FREE TOOLLOWER MIDDLE MARKET

Business Valuation Calculator
2026 Market Multiples

Estimate your business value using current EBITDA multiples from real lower middle market transactions. Adjust for your industry, growth profile, and business quality to get a realistic range.

Enter Your Business Details

Current range: 4x–8x EBITDA
Enter adjusted EBITDA (add back owner compensation above market rate, personal expenses, one-time costs)

How This Calculator Works

This tool uses current EBITDA multiples from real lower middle market transactions (businesses with $1M–$50M EBITDA) to estimate your business value.

The base multiple is derived from your industry. We then apply adjustments based on growth rate, customer concentration, recurring revenue, and owner dependency — the four factors that most consistently move multiples in the lower middle market.

The result is a range: conservative (what a cautious buyer would pay), expected (what a motivated buyer would pay), and optimistic (what a strategic buyer might pay in a competitive process).

What EBITDA Multiple Should I Use?

SaaS8x–20x
E-Commerce3x–8x
Manufacturing4x–8x
Healthcare5x–12x
Home Services5x–12x
Professional Services4x–9x
View all 12 industries

VALUATION FAQ

How accurate is this business valuation calculator?

This calculator provides a directional estimate based on market multiples from comparable transactions. It's accurate enough to understand your valuation range and whether it's worth pursuing a sale process. For a precise valuation with a formal opinion of value, you need a qualified M&A advisor or business appraiser.

What is EBITDA and how do I calculate it?

EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. Start with your net income, then add back interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation, and amortization. For a business sale, you'll also want to calculate 'adjusted EBITDA' by adding back owner compensation above market rate, personal expenses run through the business, and one-time non-recurring costs.

Why do EBITDA multiples vary so much by industry?

Multiples reflect the risk and growth profile of each industry. SaaS businesses trade at 8-20x EBITDA because they have predictable recurring revenue, high margins, and strong growth potential. Manufacturing businesses trade at 4-7x because they have capital requirements, cyclicality, and lower margins. The multiple is essentially the market's assessment of how predictable and scalable the earnings are.

What's the difference between EBITDA multiple and revenue multiple?

EBITDA multiples are used for profitable businesses and reflect the earnings power. Revenue multiples are used for high-growth businesses that may not be profitable yet, or as a sanity check on EBITDA multiples. For most lower middle market businesses, EBITDA is the primary valuation metric.

How can I increase my business valuation before selling?

The highest-impact levers are: (1) reduce owner dependency by building a management team, (2) increase recurring revenue as a percentage of total revenue, (3) diversify your customer base so no single customer exceeds 15-20% of revenue, (4) clean up your financials and document your processes, and (5) grow EBITDA — even a 12-18 month preparation period can meaningfully increase your multiple.

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