On average, sellers are receiving valuations at 89% of benchmark or better. As is the trend, businesses in the lower middle market performed the best, receiving nearly all or above the private benchmark they set with their advisors before going to market.
Multiples remained relatively consistent across market sectors, with one notable exception. Advisors reported that businesses with enterprise value of $5M-$50M received an average valuation of 4.1x EBITDA, a notable drop over the past few years. Notably, those sellers also received valuations at 104% of benchmark. This shows the sophistication of a well-trained M&A advisor who understands how quickly markets can shift and educates their client accordingly before going to market