Last updated: March 2026
Highest ROI Businesses to Buy in 2026
Full Rankings: Highest ROI Businesses by Cash-on-Cash Yield
| Rank | Industry | Median Price | Median Cash Flow | Cash-on-Cash Yield | Avg Multiple | DSCR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vending Machine Route | $30,000 | $54,000 | 180.0% | 0.6x | 13.90x |
| 2 | eCommerce Business | $242,450 | $211,806 | 87.4% | 2.9x | 6.74x |
| 3 | Cleaning Company | $254,500 | $155,230 | 61.0% | 2.1x | 4.71x |
| 4 | Nail Salon | $177,000 | $102,292 | 57.8% | 1.6x | 4.46x |
| 5 | Hair Salon | $185,000 | $102,000 | 55.1% | 2.0x | 4.26x |
| 6 | Locksmith Business | $255,500 | $134,925 | 52.8% | 2.1x | 4.08x |
| 7 | Spa | $339,500 | $171,579 | 50.5% | 2.1x | 3.90x |
| 8 | SaaS Company | $500,000 | $246,857 | 49.4% | 3.7x | 3.81x |
| 9 | Printing Shop | $400,000 | $191,814 | 47.9% | 2.8x | 3.70x |
| 10 | Junk Removal Company | $337,500 | $157,135 | 46.6% | 2.7x | 3.59x |
| 11 | Dry Cleaner | $337,000 | $150,000 | 44.5% | 2.2x | 3.44x |
| 12 | Restaurant | $350,000 | $153,578 | 43.9% | 2.3x | 3.39x |
| 13 | Pet Grooming Business | $272,500 | $117,804 | 43.2% | 2.5x | 3.34x |
| 14 | Coffee Shop | $325,000 | $137,100 | 42.2% | 2.4x | 3.26x |
| 15 | Convenience Store | $399,000 | $157,192 | 39.4% | 2.5x | 3.04x |
| 16 | Gym & Fitness Center | $325,000 | $123,267 | 37.9% | 2.9x | 2.93x |
| 17 | Marketing Agency | $449,900 | $169,694 | 37.7% | 3.1x | 2.91x |
| 18 | Landscaping Company | $500,000 | $182,712 | 36.5% | 2.7x | 2.82x |
| 19 | Plumbing Company | $795,000 | $287,400 | 36.1% | 3.2x | 2.79x |
| 20 | Staffing Agency | $816,000 | $291,510 | 35.7% | 2.7x | 2.76x |
| 21 | Moving Company | $1,000,000 | $350,000 | 35.0% | 2.8x | 2.70x |
| 22 | Property Management Company | $567,500 | $195,500 | 34.4% | 2.9x | 2.66x |
| 23 | Non-Emergency Medical Transport | $587,500 | $200,000 | 34.0% | 3.4x | 2.63x |
| 24 | Concrete Company | $800,000 | $272,082 | 34.0% | 2.9x | 2.63x |
| 25 | HVAC Company | $794,500 | $261,553 | 32.9% | 2.9x | 2.54x |
| 26 | Auto Repair Shop | $635,000 | $200,000 | 31.5% | 3.0x | 2.43x |
| 27 | Liquor Store | $512,500 | $157,789 | 30.8% | 3.3x | 2.38x |
| 28 | Construction Company | $1,197,500 | $362,500 | 30.3% | 3.0x | 2.34x |
| 29 | Electrical Company | $1,010,000 | $300,000 | 29.7% | 3.0x | 2.29x |
| 30 | Home Healthcare Agency | $980,000 | $282,518 | 28.8% | 3.3x | 2.23x |
| 31 | Machine Shop | $995,000 | $286,757 | 28.8% | 3.7x | 2.22x |
| 32 | Laundromat | $500,000 | $140,431 | 28.1% | 4.0x | 2.17x |
| 33 | Pest Control Company | $875,000 | $242,239 | 27.7% | 3.0x | 2.14x |
| 34 | Day Care Center | $739,000 | $198,154 | 26.8% | 3.5x | 2.07x |
| 35 | Gas Station | $750,000 | $197,859 | 26.4% | 3.4x | 2.04x |
| 36 | Trucking Company | $1,200,000 | $315,052 | 26.2% | 4.0x | 2.03x |
| 37 | Equipment Rental Company | $1,125,000 | $294,600 | 26.2% | 3.6x | 2.02x |
| 38 | Towing Company | $735,000 | $184,601 | 25.1% | 2.9x | 1.94x |
| 39 | Funeral Home | $895,999 | $222,000 | 24.8% | 4.7x | 1.91x |
| 40 | Assisted Living Facility | $1,500,000 | $338,924 | 22.6% | 3.7x | 1.74x |
| 41 | Car Wash Business | $1,400,000 | $202,170 | 14.4% | 5.8x | 1.11x |
How We Calculated These Rankings
ROI here is measured as cash-on-cash yield: annual median cash flow divided by median asking price. This is the inverse of the multiple — a 2.0x multiple implies a 50% cash-on-cash yield, while a 5.0x multiple implies 20%.
This metric answers a simple question: for every dollar spent on the acquisition, how many cents per year does the business generate in cash flow? Higher is better, but context matters. A high yield with declining revenue is worse than a moderate yield with growing revenue.
Cash flow is reported as SDE (Seller Discretionary Earnings). Adjust downward 15% to 50% to estimate real post-acquisition free cash flow. DSCR assumes an 80% SBA 7(a) loan at 10.5% over 10 years.
The highest-ROI business types are Vending Machine Route, eCommerce Business, Cleaning Company, with cash-on-cash yields of 180.0%, 87.4%, 61.0%. These businesses trade at low multiples relative to cash flow, meaning the buyer recovers their investment faster — assuming cash flow is sustainable post-acquisition.
High ROI Does Not Mean Low Risk
The businesses with the highest cash-on-cash yields tend to be labor-intensive, owner-operated, or in industries with lower barriers to entry. That is why they trade at low multiples — the market prices in the risk that cash flow depends on the current owner.
Before committing to a high-yield acquisition, pressure-test these questions: What happens to revenue if the owner leaves? How dependent is the business on a small number of customers? Is the cash flow sustainable, or driven by a one-time contract or seasonal spike?