Santa Ana, CA
$189,900
Santa Ana, CA
$189,900
Canoga Park, CA
$249,999
Riverside County, CA
$425,000
San Diego County, CA
$305,000
Palm Desert, CA
$125,000
Buellton, CA
$100,000
Anaheim, CA
$175,000
Los Angeles, CA
$30,000
Los Angeles, CA
$30,000
Los Angeles, CA
$30,000
Los Angeles, CA
$30,000
Oakland, CA
$399,000
Morgan Hill, CA
$130,000
Burbank, CA
$49,000
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
$99,000
Santa Clara, CA
$279,880
Ken Davis
Champion properties/Div of Fortunes Unlimited
Serving San Bernardino County, CA
long established business brokerage. serving riverside county calif.
Yorba Linda, CA
$70,000
Los Angeles, CA
$30,000
West Covina, CA
$120,000
San Diego, CA
$40,000
Paramount, CA
Los Angeles County, CA
$800,000
Orange, CA
$115,000
Alameda County, CA
$150,000
Walnut Creek, CA
$79,990
West Hollywood, CA
$340,000
North Hollywood, CA
$125,000
Costa Mesa, CA
$125,000
Los Angeles, CA
$80,000
Campbell, CA
$269,000
Sherman Oaks, CA
$165,000
Tulare, CA
$99,900
Sacramento, CA
$194,000
Fresno, CA
$125,000
Sacramento, CA
$485,000
Santa Barbara, CA
$425,000
Los Angeles, CA
$94,000
Santa Ana, CA
$199,888
California
$265,000
Los Angeles, CA
$115,000
Santa Clara County, CA
$695,000
Santa Clara County, CA
$750,000
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
$350,000
Los Angeles, CA
$175,000
Tommy Taylor
Executive Realty Group
Serving Riverside County, CA
Los Angeles, CA
$50,000
San Francisco, CA
$87,000
San Diego, CA
$330,000
Santa Rosa, CA
$275,000
North Highlands, CA
$400,000
San Diego County, CA
$129,000
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:
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.
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.