Current Market Multiples for Main Street Business Sales

Each quarter, The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and M&A Source together with Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project and the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University publish a quarterly national survey of business brokers and M&A advisors called the Market Pulse Survey. Price multiples and other key metrics in the Main Street Market section of the Q3 2017 survey are presented below.

Main Street businesses are defined as those with enterprise values up to $2.0 million.

 

MEDIAN MULTIPLES PAID FOR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES

 

 

 

 

SDE is Sellers Discretionary Earnings, which is defined as earnings before owner/GM compensation (one full-time working owner), depreciation and amortization, non-operating income & expenses, nonrecurring income & expenses, interest income & expenses, and taxes.

 

PORTION OF SALE PRICE RECEIVED AS CASH AT CLOSE

 

 

 

 

WHY SELLERS WENT TO MARKET

 

 

 

WHAT WAS MOTIVATING BUYERS