Welcome to our latest Quarterly Market Intelligence Report, where we share the key trends shaping the New Zealand business sales market. As 2024 has come to a close, the data is clear—buyer demand has never been stronger, creating a market that overwhelmingly favours sellers.
Here are the latest insights:
Business sales are up 6% nationwide over the past 12 months, driven by two key buyer groups:
- New migrants (primarily from Indian, Filipino, and Chinese backgrounds) who prefer to buy a business rather than take a salary job.
- Former corporate employees entering business ownership after redundancy, seeking financial security and independence.
The average business sale price has dropped 8% year-on-year to $782K, mainly due to a surge in sales of businesses under $1M. However, this does not mean businesses are worth less—valuation multiples have actually increased by 7% (3.39x to 3.64x EBITDA), proving that demand remains strong for well-performing businesses.
Buyer interest is at record levels with 23,750 potential purchasers signing confidentiality agreements in the past year—a 39% increase from 2023.
⭐We are officially in a seller’s market⭐
In December 2023, there were 22 potential buyers for every business listed for sale. By December 2024, this number has jumped to 32 buyers per listing. When this ratio exceeds 30, the market firmly shifts in favour of sellers—and we are now there.
What to Expect in 2025
✅Business valuation multiples will continue to rise as demand remains high.
✅Falling interest rates will fuel buyer confidence, making business ownership more attractive.
✅With buyer demand at an all-time high and supply tightening, this is one of the strongest seller’s markets we’ve seen. If you're considering selling, now is the time to act.
Read the full report for a detailed breakdown of these trends and what they mean for your business.
Click Here to Download Full Report