BizBuySell industry valuation multiples put the average cash flow (earnings) multiple at 2.58 and the average revenue multiple at 0.67 for sales from Q3 2021 through Q2 2026. Sixteen sectors and 115 industry rows each list a revenue multiple, an SDE earnings multiple, and a median sale price. The median sale price in the set is $340,000.
SMB owners planning a sale can use BizBuySell industry valuation multiples as a market benchmark before they set an asking price. The page aggregates sales reported on BizBuySell over a trailing five-year period and is updated twice a year. Current figures cover businesses sold from Q3 2021 through Q2 2026.
The page holds two tables. One covers 16 sectors. The other covers 115 industry rows grouped under those sectors. Each row lists three fields: an average revenue multiple, an average cash flow (earnings) multiple, and a median sale price. Earnings, also called cash flow, are seller's discretionary earnings (SDE) reported by the owner or by the broker who closed the listing. Revenue is reported gross revenue or gross sales. BizBuySell states that cash flow to the owner is a more reliable indicator than revenue when valuing a small business.
Across all sectors, the average earnings multiple is 2.58 and the average revenue multiple is 0.67. In the sector table, earnings multiples run from 1.95 for Transportation and Storage to 3.28 for Online and Technology. Revenue multiples run from 0.42 for Food and Restaurants to 1.21 for Financial Services. The median sale price for the full data set is $340,000. Reported sale prices run from $50,000 to well over $20 million. Sector median sale prices run from $145,000 for Beauty and Personal Care to $850,000 for Online and Technology.
Among industries, BizBuySell describes average earnings multiples as ranging from 1.5 on the low end to more than 5 for a few high-value categories. High earnings multiples in the industry table include car washes at 4.87, assisted living and nursing homes at 4.30, and funeral homes at 4.28. Low earnings multiples include dollar stores at 1.46, nail salons at 1.74, and delivery, freight, and service routes at 1.75. Industry median sale prices in the table include food trucks at $78,000, restaurants at $220,000, and truck stops at $5,250,000.
BizBuySell presents these figures as relative indicators of value. A reader uses a matching sector or industry row as a starting point for an asking price, then applies business-specific adjustments. The page also describes the recent path of prices: median sale prices and multiples rose through 2022, higher interest rates pulled prices back through 2023, and growth across industries resumed from 2024 through 2026.
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