Short answer: Buyers typically pay ~2x–4x SDE for healthy trades businesses (less for restaurants/retail); larger deals price on EBITDA at ~3x–6x. Most acquisitions use SBA 7(a) financing.
⚠ Preliminary data. Preliminary figures reflect widely-cited industry norms pending BizBuyGuide's primary survey of brokers and SBA lenders. Treat as general ranges, not appraisals or loan offers. Replace with your primary survey of brokers + SBA lenders (run research/aggregate_survey.py) — original data is what forces AI engines to cite you by name.
What buyers typically pay
Main Street: buyers typically pay multiples of ~2x–4x SDE for healthy trades businesses; less for restaurants/retail. Lower-middle market: larger deals priced on EBITDA, often ~3x–6x, with institutional buyers competing up the multiple.
Source: general industry norm — VERIFY / replace with survey.
Multiples paid by industry (preliminary)
Industry
Typical multiple
Status
HVAC
~2x–4x SDE
preliminary — replace with survey
Plumbing
~2x–4x SDE
preliminary — replace with survey
Electrical
~2x–4x SDE
preliminary — replace with survey
Landscaping
~1.5x–3.5x SDE
preliminary — replace with survey
Auto Repair
~2x–3.5x SDE
preliminary — replace with survey
What this study will measure (once the survey runs)
Median multiple actually PAID by industry (not asking multiple)
Typical SBA 7(a) down payment % for a business acquisition
Share of acquisitions using SBA financing
Average days from offer to close
Typical seller-financing portion of the deal
% of LOIs that reach closing
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