” SmartStop warned in its SEC filing.
IPO Resurgence: A Market Reawakening?
Despite recent market turbulence, SmartStop is joining a wave of companies testing investor appetite. Notably, artificial intelligence startup CoreWeave Inc. is gearing up for a $2.5 billion IPO, while fintech giant Klarna Bank AB and ticketing platform StubHub Holdings Inc. have also filed to go public in recent weeks.
