Edmiston Q2 Data Shows Yacht Sales Down 13% but Market Value Down Just 7%

Edmiston says the superyacht brokerage market moved into a more selective phase during the first half of 2026, with the number of yachts sold down 13 percent year on year while total transaction value fell by only 7 percent. The gap between volume and value points to continued activity at the upper end, where larger, recently delivered and pedigree yachts remain capable of attracting substantial buyer interest.

Transaction volume softened more than market value

By the end of June, the total number of yachts sold was 13 percent lower than during the same period in 2025, making June one of the quieter months in recent years by transaction count. Total brokerage value, however, was down only 7 percent, indicating that the yachts changing hands were on average carrying substantial value.

Edmiston argues that this divergence reflects a market becoming more selective rather than simply weaker. Buyers appear willing to compete for the strongest yachts while spending more time assessing condition, pedigree, technical history and pricing before committing to other opportunities.

The first-half market remains far larger than it was in 2018

Despite the year-on-year slowdown, Edmiston says the value of transactions completed during the first half of 2026 exceeded the value recorded across the entire brokerage market in 2018. That comparison shows how much the absolute scale of the sector has expanded over the past several years.

A larger installed fleet, more yachts above 50 metres and higher replacement costs have all increased the value base of the market. As a result, a reduction in deal count does not necessarily imply the same contraction in capital moving through superyacht brokerage.

Edmiston completed 21 transactions above 30 metres

Against the wider market backdrop, Edmiston reports 21 transactions involving yachts over 30 metres during the first half of 2026, with 15 completed in the most recent 15 weeks. The yachts represented nearly 1,200 metres of combined length and more than €1.1 billion in transaction value.

Ten of those yachts exceeded 50 metres and three measured more than 90 metres, according to the brokerage. Transactions ranged from the 100-metre Feadship MOONRISE to the 50-metre Heesen DAISY D, reinforcing the concentration of activity in larger, high-value assets.

Quality, scarcity and timing are shaping the second half

Edmiston says the first-half figures show a market placing more emphasis on quality, timing and scarcity. That is likely to keep pricing discipline important through the second half of the year, particularly for yachts competing against newer or recently refitted alternatives.

For Superyacht Guide readers, the central signal is the difference between volume and value. Fewer yachts have changed hands, but substantial transaction value remains in the market, suggesting that serious buyers are still active where the yacht, condition and pricing justify a deal.

Official sources: www.edmiston.com.