The US-Israeli war with Iran has inflicted at least $25 billion in costs on global corporations, a figure that keeps climbing as oil prices remain north of $100 per barrel and supply chains buckle under the pressure of a disrupted Strait of Hormuz.
At least 279 publicly listed companies have now reported financial impacts tied to the conflict. The response playbook is predictable: price hikes, production cuts, and earnings warnings.
Airlines absorb the biggest hit
Of that $25 billion total, airlines are carrying roughly $15 billion of the burden. Jet fuel prices have nearly doubled since the conflict intensified, and with crude oil surging more than 50% above pre-conflict levels, carriers have little room to maneuver.
The ripple effects extend well beyond aviation. Toyota has estimated its financial impact at $4.3 billion, a staggering number even for the world’s largest automaker. Procter & Gamble, the consumer goods giant behind brands like Tide and Gillette, expects roughly a $1 billion hit to its post-tax profits from elevated input costs.
McDonald’s has also warned of rising costs. Newell Brands, the company behind Rubbermaid and Sharpie, has disclosed that every $5 increase in oil prices adds about $5 million to its cost structure.
The Strait of Hormuz bottleneck
The core of the economic disruption traces back to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes through this narrow waterway on any given day.
Oil prices surging above $100 per barrel, more than 50% higher than pre-conflict levels, have become the headline metric. Rerouted cargo ships burn more fuel. Insurance underwriters charge more for vessels transiting conflict zones. Manufacturers hold larger inventories as a buffer against uncertainty, tying up capital that could be deployed elsewhere.
FactSet has already reported that analyst forecasts for Q2 net profit margins across major S&P 500 sectors are being revised downward as war-related expenses get baked into financial projections.
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