Wholesale business valuation benchmarks for New Zealand
Wholesale and distribution business valuation evidence for New Zealand, drawn from 715 verified sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and a regional heatmap, covering ANZSIC Division F nationwide.
The state of the NZ wholesale business sales market
Wholesale Trade (ANZSIC Division F) covers distributors and importers: grocery and goods wholesalers, machinery and equipment, chemical, plumbing and motor-parts supply. Bizstats has recorded 715 wholesale business sales. The category is the most Auckland-concentrated of any industry, with roughly 57% of transactions in the country's main import and logistics hub.
Sale prices have appreciated dramatically: the indexed median reached 339 by 2025, a 239% cumulative rise on the 2010 baseline and the largest of any Bizstats industry.
The SDE multiple index sits at 117, modestly above its baseline. Wholesale businesses carry inventory and supplier relationships that take time to assess, but established distribution rights and recurring trade customers give buyers confidence. Steep price growth reflects both larger businesses transacting and a firm market for established distribution.
Sale price and SDE multiple figures are indexed to 2010 = 100. The +% values show cumulative change since the 2010 baseline. The full dollar medians, by sub-category, are available in a Bizstats valuation report.
Indexed median wholesale sale price
Median sale price for New Zealand wholesale business transactions, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The wholesale price index reached 339 by 2025, a 239% cumulative rise, the steepest appreciation Bizstats records for any industry. With relatively few sales behind each year's median the path is volatile, but the long-run direction is unmistakably upward.
Indexed median wholesale SDE multiple
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for New Zealand wholesale businesses, indexed to 2010 = 100. The price index tracks what businesses sell for; the SDE multiple index tracks what buyers are paying per dollar of earnings. Actual multiples by sub-category are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The wholesale SDE multiple index has held in an 85-121 band and sits at 117 by 2025, modestly above the 2010 baseline. Established distribution rights, recurring trade accounts and supplier relationships support the multiple buyers are willing to pay per dollar of earnings.
What buyers pay for in a wholesale business sale
The average split of the sale price into tangible assets, stock and intangibles (brand, customer base and other non-physical value) for NZ wholesale business transactions, year by year. Each bar is a 100% view: it shows the mix, not the dollar value.
- Tangibles
- Stock
- Intangibles
| Year | Tangibles | Stock | Intangibles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4% | 36% | 60% |
| 2011 | 9% | 45% | 46% |
| 2012 | 6% | 23% | 71% |
| 2013 | 8% | 24% | 68% |
| 2014 | 4% | 19% | 77% |
| 2015 | 5% | 31% | 64% |
| 2016 | 6% | 36% | 58% |
| 2017 | 8% | 30% | 62% |
| 2018 | 3% | 31% | 66% |
| 2019 | 4% | 20% | 76% |
| 2020 | 6% | 28% | 66% |
| 2021 | 4% | 26% | 70% |
| 2022 | 5% | 22% | 73% |
| 2023 | 2% | 30% | 68% |
| 2024 | 2% | 29% | 69% |
| 2025 | 3% | 31% | 66% |
Commentary: Wholesale and distribution businesses sit on substantial inventory, so stock is a larger slice of the deal here than in most sectors. By 2025 the median sale split roughly 3% tangible assets, 31% stock and 66% intangibles. The intangible share has moved from 60% in 2010 to 66% (+6 points), as supplier agreements and customer accounts carry more of the value.
Median time-to-sell for NZ wholesale businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for NZ wholesale business transactions. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has been broadly stable, close to 4 months in most years, with a high of 5.5 months in 2023. Buyers spend time on inventory, supplier agreements and customer concentration, but a steady stream of trade buyers and investors keeps well-run distribution businesses moving.
Recent wholesale business sales in NZ
A sample of recent anonymised wholesale transactions. Each row shows ANZSIC sub-category, region, revenue, SDE and sale month, with revenue and SDE rounded to the nearest $100,000. Full anonymised comparables with exact sale prices and SDE multiples are in a Bizstats valuation report.
