Expert insights on M&A, valuations, and exit strategies for business owners. For a quick valuation range, try the business valuation calculator.
How businesses are valued, what drives the multiple, and what the numbers mean for your sale.
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EBITDA add-backs are the adjustments that turn reported earnings into the number a buyer multiplies. Which ones survive diligence comes down to documentation.
Net revenue retention is the metric that moves a SaaS valuation multiple more than any other single number. This article explains how buyers read it, what benchmarks hold in 2026, and how to raise NRR before a sale.
A single customer that represents more than 20% of revenue typically cuts a business valuation by 10-25% in diligence. The owner usually finds out at the LOI stage, not before.
Most small businesses sell for 2.2x to 3.3x their Seller's Discretionary Earnings. Understand the three valuation methods, SDE vs EBITDA, and what actually drives your number.
HVAC business valuation multiples in 2026 range from 3x to 10x EBITDA, depending on revenue size, recurring maintenance contract revenue, owner dependency, and geographic density.
EBITDA multiples by industry range from 3.0x to 12.0x for SMB service businesses. Complete data table with ranges, medians, and the factors that push businesses to the high or low end.
Business valuation is not a single number. It is a range, shaped by earnings quality, risk, buyer type, deal structure, and the process used to sell the business.
Preparing for a sale, timelines, checklists, and what stops owners from getting started.
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Six million U.S. small businesses will face ownership transitions by 2035 representing $5 trillion in enterprise value. 92% will close without a sale. Here is why — and what the 8% who exit successfully do differently.
A practical guide for business owners with $2M to $50M in revenue who want to maximize their exit value.
Most business sales take 6 to 10 months from preparation to closing. See real timelines for each phase and what causes the biggest delays.
10 steps to complete before taking your company to market. Covers financials, QoE reports, SOPs, valuation, and deal team assembly.
Most owners think preparation starts when they decide to sell. In reality, the outcome is largely determined months or years before that moment.
Buyer types, auction dynamics, deal structures, and how to turn a fair offer into a strong one.
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M&A deals fall apart after LOI more often than sellers expect, and almost always for reasons that were visible weeks before the buyer said anything.
Rollover equity is the share of your proceeds you reinvest in the buyer's holding company instead of taking cash at close. The second bite is not guaranteed.
A quality of earnings report tests whether your reported earnings are sustainable and whether your adjusted EBITDA holds up. What a sell-side QoE costs, covers and prevents.
The net working capital adjustment turns your agreed price into the number that actually lands in your account. It appears in over 90% of private deals and is settled after closing.
Reps and warranties indemnification determines how much of your purchase price is actually yours after closing. Caps, baskets, escrow and survival, from the seller's side.
Selling to an Amazon aggregator was the fastest route to an exit between 2020 and 2022. The picture in 2026 is different. This article compares both paths on the facts.
AI-driven M&A advisors source 5-20x more buyers, generate first offers 60-70% faster, and typically charge no upfront retainer. Here's how the two models compare on fees, timelines, and outcomes.
Not all buyers value your business the same way. Understanding the difference is one of the most important factors in determining price, terms, and speed.
Earn-outs are one of the most common — and most misunderstood — deal structures in business sales. This guide answers the 12 questions every seller asks, backed by real transaction data.
A letter of intent sets the framework for your entire deal. Learn which terms are binding, what to negotiate, and the most common mistakes sellers make.
Lowball offers frustrate business owners. But here's the uncomfortable truth: Lowballing is not bad behavior. It's rational behavior.
Most business owners believe price is negotiated. In reality, price is discovered. Nothing changes outcomes more reliably than a properly run competitive auction.
What you keep after tax and how deal structure shapes net proceeds.
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QSBS under Section 1202 can exclude gain on the sale of qualifying C-corp stock from federal tax. This guide covers the 2026 rules after OBBBA, a worked example, and common pitfalls.
The single biggest tax-related decision in a business sale is almost never made during the sale. It is made years before, when the founder structures the entity and addresses estate planning while the company value is still relatively low.
How M&A advisory is evolving and what it means for business owners.
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AI is not making advisors faster at the same work. It's changing how sell-side M&A is executed at a fundamental level — especially for owner-led businesses.
Cross-border acquisition strategy for US and international buyers targeting European lower-middle-market companies.
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European lower-middle-market companies trade below comparable US assets. This guide walks through the full path a US acquirer takes, from setting a buy-box to closing a cross-border deal.
A buy-side M&A advisor sources, screens, values, and helps close acquisition targets on behalf of a buyer. This article explains the role, fees, and when hiring one is worth it.
A European acquisition pipeline is a managed funnel from long list to shortlist to active pursuit. This guide covers how to build and run that pipeline, from setting a buy-box to managing the funnel to close.
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