What Is My Moving Company Worth?

TLDR: Moving companies typically sell for 2.3x to 4.9x EBITDA or 1.8x to 3.3x SDE. With a national median asking price of $1,000,000 and median SDE of $350,000, valuations vary significantly based on fleet condition, contract diversity, owner dependency, and local market position. This guide explains how buyers evaluate moving businesses and what drives your number.

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Understanding SDE (Seller Discretionary Earnings)

If you've ever worked with a business broker, SDE is probably the number they put in front of you first—and for good reason. Seller Discretionary Earnings is designed to reflect the total financial benefit an owner-operator extracts from the business in a given year.

To calculate SDE, you start with net income and add back:

• Your salary and personal benefits
• Depreciation and amortization
• Interest expense
• One-time or non-recurring expenses
• Any personal expenses run through the business

For a moving company owner who pays themselves a salary, drives a company truck on weekends, and runs their cell phone through the books, SDE captures the full economic picture of what the business actually produces for you.

It's the lens most commonly used by individual buyers and brokers at the lower end of the market—typically businesses under $2 million in asking price. For moving companies with a median SDE of $350,000, SDE is often the starting point for any valuation conversation.

That said, SDE is less standardized than EBITDA. Different brokers add back different items, which can make comparisons across listings inconsistent. As deal size grows, or when institutional buyers or lenders enter the picture, the conversation shifts to a different metric.

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Understanding EBITDA

EBITDA—Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization—is the metric serious buyers and lenders use to evaluate a business on its own merits, independent of its ownership structure.

Unlike SDE, EBITDA does not add back the owner's salary. Instead, it assumes a market-rate replacement manager is in place to run the operation. This makes EBITDA a more standardized, transferable measure of profitability—one that lets a buyer compare your moving company to any other business generating similar cash flow, regardless of how the owner compensated themselves.

Here's a simplified way to think about the relationship: if your moving company generates $350,000 in SDE and you're paying yourself $80,000, your EBITDA is roughly $270,000. The spread between SDE and EBITDA depends almost entirely on what a buyer would have to pay someone to replace you.

For SBA-backed acquisitions, private equity roll-ups, or strategic buyers acquiring larger moving platforms, EBITDA is the number they underwrite. Banks lend against it. Investment committees approve deals based on it. Understanding both metrics helps you see your business through the buyer's eyes before you ever sit across the table from one.

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Moving Company EBITDA Valuation Range

Direct Answer: Moving companies typically sell for 2.3x to 4.9x EBITDA, based on current market data from 244 active national listings. A business generating $300,000 in EBITDA could be valued between approximately $690,000 and $1,470,000 depending on quality, scale, and deal structure. — Regalis Capital

Metric	Low End	High End
EBITDA Multiple	2.3x	4.9x
Example EBITDA	$300,000	$300,000
Implied Valuation	~$690,000	~$1,470,000

The lower end of this range typically applies to smaller owner-operated businesses with aging fleets, heavy owner dependency, and limited contractual revenue. The upper end reflects businesses with documented recurring contracts (corporate relocation accounts, property management relationships), seasoned management, and well-maintained assets.

Most moving companies in the sub-$2M range trade in the 2.5x to 3.5x EBITDA band. Reaching 4x or above requires genuine competitive differentiation—think long-term commercial accounts, a recognizable local brand, and a business that can operate without the owner present.

Disclaimer: These ranges are based on publicly available market data and are not a formal appraisal. Actual valuations depend on financial performance, market conditions, deal structure, and buyer competition. This content is informational only and does not constitute financial or legal advice.

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Moving Company SDE Valuation Range

Direct Answer: At the individual buyer level, moving companies typically sell for 1.8x to 3.3x SDE. With a national median SDE of $350,000, that implies a valuation range of roughly $630,000 to $1,155,000 for a median-performing business.

The SDE multiple range reflects how individual owner-operators—the most common buyers of small moving companies—evaluate a purchase. These buyers are often replacing their own salary, so they're thinking about payback period and lifestyle fit, not just investment return.

A 1.8x SDE multiple typically signals a business with meaningful risks: old equipment, a single dominant customer, or an owner who is deeply embedded in daily operations. A 3.3x multiple reflects a business that runs reliably, has documented revenue streams, and doesn't require the seller to be on every job.

The gap between your SDE multiple and your EBITDA multiple will narrow as your business scales. At $1M+ in SDE, EBITDA multiples become the dominant valuation driver and the buyer pool shifts meaningfully toward institutional capital.

