COMPLETED TRANSACTIONS
Business Sale Multiples by Industry
Every deal on this page closed. The database collects 298 completed business sales across 20 industries, with list price, revenue, seller's discretionary earnings (SDE), and the resulting multiple for each one. Start with the industry breakdown to see how multiples compare across sectors, then search the full database for transactions that resemble your own company. Figures reflect each business's list price when it went to market.
298
20
3.7x
34
Completed Transactions
Industries
Average List Multiple
States
BY INDUSTRY
Median Multiples Across 18 Industries
Multiples vary more by industry than most owners expect. The breakdown below covers every vertical with at least five completed sales in the database, showing how many deals closed, the median multiple of list price to SDE, and the median SDE. Medians keep a single outlier deal from skewing the figure.
Consumer Products
57 deals · 3.9x median multiple · $430K median SDE
Automotive, RV & Marine
12 deals · 3.4x median multiple · $431K median SDE
Agency Services
34 deals · 3.6x median multiple · $409K median SDE
Technology & Security Products
10 deals · 3.8x median multiple · $562K median SDE
Health, Beauty & Wellness
32 deals · 3.5x median multiple · $375K median SDE
Pet & Animal
10 deals · 3.7x median multiple · $751K median SDE
Supplements & Nutrition
23 deals · 4.2x median multiple · $578K median SDE
Sports, Outdoor & Fitness
9 deals · 3.7x median multiple · $421K median SDE
Fashion & Apparel
18 deals · 3.6x median multiple · $328K median SDE
Baby, Kids & Toys
9 deals · 3.3x median multiple · $335K median SDE
SaaS & Software
15 deals · 4.2x median multiple · $408K median SDE
Food & Beverage
7 deals · 2.9x median multiple · $292K median SDE
Media, Content & Lead Generation
14 deals · 3.6x median multiple · $410K median SDE
B2B Products & Industrial
7 deals · 4.1x median multiple · $563K median SDE
Professional Services
13 deals · 3.8x median multiple · $816K median SDE
Education & Training
6 deals · 3.1x median multiple · $419K median SDE
Jewelry & Accessories
12 deals · 2.9x median multiple · $215K median SDE
Accounting & Financial Services
5 deals · 3.5x median multiple · $335K median SDE
Multiple equals list price divided by seller's discretionary earnings. Deals without reported financials count toward the deal totals but are excluded from the medians. Source: Exit Game Plan transaction database, 298 completed sales.
TRANSACTION DATABASE
Browse All 298 Completed Sales
Filter by industry, business model, or region to narrow the list. Deals appear newest first. Each card shows the list price, revenue, SDE, and multiple recorded when the business went to market. Some older transactions were recorded without full financials, so a few cards show only the deal details.
SOLD
Crypto Currency Products eCommerce
Technology & Security Products
eCommerce / Brand
Northeast U.S. · June 2024
List Price
$1,000,000
Revenue
$999,888
SDE
$309,757
Multiple
3.2x
SOLD
Quilting Fabrics eCommerce Brand
Fashion & Apparel
eCommerce / Brand
Mountain West · June 2024
List Price
$500,000
Revenue
$344,253
SDE
$140,726
Multiple
3.5x
SOLD
Cosmetics & Beauty eCommerce Business
Health, Beauty & Wellness
eCommerce / Brand
Southeast U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$3,500,000
Revenue
$6,978,000
SDE
$1,638,220
Multiple
2.1x
SOLD
Thermal Printer eCommerce Brand
Consumer Products
eCommerce / Brand
Southeast U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$500,000
Revenue
$1,714,851
SDE
$175,166
Multiple
2.9x
SOLD
Plant-Based Diet eCommerce Business
Food & Beverage
eCommerce / Brand
Southeast U.S. · June 2024
List Price
$750,000
Revenue
Not disclosed
SDE
Not disclosed
Multiple
Not disclosed
SOLD
Makeup & Beauty Amazon FBA Brand
Health, Beauty & Wellness
eCommerce / Brand
West Coast · May 2024
List Price
$1,600,000
Revenue
$752,090
SDE
$514,053
Multiple
3.1x
SOLD
Government RFP Proposal Agency
Agency Services
Service Business
Northeast U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$420,000
Revenue
$201,310
SDE
$181,389
Multiple
2.3x
SOLD
Skincare Health & Wellness Brand
Health, Beauty & Wellness
eCommerce / Brand
