Investors need to understand the uneven effects of COVID-19 across industries

We assessed how ten disruptive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are affecting 20 industries to help investors identify which developments will have a material impact on business models, revenues, future investments, and more.

Some sectors seem less affected by the pandemic, while others may need to rethink their business models. Chart of disruption impacts on 20 industry sectors.

Some sectors seem less affected by the pandemic, while others may need to rethink their business models.

Disruption impact by sector
Sector Labor availability Credit Social distancing Public health and safety Tracking and tracing Government regulation/support Low- or zero-touch operating models Digital and automation Supply-chain derisking Consumption behavior Overall
Real estate Highly negative Highly negative Highly negative Negligible Negligible Positive Negative Negligible Negative Highly negative Highly negative
Travel and hospitality Negative Negative Highly negative Highly negative Highly negative Positive Negligible Negative Negligible Highly negative Highly negative
Logistics Highly negative Negative Negative Negative Highly negative Negative Highly negative Highly negative Negligible Highly negative Highly negative
Energy and utilities Highly negative Highly negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Positive Negligible Negligible Highly negative Negative Highly negative
Banking Negative Negative Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Negligible Highly negative Negative
Fintech Negligible Negligible Positive Negligible Negligible Negligible Positive Positive Negligible Positive Positive
Lending Highly negative Highly negative Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Negligible Highly negative Negative
Insurance Highly negative Highly negative Negative Positive Positive Negligible Negative Negative Negligible Highly negative Negative
Asset management Negligible Highly negative Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negligible Negligible Negligible Highly negative Negative
Industrial equipment Highly negative Negative Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Highly negative Highly negative Highly negative
Media Negative Negligible Highly negative Highly negative Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Negligible Highly negative Negative
Software Negative Negligible Positive Positive Positive Negligible Positive Positive Negligible Positive Positive
Tech services Negative Negligible Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Highly Negative Highly Negative Negative Negative Negative
Telecom Positive Negligible Positive Negligible Positive Negligible Negligible Negligible Negligible Positive Positive
Consumer nondurables Negative Negligible Negative Negative Negative Positive Negative Negative Highly Negative Positive Negative
Consumer durables Highly Negative Negligible Highly Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Highly Negative Highly Negative Highly negative
Retail Negative Negligible Negative Highly negative Highly negative Negligible Highly Negative Highly negative Negative Highly negative Highly negative
Healthcare Negative Negative Negative Positive Positive Positive Positive Negative Highly negative Negative Positive
Pharma and biotech Negative Negligible Negative Positive Negligible Positive Negative Negative Positive Positive Positive
Business services Negative Negligible Negative Negligible Negligible Negligible Negative Negative Negligible Highly negative Negative

McKinsey & Company

To read the article, see “A rolling disruption: COVID-19’s implications for private equity and portfolio companies,” September 16, 2020.