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The second quarter of 2023 was interesting. Typically, the summer months, especially July, are slow. However, this year, our firm saw an increase in business owners reaching out to learn about selling their business.
While interest rates continue to climb and put pressure on the selling prices, the number of businesses listed for sale continues to grow.
Q2 BizBuySell Report Shows Continued Increase in Small Business Acquisitions
BizBuySell has recently released their insight report for the second quarter of 2023. These reports are helpful to business owners and potential buyers as they project market trends and explain what was on the rise and what declined over the past three months. To see the full report, you can visit BizBuySell’s website. Here is an overview of what was presented and where market trends are leading as we progress through 2023.
Full report: https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/
Overview
The most important statistic from the last three months is that business acquisitions increased by 8% versus just 4.8% in the first quarter of the year. This continues the positive trend that buyers and sellers are adjusting to an environment with higher interest rates.
However, it’s important to note that while acquisitions are trending upward, sale prices have continued to trend downward. In the second quarter, the median business sale price dropped 14% to $300,000 largely due to higher interest rates.
While the decline in the sales prices may seem like bad news to buyers, this decline proves that sellers need to get more creative with their offers. For instance, sellers may have to offer financing or increase the monthly rent on the buyer’s lease.
Overview of business sales and listing information for Sacramento, CA
In the Sacramento, Arden-Arcade, and Roseville, California areas, the median asking price continued to increase. The median asking price rose to $399,000, and listings increased from 253 to 264. Median revenue also increased significantly from $550,000 to $609,445.
Here are 3 Key Takeaways from BizBuySell’s report:
1. Seller financing continues to play an important role.
With higher interest rates, many buyers and lenders require some form of seller financing. This can seem challenging for sellers as only 22% plan to offer it, while 70% of potential buyers intend to ask sellers to finance at least part of the deal.
However, sellers need to stay flexible and consider adding financing to their deals. Leaving out this crucial component can reduce the amount of potential buyers and, in some cases, be a deal breaker for lenders, as many lenders are beginning to require at least a 10% note from sellers. This is especially important to buyer and seller timelines. As roughly 28% of business owners intend to sell by 2024, and buyers continue to increase their desire to purchase, seller financing continues to play an impactful role.
In good news for sellers, because interest rates are on the rise, so are the rates on seller financing, allowing sellers to enjoy tax benefits and meet buyer demands as well.
2. Restaurants show a steady comeback, while the retail sector shows a decline.
The restaurant sector has been making a slow but steady comeback post-pandemic. Restaurants saw a 10.3% increase in transitions from last year, and sale prices increased 15.9% from the previous quarter and 6.7% from the previous year. While these numbers are positive, the report indicates that many restaurants are still struggling, offering purchasing opportunities from competitors.
While restaurant numbers have increased, retail numbers are showing a decline. 2022 showed promising numbers post-pandemic, but with more consumers purchasing online and higher interest rates and inflation, these numbers have slowed in 2023. According to the report, retail transactions declined 12.3%, sale prices dropped 22%, revenue slipped 24%, and cash flow fell 9.4%.
3. Buyers continue to seek independence with entrepreneurship.
The number of interested buyers looking to leave their traditional jobs and embrace entrepreneurship continues to rise. The report indicates that 46% of surveyed buyers want to leave their current position to be more in control of their future. This is good news for the baby boomer generation looking to exit the market, even though some want to reinvest in other markets.
It’s also important to note that service businesses made up the largest number of companies for sale recently. Almost half of the sales recorded in the second quarter were service-based businesses, and 59% of surveyed buyers indicated they were interested in purchasing a service-based business.
Outlook for the remainder of 2023:
The BizBuySell report indicates that interest rates continue to be the most significant factor in the small business market. Some sectors are seeing a return to the workforce, while others are still experiencing stagnant or declining numbers. However, there are a few positive notes to consider:
The baby boomer generation continues to exit the market. According to the report, 47% of sellers surveyed marked retirement as their reason for exiting, while 34% indicated burnout. As this age group continues to leave the market, it creates new opportunities for those looking to enter.
As mentioned, seller financing should be considered. This can be a great selling point to buyers looking for interest rate relief and impact new requirements from lenders.
Next Steps
As market conditions continue to change and evolve, and as more buyers indicate their desire to purchase a business, it’s essential to fully understand the value of your company. Are you looking for a Sacramento business broker? Reach out today for a free consultation.