All industry multiples

AUGUST 2026 MARKET DATA

Transportation business valuation multiples

See what reported US sales of transportation imply about cash-flow multiples, revenue multiples, and typical sale prices.

Median reported sale price

$150,000Reported sales from Q3 2021–Q2 2026

Cash flow multiple

1.95×Price ÷ seller’s discretionary earnings

Revenue multiple

0.64×Price ÷ annual gross revenue

Sector rank

#16By cash-flow multiple among 16 sectors

Versus all businesses

-24%Cash-flow multiple versus 2.58× overall

WORKED MARKET REFERENCE

How the two common methods compare

For an example transportation business with $1,000,000 in annual revenue and $250,000 in SDE:

SDE method$487,500$250,000 × 1.95
Revenue method$640,000$1,000,000 × 0.64

The indications can differ because margins vary. A personalized market reference should use the company’s actual revenue and normalized SDE, then consider transferability and deal terms separately.

Calculate my private reference

COMMON QUESTIONS

Reading this transportation business benchmark

What is the average transportation business cash-flow multiple?

Reported sales in this category average 1.95× seller’s discretionary earnings and 0.64× annual revenue. The reported median sale price is $150,000.

How should I use the 1.95× multiple?

Apply it first to normalized SDE, not tax-return profit without review. Then cross-check the revenue method and examine the business-specific risks a buyer would inherit.

Does this tell me exactly what my transportation business is worth?

No. It is a reported-sale average, not an appraisal or offer. Company size, margins, growth, transferability, assets, liabilities, geography, and deal terms can produce a different outcome.

Source and scope

Public aggregates reported by BizBuySell for closed US sales of transportation. The headline multiples cover Q3 2021–Q2 2026. These are useful relative indicators, not a formal appraisal, offer, or complete census.