{"id":2386,"date":"2026-09-01T09:24:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valuepartner.com\/?p=2386"},"modified":"2026-09-10T14:56:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T14:56:56","slug":"the-ebitda-multiple-useful-yet-not-a-valuation-methodct-the-valuation-advisory-conversation-with-your-client","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valuepartner.com\/en\/2026\/09\/the-ebitda-multiple-useful-yet-not-a-valuation-methodct-the-valuation-advisory-conversation-with-your-client\/","title":{"rendered":"The EBITDA multiple: useful, yet not a valuation method"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Twice a year, Brookz publishes the Brookz Acquisition Barometer, which includes average EBITDA multiples per sector. For many accountants and financial advisors, this has become a trusted reference work: one glance and you have an indication of what a company in a particular industry is worth, right? Yet, that simplicity is precisely the risk. A sector average is not a valuation, and those who apply the multiple without corrections may provide a client with an incorrect perspective. <\/p>\n

1. An average does not tell the whole story<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The multiples in the Acquisition Barometer are based on actual transactions within a six-month period, per sector. This makes them valuable as a benchmark, but an average often hides a significant spread in transactions. Within a single sector, multiples for small, sole-proprietorship-style companies and larger, professionally managed SME enterprises can diverge widely. Consequently, the average says little about where a specific company belongs within that bandwidth. <\/p>\n

2. Company size and risk carry significant weight<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Smaller companies typically have a higher risk profile: greater dependence on the owner, less diversification in customers, and a more vulnerable organization. Buyers usually factor that risk into a lower price. A generic sector multiple does not take this into account, even though this is often the most critical correction for an SME valuation. <\/p>\n

3. Growth and margins are not included<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Two companies in the same sector with the same EBITDA level can have entirely different prospects. A company with a growing order book, strong competitive position, recurring revenue, and rising margins justifies a higher multiple than a company with stagnating turnover. The Barometer looks backward at completed deals; your client wants to know what their company, with its own growth trajectory, is worth. <\/p>\n

4. Deal structure influences the outcome<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Transaction prices are rarely pure. Earn-outs, vendor ratings, guarantees, and the way working capital is settled all influence the final purchase price. A published multiple does not reflect those specific agreements, meaning two seemingly comparable deals can still lead to very different multiples. <\/p>\n

What can you do as an advisor?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Use the Brookz Acquisition Barometer as a starting point, not a destination. Combine the sector multiple with a thorough analysis of the specific risks, growth prospects, and normalizations of the company. Ideally, place this outcome alongside another substantiated method, such as a discounted cash flow calculation, to test whether the multiple approach yields a realistic result. This prevents your client from being surprised once a buyer presents their own, much more stringent calculation. <\/p>\n

This is precisely where an opportunity lies for you as an accountant: you know your client’s figures, risks, and prospects better than anyone. By translating the sector multiple into a substantiated, company-specific valuation, you elevate your advisory role to a higher level. <\/p>\n

Ultimately, a sound valuation requires more than just a sector multiple. Software can help to substantiate assumptions, compare different valuation methods, and make the process reproducible. <\/p>\n

Would you like to see how that works? Then take a look at the business valuation software from ValuePartner. <\/p>\n

Schedule a no-obligation demo here<\/a>.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Twice a year, Brookz publishes the Brookz Acquisition Barometer, which includes average EBITDA multiples per sector. For many accountants and financial advisors, this has become a trusted reference work: one glance and you have an indication of what a company in a particular industry is worth, right? 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