Guide
EBITDA and SDE Multiples by Industry
Multiples get quoted constantly and compared carelessly. A 3x and a 5x can describe the same business, because one is a multiple of SDE and the other of EBITDA. Getting that distinction right matters more than finding a more precise number.
SDE or EBITDA: which applies to you
SDE applies to owner-operated businesses, generally under about $1M in earnings, where the buyer will step into the owner's role. It adds the owner's compensation back, because the buyer is choosing whether to pay themselves that or bank it.
EBITDA applies once the business runs under management, generally above $1M to $2M. Owner compensation stays as a real expense, because a salaried manager still has to be paid.
This is why the same business shows a higher SDE multiple than EBITDA multiple. A business with $800,000 SDE and a $200,000 replacement manager has $600,000 EBITDA. At $2.4M it is 3.0x SDE and 4.0x EBITDA. Same price, same business, two numbers.
Where the bands sit
Across roughly 9,500 recorded small business transactions the market averages near 2.5x SDE. Healthcare, technology and ecommerce run higher, at 2.5x to 4.2x. Professional and home services sit near 1.8x to 3.4x. Restaurants and retail run lower, at 1.4x to 2.8x.
In the lower middle market, above roughly $1M to $2M of EBITDA, pricing typically lands between 4.0x and 6.5x EBITDA, with the top of that range reserved for businesses with real management depth and recurring revenue.
Why published multiples are a starting point, not an answer
Published multiples are averages of transactions with very different risk profiles. Two businesses in the same industry with the same earnings can trade a full turn apart on owner dependence and customer concentration alone.
Use the band to sanity-check, then do the work of locating yourself inside it honestly. Owners almost always place themselves above the middle.
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