Otago business valuation benchmarks
Business valuation evidence for Otago, drawn from 505 verified sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and an industry breakdown, covering the Otago region across every ANZSIC division.
The state of the Otago business sales market
Otago is a tourism-weighted southern market, with Queenstown's visitor economy and Dunedin's broader commercial base both feeding the deal flow. Bizstats has recorded 505 verified Otago sales. Accommodation and Food Services is the dominant category at roughly 40% of recorded transactions, a notably higher hospitality share than most NZ regions, reflecting Queenstown's weight.
The indexed median Otago sale price reached 161 by 2025, a 61% cumulative rise on the 2010 baseline. With a modest sample behind each year's median the index is volatile, so the multi-year trend matters more than any single year.
Median time-to-sell sits at 6 months by 2025, having spiked as high as 14.5 months in 2012. SDE multiples have ranged widely in Otago, partly a function of the tourism-heavy mix, where earnings can be lumpy and buyers price that risk into the multiple.
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 Otago
Median sale price for business transactions recorded in Otago, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by industry and sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The Otago price index reached 161 by 2025, a 61% cumulative rise since 2010, with a volatile path that has touched 252 at its high and 41 at its low. Each year's median rests on a modest sample, so read the multi-year trend rather than any single point.
Indexed median SDE multiple in Otago
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for businesses in Otago, 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: The Otago SDE multiple has ranged widely, from 76 to 159 on a 2010 = 100 index, and sat at 113 by 2025. The wide band partly reflects the region's tourism-heavy mix, where earnings can be lumpy and buyers price that into the multiple.
What buyers pay for in a Otago 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 Otago, 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 | 36% | 8% | 56% |
| 2013 | 30% | 6% | 64% |
| 2014 | 52% | 5% | 43% |
| 2015 | 48% | 7% | 45% |
| 2016 | 34% | 10% | 56% |
| 2017 | 43% | 4% | 53% |
| 2018 | 17% | 2% | 81% |
| 2019 | 20% | 2% | 78% |
| 2020 | 28% | 9% | 63% |
| 2021 | 34% | 3% | 63% |
| 2022 | 16% | 6% | 78% |
| 2023 | 25% | 2% | 73% |
| 2024 | 31% | 2% | 67% |
| 2025 | 37% | 3% | 60% |
Commentary: Across Otago's recorded sales the median deal split roughly 37% tangible assets, 3% stock and 60% intangibles by 2025. The intangible share has moved from 56% in 2010 to 60% (+4 points). Otago's tourism and hospitality weighting, with Accommodation and Food Services the busiest category, keeps fit-out and stock visible in the mix.
Median time-to-sell for Otago businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for business transactions in Otago. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has been more variable in Otago than in the larger metros, spiking to 14.5 months in 2012 before settling at 6 months by 2025. Tourism-exposed businesses can take longer to find the right buyer when visitor demand is uncertain.
Recent business sales in Otago
A sample of recent anonymised transactions recorded in Otago. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Specialised Food Retailing | $500,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Apr 2026 |
| Accommodation | $600,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Other Specialised Design Services | $100,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Cafes and Restaurants | $800,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Nov 2025 |
| Building and Other Industrial Cleaning Services | $600,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Nov 2025 |
| Cafes and Restaurants | $1,100,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Building and Other Industrial Cleaning Services | $800,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Cafes and Restaurants | $900,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Building Pest Control Services | $300,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Gardening Services | $200,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Sep 2025 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for businesses in Otago by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 505 verified Otago transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Business sales by industry in Otago
Recorded Otago business sales by ANZSIC industry division. Accommodation and Food Services leads with 202 recorded sales, about 40% of the regional total. Follow any linked industry for its nationwide benchmarks.
| Industry (ANZSIC division) | Recorded sales | Share of region |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 202 | 40% |
| Retail Trade | 106 | 21% |
| Other Services | 37 | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 35 | 7% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 26 | 5% |
| Construction | 20 | 4% |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 15 | 3% |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 15 | 3% |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 12 | 2% |
| Wholesale Trade | 9 | 2% |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 8 | 2% |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 6 | 1% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5 | 1% |
| Education and Training | 4 | 1% |
| Public Administration and Safety | 3 | 1% |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 2 | 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 Otago benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats Otago 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 Otago business, step by step.
Calculate SDEStart hereApply industry multiples to your SDE and get a market value estimate for an Otago business in seconds.
Try for FreeCalculate the return on investment for an Otago business purchase.
Calculate ROIOtago business valuation FAQ
Otago is a tourism-weighted southern market spanning Queenstown and Dunedin. Bizstats has recorded 505 verified Otago sales. Accommodation and Food Services is the dominant category at roughly 40% of recorded transactions, a notably high hospitality share driven by Queenstown's visitor economy.
Yes, over the long run. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median Otago sale price reached around 161 by 2025, a 61% increase. The path is volatile, because each year rests on a modest sample, but the long-run direction is upward. The underlying dollar medians by industry are in a Bizstats valuation report.
SDE multiples vary far more by industry than by region, and Otago's tourism-heavy mix widens the range. Location, lease terms, customer concentration and the strength of trading history all influence where a specific business lands. The exact SDE multiples for an Otago business in your industry are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Median time-to-sell for Otago businesses sits at roughly 6 months and has been more variable than in the larger metros, reflecting the region's exposure to tourism demand.
Accommodation and Food Services leads with 202 recorded sales, a notably high hospitality share driven by Queenstown, followed by Retail Trade. 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 505 verified business sales recorded in Otago 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
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.
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.