---
title: What Your Business Is Worth in a Selective Market
description: Understand what current business sale data means for Florida owners and how to close the gap between market value and your exit goal.
image: https://www.ttbusinessbroker.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/Thoughtful%20Business%20Meeting%20In%20Florida%20Home%20Services%20Office.png
---

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 October 10, 2026

# What Your Business Is Worth in a Selective Market

![Picture of Todd Topliff](https://www.ttbusinessbroker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Todd%20Topliff_Headshot.jpg?width=50&name=Todd%20Topliff_Headshot.jpg) By  [Todd Topliff](https://www.ttbusinessbroker.com/owner-insights/author/todd-topliff)  ·   3 minute read

Most owners carry a number in their heads. It may come from what retirement requires, what a competitor reportedly sold for, or a sense of what twenty years of work ought to be worth.

That number deserves a serious conversation. It also has to hold up against the business as it runs today.

In one recent week, we completed valuations for three owners at different points in their lives. One wanted to sell and pursue other opportunities. Another was ready to retire after twenty-five years. The third wanted a plan to improve the business and sell in the next two or three years.

All three had a target above what our analysis supported. In each case, the more useful conversation was about what to do with that information.

## What the current data shows

BizBuySell reported 2,117 completed small business sales nationally in Q2 2026, down 10% from a year earlier. Prices held up better than volume. The average cash flow multiple increased 2% to 2.7, while the median sale price was $349,250. Brokers contributing to the report described continued demand alongside closer scrutiny of financial records, earnings durability, and owner dependence.

The IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse survey reports multiples by purchase price. Its Q2 2026 results were:

| Purchase price | Reported multiple |
| --- | --- |
| Under $500,000 | 2.0 × SDE |
| $500,000 to $1 million | 2.8 × SDE |
| $1 million to $2 million | 3.1 × SDE |
| $2 million to $5 million | 4.0 × EBITDA |
| $5 million to $50 million | 5.8 × EBITDA |

These are national survey results across different businesses and industries. They provide context, rather than a valuation of an individual company.

The two reports cover different groups of transactions, so their averages should not be treated as directly comparable.

Seller’s discretionary earnings, or SDE, reflect the financial benefit available to one working owner, including supportable adjustments. EBITDA measures earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. When using adjusted EBITDA to value a business, we also need to account for reasonable compensation for the work the owner performs.

That distinction matters. We cannot apply an EBITDA multiple to SDE and expect a reliable result.

## Find the reason for the gap

Suppose an owner wants $3 million and a supported assessment comes in lower. A higher asking price does not change the earnings or operating risks a buyer will evaluate.

The useful work is to understand what creates the difference.

What earnings can we support? What responsibilities still sit with the owner? Which customer relationships will transfer? Is the business growing, holding steady, or working through a decline?

A strong recent year matters. A buyer will also want to understand what produced it and whether those results can continue.

Two buyers can review the same statements and reach different conclusions. One sees a dependable company with a manageable handoff. Another sees earnings that rely heavily on the seller’s relationships and daily involvement.

Our job is to identify those questions early, while the owner still has choices.

## Choose a path that fits your life

An owner can sell within a realistic range, continue operating while making targeted improvements, or decide that now is not the right time.

Deal structure can sometimes help bridge different expectations. A seller note spreads payment over time, while an earnout makes part of the price dependent on future results. Both leave the owner with risk after closing, so the terms need to fit the owner’s goals.

Price is only one part of that decision. In BizBuySell’s survey, owners were nearly evenly divided among prioritizing a fast, low-stress sale, business continuity and employee well-being, and the highest sale price.

Health, energy, family, and the willingness to spend a few more years building the business belong in the conversation.

A growth plan helps only if the owner wants it and has the capacity to carry it out.

When there is time, the work should be specific. Improve financial reporting. Reduce reliance on a dominant customer. Give a capable employee responsibility and the authority to handle it. Track whether those changes improve earnings, make the business easier to transfer, and lighten the owner’s load.

## Start with a defensible baseline

Only 14% of owners surveyed by BizBuySell had completed a professional valuation, while 35% said they did not know what their business was worth.

A current valuation gives you a supported range and a clearer view of what would need to change to move closer to your goal.

You do not have to be ready to sell for that information to be useful. Understanding where you stand today gives you more control over what happens next.

Ask yourself:

- What is my target number based on?
- What could a buyer verify about our earnings and operations today?
- If there is a gap, do I have the time and desire to work on closing it?

We help Florida business owners work through those questions confidentially, with a realistic assessment and a plan built around what they want next.

**Sources**

[IBBA and M&A Source, Q2 2026 Market Pulse Highlights](https://www.ibba.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/mp-highlights-q2-2026.pdf)

[BizBuySell, Q2 2026 Insight Report](https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/)

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### [What Happens When You're Ready to Step Back?](https://www.ttbusinessbroker.com/owner-insights/what-happens-when-youre-ready-to-step-back)

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© 2026 TODD TOPLIFF, TT BUSINESS BROKER

Todd Topliff is an individually licensed business broker affiliated with Corporate Investment Business Brokers (CIBB).

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