Standard metric for pricing sub-$5M business acquisitions. Multiples of 2–4x SDE are typical for main-street businesses.
Underwriting
SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings)
Small-business cash flow to the owner — EBITDA plus owner comp and personal add-backs.
More in Underwriting
- Credit Score (FICO)— A 300–850 score used to price consumer and investor loans; investor programs typically wan…
- Tri-Merge Credit Report— A single report combining Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — the lender uses the middle s…
- Reserves— Liquid post-close funds a lender requires you to keep in the bank, measured in months of P…
- PITI— Principal + Interest + property Taxes + Insurance — the four components of a full monthly …
- Gross Rent— Total rental income before any expenses or vacancy adjustments.
- Market Rent— The rent a property would command if leased today, established by an appraiser using recen…