Northeast U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$2,700,000
Revenue
$4,482,715
SDE
$769,326
Multiple
3.5x
SOLD
MIDI & Digital Audio eCommerce Retailer
Technology & Security Products
eCommerce / Brand
Midwest U.S. · June 2024
List Price
$695,000
Revenue
$1,688,746
SDE
$221,108
Multiple
3.1x
SOLD
Nutritional Supplements Brand
Supplements & Nutrition
eCommerce / Brand
Midwest U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$2,000,000
Revenue
$2,044,549
SDE
$600,421
Multiple
3.3x
SOLD
Video Security Products Brand
Technology & Security Products
eCommerce / Brand
South Central U.S. · May 2024
List Price
$7,250,000
Revenue
$10,515,766
SDE
$1,667,590
Multiple
4.3x
SOLD
Sound Therapy eCommerce Brand
Health, Beauty & Wellness
eCommerce / Brand
Nationwide / Remote · May 2024
List Price
$849,000
Revenue
$903,981
SDE
$406,556
Multiple
2.0x
WHERE DEALS CLOSED
Completed Transactions by State
The database spans 34 states plus transactions outside the United States. States with three or more completed sales are listed below. Individual cards show region only, to protect the confidentiality of the businesses involved.
Florida: 49
California: 35
New York: 29
Texas: 16
Minnesota: 14
Pennsylvania: 13
Indiana: 13
Illinois: 11
Louisiana: 10
New Jersey: 8
Colorado: 7
Wisconsin: 7
Utah: 7
Ohio: 7
Wyoming: 7
Michigan: 7
Massachusetts: 5
Arizona: 5
Tennessee: 5
Washington: 5
Virginia: 5
North Carolina: 4
Oregon: 4
Idaho: 4
Georgia: 4
Montana: 3
South Carolina: 3
Another 11 transactions closed in other states and outside the United States.
READING THE NUMBERS
What Drives a Business Sale Multiple
A multiple is shorthand for how much a buyer will pay for each dollar of a company's earnings. On this page it is calculated as list price divided by seller's discretionary earnings, the measure most buyers use for owner-operated and founder-led companies. Two businesses with identical earnings can still list at very different multiples, because buyers price what they expect the next several years to look like.
Revenue alone rarely settles the question. The factors that move a multiple up or down tend to be the same across industries: how much revenue recurs each month or year, how concentrated the customer base is, how involved the owner is in daily operations, whether the company owns its products or intellectual property, the depth of the management team, and how consistently the business has grown.
Industry matters too. In the database above, SaaS and supplements businesses carry median multiples of 4.2x, while food and beverage and jewelry businesses sit near 2.9x. Recurring subscription revenue, proprietary products, and repeat customers tend to earn premiums. Businesses that depend heavily on a single marketplace, a single customer, or the owner's personal relationships tend to sell at a discount.
Comparable sales are a starting point for valuation, and no comparable replaces a full appraisal. Buyer type also shapes the number. Strategic acquirers, private equity groups, family offices, and individual operators using SBA financing each underwrite risk differently, and the same company can draw a different multiple from each. When Exit Game Plan prepares a company for sale, these transactions sit alongside a full review of financials, buyer demand, and deal structure.
What is a typical multiple for selling a business?
Across the 236 transactions in this database with a reported multiple, the median is 3.7x list price to SDE. Most industries fall between roughly 3x and 4x, with software, supplements, and B2B industrial companies at the higher end.
What is seller's discretionary earnings (SDE)?
SDE is the pre-tax profit a business produces for one full-time owner. It starts with net income and adds back the owner's salary and benefits, interest, depreciation, amortization, and one-time or discretionary expenses. Buyers use it to compare owner-operated companies on equal footing.
Can I see the details of a specific transaction?
Each card shows the financial details recorded when the business went to market. Business names and exact locations are withheld to protect the confidentiality of everyone involved in the sale.
