Booming Buyer Demand – Now’s the Time to Sell Your Business
The latest Quarterly Market Intelligence Report from ABC Business Sales confirms what we’re seeing on the ground – the business sales market is red hot, and sellers are in the driver’s seat.
What’s Happening in the Market?
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Record-Breaking Demand: Over 25,800 confidentiality agreements signed in the past 12 months – up 30% year-on-year.
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Listings Down: New business listings are down 10% at ABC and 14% nationally, creating a significant supply shortage.
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Multiples Up: General business EBITDA multiples have jumped 7% to 3.62x – a strong sign of rising values despite more lower-value businesses changing hands.
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New Migrants Driving Demand: With 155,000 new arrivals to NZ in the past year – many preferring business ownership over employment – buyer interest is at an all-time high.
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Top Sectors: Hospitality remains the busiest sector (30% of all SME sales), while Transport & Logistics leads on average sale price ($1.21M).
With 37 buyers for every new business listed, the market has clearly shifted in favour of sellers. Two years ago, that ratio was just 17 to 1.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead to March 2026:
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New listings are expected to rise 5% as confidence returns.
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Buyer demand is tipped to grow a further 10%.
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Average business prices (excluding hospitality) are forecast to increase by 8%.
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Business value multiples are likely to edge up another 3%.
At ABC Business Sales, selling businesses is what we do. With more brokers, more offices, and a deeper buyer network than anyone else in Aotearoa, we’re the trusted name when it comes to unlocking the value in your business.
Thinking of selling?
Now’s the time...
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