Auckland business valuation benchmarks
Business valuation evidence for Auckland, drawn from 6,736 verified sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and an industry breakdown, covering the Auckland region across every ANZSIC division.
The state of the Auckland business sales market
Auckland is comfortably the deepest business-sales market in New Zealand. Bizstats has recorded 6,736 verified Auckland sales, spanning everything from suburban cafes and retail stores to multi-site manufacturers and professional-services firms. Accommodation and Food Services is the single most active category at roughly 42% of recorded Auckland transactions, ahead of Retail Trade and Manufacturing. The sheer scale of the region means most ANZSIC divisions carry a credible sample, which is reflected in the industry breakdown further down this page.
The indexed median Auckland sale price reached 141 by 2025, a 41% cumulative rise on the 2010 baseline. The year-to-year path is uneven, because each year's median rests on a sample of recorded sales, but the long-run direction is firmly upward.
Median time-to-sell is the tightest in the country, around 3.5 months by 2025 and stable since 2010. A short, steady time-to-sell signals a broad, competitive buyer pool. SDE multiples, by contrast, have stayed broadly flat: buyers have re-rated headline sale prices more than the multiple paid per dollar of earnings.
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 industry and sub-category, are available in a Bizstats valuation report.
Indexed median business sale price in Auckland
Median sale price for business transactions recorded in Auckland, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by industry and sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The Auckland price index reached 141 by 2025, a 41% cumulative rise since 2010. The path is volatile, briefly touching 215, so read the multi-year trend rather than any single point. The long-run direction is a clear, substantial appreciation.
Indexed median SDE multiple in Auckland
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for businesses in Auckland, 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 industry are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: Unlike sale prices, the Auckland SDE multiple has not structurally re-rated. The index has oscillated in a 88-115 band since 2010, sitting at 94 by 2025, close to the 2010 baseline. Rising sale prices reflect larger, stronger businesses coming to market more than buyers paying a richer multiple per dollar of earnings.
What buyers pay for in a Auckland business sale
The average split of the sale price into tangible assets, stock and intangibles (brand, customer base and other non-physical value) for business transactions recorded in Auckland, 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 | 34% | 4% | 62% |
| 2011 | 43% | 3% | 54% |
| 2012 | 36% | 3% | 61% |
| 2013 | 36% | 3% | 61% |
| 2014 | 37% | 3% | 60% |
| 2015 | 29% | 3% | 68% |
| 2016 | 29% | 2% | 69% |
| 2017 | 29% | 2% | 69% |
| 2018 | 30% | 2% | 68% |
| 2019 | 26% | 3% | 71% |
| 2020 | 23% | 6% | 71% |
| 2021 | 15% | 3% | 82% |
| 2022 | 14% | 3% | 83% |
| 2023 | 22% | 3% | 75% |
| 2024 | 19% | 3% | 78% |
| 2025 | 18% | 3% | 79% |
Commentary: Across Auckland's recorded sales the median deal split roughly 18% tangible assets, 3% stock and 79% intangibles by 2025. The intangible share has moved from 62% in 2010 to 79% (+17 points). Auckland's services-weighted economy, led by Accommodation and Food Services, lifts the intangible share: buyers here pay heavily for an established, transferable trading position.
Median time-to-sell for Auckland businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for business transactions in Auckland. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has been remarkably steady, with a median close to 3.5 months through most of the period and 3.5 months by 2025. A consistently short time-to-sell reflects Auckland's broad buyer pool: well-presented listings with clean financials move quickly.
Recent business sales in Auckland
A sample of recent anonymised transactions recorded in Auckland. Each row shows the ANZSIC sub-category, 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 | Revenue | SDE | SDE X | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Supplies Retailing | $300,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| Investigation and Security Services | $500,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| Other Water Transport Support Services | $3,100,000 | $600,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| Other Store-Based Retailing n.e.c. | $1,600,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| General Line Grocery Wholesaling | $3,000,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Cafes and Restaurants | $1,700,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $800,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Plumbing Services | $200,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Building and Other Industrial Cleaning Services | $600,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
| Electrical Services | $2,300,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Mar 2026 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for businesses in Auckland by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 6,736 verified Auckland transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Business sales by industry in Auckland
Recorded Auckland business sales by ANZSIC industry division. Accommodation and Food Services leads with 2,851 recorded sales, about 42% of the regional total. Follow any linked industry for its nationwide benchmarks.
| Industry (ANZSIC division) | Recorded sales | Share of region |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,851 | 42% |
| Retail Trade | 1,128 | 17% |
| Manufacturing | 663 | 10% |
| Other Services | 529 | 8% |
| Wholesale Trade | 408 | 6% |
| Construction | 189 | 3% |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 160 | 2% |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 158 | 2% |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 157 | 2% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 154 | 2% |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 120 | 2% |
| Education and Training | 98 | 1% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 39 | 1% |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 38 | 1% |
| Public Administration and Safety | 23 | 0% |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 10 | 0% |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 7 | 0% |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 4 | 0% |
Industries with a published benchmark page are linked. Counts span every recorded year; where a region has fewer than 15 recorded sales in an industry the sample is too thin to benchmark that industry x region cell reliably.
Put these Auckland benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats Auckland 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 an Auckland business, step by step.
Calculate SDEStart hereApply industry multiples to your SDE and get a market value estimate for an Auckland business in seconds.
Try for FreeCalculate the return on investment for an Auckland business purchase.
Calculate ROIAuckland business valuation FAQ
Auckland is the largest business-sales market in New Zealand. Bizstats has recorded 6,736 verified Auckland sales spanning every ANZSIC division. Accommodation and Food Services is the most active category at roughly 42% of recorded transactions, ahead of Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
Yes, over the long run. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median Auckland sale price reached around 141 by 2025, a 41% increase. Year to year the index is volatile, because each year rests on a sample of recorded sales, but the long-run direction is a clear upward trend. The underlying dollar medians by industry are in a Bizstats valuation report.
SDE multiples vary far more by industry than by region. Location, lease terms, customer concentration and the strength of trading history all influence where a specific business lands. The exact SDE multiples for an Auckland business in your industry are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Median time-to-sell for Auckland businesses sits at roughly 3.5 months and has been very stable since 2010, the tightest of any NZ region. A consistently short time-to-sell reflects Auckland's deep, competitive buyer pool.
Accommodation and Food Services leads with 2,851 recorded sales, followed by Retail Trade and Manufacturing. The full ranking is in the industry breakdown on this page, and each industry with a published benchmark page is linked. You can also browse all industry benchmarks directly.
Bizstats publishes market direction freely (indexed trends, sample counts, time-to-sell, industry breakdowns), but the underlying dollar medians and SDE multiples are part of a paid Bizstats valuation report. This split lets buyers, sellers, brokers and accountants benchmark direction at no cost.
The dataset is updated monthly, with new transactions constantly flowing in from our network of licensed New Zealand business brokers. The indexed trends and charts on this page are benchmarked from 2010.
About this page
The benchmark figures, charts and recent comparables above are drawn from 6,736 verified business sales recorded in Auckland 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 regional benchmarks: SDE, earnings multiples, the ANZSIC classification and how market-based valuation works.
Understanding the Role of SDE in Business Valuation
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Key Factors That Impact Earnings Multiples in Business Valuation
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Market Based Valuation 101
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Value Modifiers in Business Valuation
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Understanding ANZSIC
ANZSIC codes classify business data, simplifying your search for accurate comparables on Bizstats.
When is the Best Time to Sell my Business?
Thinking about selling your business? Remember that timing is everything! At Bizstats, we prefer a data-driven approach to business decisions.