What multiple to pay for a small business?

Asked by: Gregorio Jakubowski  |  Last update: March 20, 2025
Score: 5/5 (50 votes)

Common multiples for most small businesses are two to four times SDE. Common multiples for mid-sized businesses are three to six times EBITDA.

What multiples do small businesses sell for?

The following are some common valuation multiples for small businesses:
  • Retail: 0.5 – 1.5 times EBITDA.
  • Restaurants: 0.5 – 2.0 times EBITDA.
  • Manufacturing: 0.5 – 3.0 times EBITDA.
  • Service businesses: 1.0 – 4.0 times EBITDA.
  • Software-as-a-service: 4.0 – 8.0 times EBITDA.

How many times profit is a small business worth?

A good revenue multiplier typically ranges from 1 to 3 times annual revenue for most small businesses. However, this can vary significantly based on industry, market conditions, and specific business characteristics.

What is the multiplier for a small business?

The multiplier for a small to midsized business will generally fall between 1 and 3‚ meaning‚ that you will multiply your earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by either 1X‚ 2X or 3X. For larger‚ more established organizations‚ the multiplier can be 4 or higher.

How much is a business worth with $500,000 in sales?

To find the fair market value, it is then necessary to divide that figure by the capitalization rate. Therefore, the income approach would reveal the following calculations. Projected sales are $500,000, and the capitalization rate is 25%, so the fair market value is $125,000.

How to Pick the Right Multiple - Small Business Valuation Essentials

21 related questions found

How much profit should a $2 million dollar business make?

So as an example, a company doing $2 million in real revenue (I'll explain below) should target a profit of 10 percent of that $2 million, owner's pay of 10 percent, taxes of 15 percent and operating expenses of 65 percent. Take a couple of seconds to study the chart.

What is the formula for valuing a business?

Current Value = (Asset Value) / (1 – Debt Ratio)

To quickly value a business, find its total liabilities and subtract them from the total assets. This will give you an idea of its book value. This formula estimates the worth of a business by looking at its assets and subtracting any liabilities.

What is a reasonable multiple to pay for a business?

Common Multiples

Retail businesses: 1.5 to 3.0 (i.e., cash flow x 1.5-3.0 multiple) Service businesses: 1.5 to 3.0 (i.e., cash flow x 1.5-3.0 multiple)

How much is a business worth with $1 million in sales?

A service-based business with $1 million in sales was valued at 2x revenue due to its reliance on human capital and limited scalability. Despite strong profitability, the business's valuation was $2 million, highlighting the importance of industry-specific factors in determining value.

What is a 25% multiplier?

Understanding the 25x Rule

You can find that amount by multiplying your annual expenses by 25 to arrive at the total investment assets you'll need to retire, Sak added.

What is a reasonable profit for a small business?

What's a good profit margin for a small business? Although profit margin varies by industry, 7 to 10% is a healthy profit margin for most small businesses. Some companies, like retail and food, can be financially stable with lower profit margin because they have naturally high overhead.

What is the rule of thumb for valuing a business?

The revenue multiple is the key factor in determining a company's value. To calculate the times-revenue, divide the selling price by the company's revenue from the past 12 months. This ratio reveals how much a buyer was willing to pay for the business, expressed as a multiple of annual revenue.

How much is a typical small business worth?

Companies with under $3m in sales will typically sell for 2.5 – 3.5 X their discretionary earnings (total cash the owner could take out of the company). Smaller companies that are even more owner-reliant will even be lower than that.

What is good EBITDA for small business?

Generally speaking, a good EBITDA margin for manufacturing businesses falls between 5% and 10%. However, this will vary depending on the specific industry you are manufacturing your products for, and how capital-intensive your operations are.

How much are small businesses sold for?

Most small businesses generally sell at 2-3 times their seller's discretionary earnings. According to NYU Stern, industry subsectors can have different revenue multiples. For example, the real estate development subsector has a 4.38x multiple, while real estate operations and services sell at a 1.51x revenue multiple.

How do you structure multiple small businesses?

How to Legally Structure Multiple Businesses
  1. Create Separate LLCs or Corporations. You can create separate LLCs or corporations for each of your businesses, because there's no limit to how many a person can form. ...
  2. Create Multiple DBAs Under One LLC or Corporation. ...
  3. Create Businesses Under a Holding Company.

How to calculate to sell your business?

Determining Your Business's Market Value
  1. Tally the value of assets. Add up the value of everything the business owns, including all equipment and inventory. ...
  2. Base it on revenue. How much does the business generate in annual sales? ...
  3. Use earnings multiples. ...
  4. Do a discounted cash-flow analysis. ...
  5. Go beyond financial formulas.

How much is a business worth with $200K sales?

A less sophisticated but still popular way to determine a company's potential value quickly is to multiply the current sales or revenue of a company by a multiple "score." For example, a company with $200K in annual sales and a multiple of 5 would be worth $1 million.

What is a good revenue multiple?

3x to 5x – Startups in this category are middle of the pack. Investors consider these companies as a fair shot to success. More than 10x – This category is the 'A-list' as per investors. Startups displaying a 10x or more valuation have the highest chances of growth, profits, and expansion.

What is the 50% rule in business?

Stated simply, the Rule of 50 is governed by the principle that if the percentage of annual revenue growth plus earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as a percentage of revenue are equal to 50 or greater, the company is performing at an elite level; if it falls below this metric, some ...

What is a good amount for a small business to make?

But in general, a healthy profit margin for a small business tends to range anywhere between 7% to 10%. Keep in mind, though, that certain businesses may see lower margins, such as retail or food-related companies.

What does owning 25% of a business mean?

(2) 25-percent owner The term “25-percent owner” means, with respect to any corporation, any person who owns at least 25 percent of— (A) the total voting power of all classes of stock of a corporation entitled to vote, or (B) the total value of all classes of stock of such corporation.

How many times revenue is a business worth?

The times-revenue method determines the maximum value of a company as a multiple of its revenue for a set period of time. The multiple varies by industry and other factors but is typically one or two. In some industries, the multiple might be less than one.

What is the average EBITDA multiple for small business?

Average EBITDA Multiple range: 3.00x – 5.00x

The average EBITDA multiples for a small business typically fall between 3.00x – 5.00x. Valuation experts apply the multiple to the company's EBITDA to determine its fair market value.

What is the quick calculation to value a business?

The Net Book Value (NBV) of your business is calculated by deducting the costs of your business liabilities, including debt and outstanding credit, from the total value of your tangible and intangible assets.