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What Drives Value Up or Down in a Moving Company

Moving company valuations are highly sensitive to operational and asset-level factors that other industries don't face. Buyers scrutinize these closely:

Fleet Condition and Age Your trucks are your inventory. Buyers will run asset schedules and factor in near-term capex requirements. A fleet averaging over 10 years with deferred maintenance is a significant discount factor. A newer, well-maintained fleet with documented service records supports the high end of the range.

Revenue Concentration A moving company that generates 60% of its revenue from one corporate relocation contract is a risky acquisition—regardless of how profitable that contract is. Buyers want to see diversified revenue across residential, commercial, and specialty moves. Recurring B2B relationships (office relocations, property management companies, corporate accounts) are particularly valuable.

Owner Dependency If you're the estimator, dispatcher, lead driver, and primary client contact, buyers will price that risk in. The more the business can run without you—through documented processes, a capable operations manager, and repeat customers who don't know your name—the more it's worth.

Geographic and Seasonal Risk Moving is seasonal by nature, and some markets are more volatile than others. Buyers will review 12-month trailing revenue, not just peak season performance. Stable year-round revenue, or diversified service lines that smooth seasonality, command better multiples.

Licensing, Insurance, and Regulatory Standing Clean DOT compliance history, active FMCSA authority, and proper cargo/liability insurance are baseline requirements. Any violations, claims history, or lapsed credentials will slow or kill a deal.

Staff and Driver Retention Experienced, licensed CDL drivers are hard to find. Documented employment history, low turnover rates, and a stable core crew add tangible value. A business that depends on seasonal labor with high churn is harder to underwrite.

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How Buyers Evaluate Moving Company Businesses

Buyers approaching a moving company acquisition will want to verify three things: that the revenue is real, that it's transferable, and that the operation can survive ownership transition.

During due diligence, expect buyers to request:

• 3 years of tax returns and P&Ls, reconciled against bank statements
• Customer revenue breakdown by client, move type, and geography
• Fleet asset schedule with year, make, mileage, and maintenance logs
• FMCSA safety rating and DOT inspection history
• All active contracts, including any exclusivity or assignment clauses
• Employee records, including CDL licenses, safety certifications, and tenure
• Insurance certificates and claims history

Buyers backed by SBA financing are especially thorough here—lenders require clean financials and will often require an independent business valuation before approving the loan.

One thing sellers frequently underestimate: buyers will try to understand what happens to revenue if you leave. If you have long-standing customer relationships built on personal trust, document them as business relationships. Signed service agreements, CRM records, and repeat booking history all help demonstrate that customers are buying your company—not you.

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Disclaimer

These ranges are based on publicly available market data and are not a formal appraisal. Actual valuations depend on financial performance, market conditions, deal structure, and buyer competition. This content is informational only and does not constitute financial or legal advice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average multiple for a moving company sale? Most moving companies sell between 2.3x and 4.9x EBITDA. At the individual buyer level, SDE multiples typically range from 1.8x to 3.3x. The median asking price nationally is approximately $1,000,000, with a median SDE of $350,000.

Does fleet age affect my moving company's valuation? Yes, significantly. Buyers factor in near-term capital expenditures when evaluating fleet condition. Older trucks with high mileage and deferred maintenance can reduce your effective multiple by 0.5x to 1x or more, because the buyer knows they'll need to reinvest shortly after closing.

How do I increase the value of my moving company before selling? Focus on reducing owner dependency, diversifying your revenue base, documenting recurring customer relationships, and ensuring your fleet and compliance records are clean. Even 12 to 18 months of focused preparation can meaningfully move your multiple.

Will an SBA lender finance the purchase of a moving company? Yes, SBA 7(a) loans are commonly used to acquire moving companies. Lenders will underwrite based on EBITDA, typically requiring 1.25x or better debt service coverage. Clean financials and a solid FMCSA record are essential for SBA approval.

What's the difference between SDE and EBITDA for a moving company? SDE adds back the owner's salary and personal expenses, reflecting total owner benefit. EBITDA assumes a market-rate manager is in place instead. For a moving company owner earning $80,000 in salary with $350,000 in SDE, EBITDA would be closer to $270,000. Both matter—EBITDA is what banks and institutional buyers underwrite.

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Get an Accurate Assessment of Your Moving Company

Market ranges give you a starting point, but your actual valuation depends on the specifics of your operation—your fleet, your customer mix, your financials, and your market position.

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Also see: How to Sell a Moving Company · Business Valuation Calculator