$320,000
Businesses For Sale in California


$10,000

$45,000

$5,000
$5,000
$275,000
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$100,000
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$30,000
$35,000
$35,000
$300,000
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$15,000
Miles Pruitt
Murphy Business & Financial
Serving Santa Clara County, CA
Why Choose Murphy Business Brokerage Services? Selling a business is a stressful, complicated process. Without expert assistance, many sellers struggle to sell their business for fair market value. Thankfully, business brokerage services make selling your business much easier. With a business broker’s assistance, you’ll get an accurate sense of your company’s market value, and you’ll be able to sell your business more quickly and more easily than if you go it alone. As one of the largest and most successful business brokerage firms in North America, Murphy Business can help you capture full value when selling a business. Our experience and expertise will help you at every stage of the sales process: from valuing your business to marketing your offering to closing your transaction. Our Business Brokerage Process Murphy Business Brokers use time-tested strategies and resources to help their clients capture full value when selling a business. Below is a brief, step-by-step overview of our business brokerage process. Non-Disclosure Agreement. At Murphy Business, we appreciate the sensitive nature of business sales and the data that is handled during the business brokerage process. Before we take any active steps to sell your business, we will commit to a Non-Disclosure Agreement to ensure confidentiality throughout the transaction process. Determine Market Value. To prepare your business for sale, we will perform broker’s opinion of market value or recommend a valuation. A valuation specialist will collect historical and financial data about your business, after which, he or she will use that data to calculate the fair market value of your business. Often, business owners will overvalue or undervalue their business without a valuation, making this a crucial step in the sales process. If this figure is lower than expected, we can advise you on how to increase your business’s value. Sign Engagement Agreement. Once we’ve completed your valuation, you can choose whethe
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$20,000
Not Disclosed
$45,000
$45,000
$45,000
$45,000
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$45,000
$45,000
$19,315
$1,931
$19,315
$19,315
$19,315
$45,000
$19,315
$450,000
$5,000
$39,500
$65,000
Buy or Sell a Business in California
California is a huge state with a lot of money, so it's naturally a popular destination for businesses. The major industries in California include technology, agriculture, and entertainment, but the private business for sale market spans the gamut of sectors.
If you're looking to buy (or sell) a business in California, it helps to have some context on the market. We have aggregated and summarized the most current listings data to provide a basic overview of the business for sale market in California.
Market Overview
Number of Businesses for Sale |
~5,500 |
Median Asking Price |
$360,000 |
Median Reported Revenue |
$630,000 |
Median Reported Earnings |
$150,000 |
Profit Margin |
23% |
Earnings Multiple |
2.5 |
Revenue Multiple |
0.6 |
Financials based on businesses that listed an asking price, annual revenue, and seller's discretionary earnings. |
Major Metro Areas
More than 80% of all businesses for sale in the state are in the following six metro areas:
- Fresno Metro Area
- Greater Los Angeles Area
- Modesto-Merced Area
- Sacramento Area
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Visalia-Hanford Area
How many businesses are listed for sale in California?
There are around 5,400 businesses for sale in California, with listings across various metro areas and statewide.
What types of businesses are for sale?
The marketplace in California is diverse, with all types of businesses in play.
- Food and Restaurants (approx. 1740)
- Retail (approx. 730)
- Service Businesses (approx. 570)
- Health Care and Fitness (approx. 440)
- Automotive and Boat (approx. 350)
- Manufacturing to Beauty and Personal Care, among others.
What is the average asking price for these businesses?
The median asking price for businesses listed for sale in California is $360,000.
What is the average revenue of these businesses?
The median reported revenue for these businesses is $630,000.
What is the average seller discretionary earnings?
The median reported earnings, often referred to as Seller Discretionary Earnings (SDE), is $150,000.
What are the average valuation multiples?
Typically, businesses are being listed with an earnings multiple of 2.5 and a revenue multiple of 0.6 when referring to the asking price.
Which cities in California have the most businesses listed for sale?
The cities with the highest number of listings are Los Angeles (approx. 480), San Diego (approx. 250), San Francisco (approx. 220), Sacramento (approx. 140), San Jose (approx. 120), Oakland (approx. 80), Long Beach (approx. 80), Anaheim (approx. 60), and Riverside (approx. 60).
How can California business owners sell their own businesses?
Most business owners will retain an experienced business broker, who will typically charge a 10-15% success fee. Some business owners choose to list their business for sale directly and take on the entire process on their own. This can be a complex and challenging task, requiring an understanding of the market, great marketing skills, and even better negotiating skills.