Last updated: March 2026
Lowest Multiple Businesses to Buy in 2026
Full Rankings: Lowest Multiple Businesses
| Rank | Industry | Median Price | Median Cash Flow | Avg Multiple | DSCR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vending Machine Route | $30,000 | $54,000 | 0.6x | 13.90x |
| 2 | Nail Salon | $177,000 | $102,292 | 1.6x | 4.46x |
| 3 | Hair Salon | $185,000 | $102,000 | 2.0x | 4.26x |
| 4 | Cleaning Company | $254,500 | $155,230 | 2.1x | 4.71x |
| 5 | Locksmith Business | $255,500 | $134,925 | 2.1x | 4.08x |
| 6 | Spa | $339,500 | $171,579 | 2.1x | 3.90x |
| 7 | Dry Cleaner | $337,000 | $150,000 | 2.2x | 3.44x |
| 8 | Restaurant | $350,000 | $153,578 | 2.3x | 3.39x |
| 9 | Coffee Shop | $325,000 | $137,100 | 2.4x | 3.26x |
| 10 | Convenience Store | $399,000 | $157,192 | 2.5x | 3.04x |
| 11 | Pet Grooming Business | $272,500 | $117,804 | 2.5x | 3.34x |
| 12 | Junk Removal Company | $337,500 | $157,135 | 2.7x | 3.59x |
| 13 | Landscaping Company | $500,000 | $182,712 | 2.7x | 2.82x |
| 14 | Staffing Agency | $816,000 | $291,510 | 2.7x | 2.76x |
| 15 | Moving Company | $1,000,000 | $350,000 | 2.8x | 2.70x |
| 16 | Printing Shop | $400,000 | $191,814 | 2.8x | 3.70x |
| 17 | Concrete Company | $800,000 | $272,082 | 2.9x | 2.63x |
| 18 | eCommerce Business | $242,450 | $211,806 | 2.9x | 6.74x |
| 19 | Gym & Fitness Center | $325,000 | $123,267 | 2.9x | 2.93x |
| 20 | HVAC Company | $794,500 | $261,553 | 2.9x | 2.54x |
| 21 | Property Management Company | $567,500 | $195,500 | 2.9x | 2.66x |
| 22 | Towing Company | $735,000 | $184,601 | 2.9x | 1.94x |
| 23 | Auto Repair Shop | $635,000 | $200,000 | 3.0x | 2.43x |
| 24 | Construction Company | $1,197,500 | $362,500 | 3.0x | 2.34x |
| 25 | Electrical Company | $1,010,000 | $300,000 | 3.0x | 2.29x |
| 26 | Pest Control Company | $875,000 | $242,239 | 3.0x | 2.14x |
| 27 | Marketing Agency | $449,900 | $169,694 | 3.1x | 2.91x |
| 28 | Plumbing Company | $795,000 | $287,400 | 3.2x | 2.79x |
| 29 | Home Healthcare Agency | $980,000 | $282,518 | 3.3x | 2.23x |
| 30 | Liquor Store | $512,500 | $157,789 | 3.3x | 2.38x |
| 31 | Gas Station | $750,000 | $197,859 | 3.4x | 2.04x |
| 32 | Non-Emergency Medical Transport | $587,500 | $200,000 | 3.4x | 2.63x |
| 33 | Day Care Center | $739,000 | $198,154 | 3.5x | 2.07x |
| 34 | Equipment Rental Company | $1,125,000 | $294,600 | 3.6x | 2.02x |
| 35 | Assisted Living Facility | $1,500,000 | $338,924 | 3.7x | 1.74x |
| 36 | Machine Shop | $995,000 | $286,757 | 3.7x | 2.22x |
| 37 | SaaS Company | $500,000 | $246,857 | 3.7x | 3.81x |
| 38 | Laundromat | $500,000 | $140,431 | 4.0x | 2.17x |
| 39 | Trucking Company | $1,200,000 | $315,052 | 4.0x | 2.03x |
| 40 | Funeral Home | $895,999 | $222,000 | 4.7x | 1.91x |
| 41 | Car Wash Business | $1,400,000 | $202,170 | 5.8x | 1.11x |
How We Calculated These Rankings
The multiple (also called the valuation multiple or earnings multiple) is the ratio of asking price to annual cash flow. A 2.0x multiple means the business is priced at twice its annual cash flow, implying a 2-year payback period at current earnings.
These rankings sort all industries by average multiple from lowest to highest. Lower multiples generally favor the buyer — the business is cheaper relative to its cash generation.
The SBA sweet spot for multiples is 3x to 5x on EBITDA. Businesses below 3x represent strong buyer opportunities where cash flow quickly outpaces debt service. Businesses above 5x require more de-risked deal structure.
The lowest-multiple businesses are Vending Machine Route, Nail Salon, Hair Salon, trading at 0.6x, 1.6x, 2.0x. At these multiples, buyers recover their investment faster and carry less risk relative to cash flow. The tradeoff is that low-multiple businesses often have higher owner dependency, less transferable systems, or more competitive market dynamics.
Why Multiples Vary by Industry
Multiples reflect the market's assessment of risk and growth potential. Industries with recurring revenue, transferable client relationships, and low owner dependency command higher multiples. Industries that are labor-intensive, owner-operated, or have low barriers to entry trade at lower multiples.
A 1.5x multiple does not mean the business is a bargain. It may mean the market expects cash flow to decline after the sale because the owner is the primary value driver. Always evaluate why the multiple is low before assuming it is an opportunity.