| ANZSIC | Region | Revenue | SDE | SDE X | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial and Agricultural Chemical Product Wholesaling | Tasman | $300,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| General Line Grocery Wholesaling | Auckland | $3,000,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Other Goods Wholesaling n.e.c. | Auckland | $200,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling n.e.c. | Bay of Plenty | $900,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Plumbing Goods Wholesaling | Auckland | $2,400,000 | $500,000 | ••• | Jan 2026 |
| Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling n.e.c. | Auckland | $2,300,000 | $700,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Motor Vehicle New Parts Wholesaling | Canterbury | $2,300,000 | $500,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Industrial and Agricultural Chemical Product Wholesaling | Wellington | $4,400,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| General Line Grocery Wholesaling | Auckland | $6,600,000 | $1,400,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Motor Vehicle New Parts Wholesaling | Waikato | $500,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for wholesale businesses by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 715 verified wholesale transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Wholesale business sales by NZ region
Wholesale transaction activity and median time-to-sell mapped across New Zealand's 16 regions. Auckland dominates with 408 recorded sales, around 57% of the national total. Switch the metric to compare regional time-to-sell, and click any region for its wholesale benchmarks.
| Region | Transactions | Median time-to-sell (months) |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | 4 | Insufficient sample |
| Auckland | 408 | 3.5 |
| Waikato | 39 | 5 |
| Bay of Plenty | 66 | 3 |
| Gisborne | 2 | Insufficient sample |
| Taranaki | 17 | 3 |
| Manawatu | 14 | Insufficient sample |
| Hawke's Bay | 1 | Insufficient sample |
| Wellington | 29 | 4 |
| Tasman | 2 | Insufficient sample |
| Nelson | 15 | 3 |
| Marlborough | 2 | Insufficient sample |
| West Coast | 0 | Insufficient sample |
| Canterbury | 106 | 3 |
| Otago | 9 | Insufficient sample |
| Southland | 1 | Insufficient sample |
Put these wholesale benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats wholesale benchmarks to a specific business: your own, a target acquisition or a comparable you're researching. Three free tools, no signup, real insights.
Work out Seller's Discretionary Earnings for a wholesale or distribution business, step by step.
Calculate SDEStart hereApply wholesale industry multiples to your SDE and get a market value estimate in seconds.
Try for FreeCalculate the return on investment for a wholesale business purchase.
Calculate ROIWholesale business valuation FAQ
Bizstats has recorded 715 wholesale business sales. It is a low-churn market: a small number of larger distribution and import businesses change hands each year. Around 57% of transactions are in Auckland, the country's main port and logistics hub.
Sharply. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median wholesale sale price reached 339 by 2025, a 239% cumulative rise, the largest of any Bizstats industry. The year-to-year path is volatile on modest samples, but the long-run appreciation is pronounced.
Wholesale Trade is the most Auckland-concentrated category Bizstats tracks. Distribution and import businesses cluster around the country’s main ports, freight routes and population centre, so the bulk of recorded transactions are in Auckland, with Canterbury a distant second.
SDE multiples for wholesale businesses depend heavily on distribution rights, customer concentration and inventory quality. The Bizstats index sits modestly above its 2010 baseline. A range of factors move a specific business off the category average; exact multiples by sub-category are in a Bizstats valuation report.
Median time-to-sell is around 4 months and has been broadly stable. Buyers spend time reviewing inventory, supplier agreements and customer concentration, but a steady pool of trade buyers and investors keeps sound distribution businesses transacting.
The dataset is updated monthly as new transactions flow in from our network of licensed New Zealand business brokers. Recorded coverage reaches back well over a decade, and the indexed trends on this page are benchmarked from 2010.
About this page
The benchmark figures, charts and recent comparables above are drawn from 715 verified wholesale business sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. The written analysis is generated from that data and reviewed by the Bizstats team, and is refreshed as new sales are recorded. These are indicative market benchmarks, not a formal valuation. See our Terms of Use.
Benchmarks last updated .
Learn more about business valuation
Guides that explain the metrics behind these wholesale benchmarks: SDE, earnings multiples, the ANZSIC classification and how market-based valuation works.
Understanding the Role of SDE in Business Valuation
One of the most widely used methods for business valuation is the capitalisation of earnings. Learn why Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is crucial for SME valuation.
Key Factors That Impact Earnings Multiples in Business Valuation
For small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is the most relevant measure when valuing a business. This is particularly true in New Zealand, where 97% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees.
Market Based Valuation 101
Understand your business's value with Market-Based Valuation: a simple, fast method using real sales data.
Value Modifiers in Business Valuation
Learn about value modifiers in business valuation and how factors like customer concentration, brand, and operational efficiency affect the final price.
Understanding ANZSIC
ANZSIC codes classify business data, simplifying your search for accurate comparables on Bizstats.
Gathering Information for a Business Valuation
A business valuation is essentially an informed opinion of value, relying heavily on the quality of information available to the valuer.