Waikato business valuation benchmarks
Business valuation evidence for the Waikato, drawn from 673 verified sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and an industry breakdown, covering the Waikato region across every ANZSIC division.
The state of the Waikato business sales market
The Waikato is the central North Island's main business-sales market, anchored by Hamilton and the agricultural-servicing economy around it. Bizstats has recorded 673 verified Waikato sales, spanning hospitality, retail, manufacturing and trade-services businesses. Accommodation and Food Services is the most active category at roughly 30% of recorded transactions.
The indexed median Waikato sale price reached 339 by 2025, a 239% cumulative rise on the 2010 baseline, among the strongest of any NZ region. With a modest sample behind each year's median, the index swings sharply, so read the multi-year trend.
Median time-to-sell has tightened markedly, from 12 months early in the period to 4.5 months by 2025, a sign of strengthening buyer demand. SDE multiples have stayed within a moderate band, so the price growth reflects larger, stronger businesses coming to market more than a richer multiple 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 Waikato
Median sale price for business transactions recorded in Waikato, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by industry and sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The Waikato price index reached 339 by 2025, a 239% cumulative rise since 2010 and one of the steepest in the country, briefly touching 466. 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 Waikato
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for businesses in Waikato, 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 Waikato SDE multiple has moved within a 77-125 band since 2010, sitting at 109 by 2025. The strong sale-price growth therefore reflects bigger, stronger businesses transacting more than buyers paying a richer multiple per dollar of earnings.
What buyers pay for in a Waikato 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 Waikato, year by year. Each bar is a 100% view: it shows the mix, not the dollar value.
- Tangibles
- Stock
- Intangibles
| Year | Tangibles | Stock | Intangibles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 21% | 8% | 71% |
| 2012 | 34% | 6% | 60% |
| 2013 | 32% | 6% | 62% |
| 2014 | 44% | 3% | 53% |
| 2015 | 36% | 5% | 59% |
| 2016 | 24% | 3% | 73% |
| 2017 | 17% | 4% | 79% |
| 2018 | 20% | 1% | 79% |
| 2019 | 18% | 4% | 78% |
| 2020 | 24% | 2% | 74% |
| 2021 | 17% | 3% | 80% |
| 2022 | 16% | 8% | 76% |
| 2023 | 20% | 10% | 70% |
| 2024 | 17% | 10% | 73% |
| 2025 | 8% | 6% | 86% |
Commentary: Across the Waikato's recorded sales the median deal split roughly 8% tangible assets, 6% stock and 86% intangibles by 2025. The intangible share has moved from 71% in 2011 to 86% (+15 points). With Accommodation and Food Services leading recorded sales, the region carries a solid base of tangible assets and stock alongside a growing intangible share.
Median time-to-sell for Waikato businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for business transactions in Waikato. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has tightened from 12 months early in the period to 4.5 months by 2025. A falling time-to-sell signals strengthening buyer demand: well-presented Waikato listings with clean financials are moving faster than they once did.
Recent business sales in Waikato
A sample of recent anonymised transactions recorded in Waikato. 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 Agriculture and Fishing Support Services | $900,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Feb 2026 |
| Amusement and Other Recreation Activities n.e.c. | $300,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Jan 2026 |
| Floor Coverings Retailing | $1,700,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Accommodation | $300,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Nov 2025 |
| House Construction | $2,500,000 | $500,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Motor Vehicle New Parts Wholesaling | $500,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Other Specialised Food Retailing | $400,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Hardware and Building Supplies Retailing | $2,300,000 | $300,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $1,000,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Metal Coating and Finishing | $400,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for businesses in Waikato by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 673 verified Waikato transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Business sales by industry in Waikato
Recorded Waikato business sales by ANZSIC industry division. Accommodation and Food Services leads with 199 recorded sales, about 30% of the regional total. Follow any linked industry for its nationwide benchmarks.
| Industry (ANZSIC division) | Recorded sales | Share of region |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 199 | 30% |
| Retail Trade | 147 | 22% |
| Manufacturing | 59 | 9% |
| Other Services | 55 | 8% |
| Wholesale Trade | 39 | 6% |
| Construction | 35 | 5% |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 23 | 3% |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 21 | 3% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 20 | 3% |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 20 | 3% |
| Education and Training | 20 | 3% |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 9 | 1% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 7 | 1% |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 6 | 1% |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 5 | 1% |
| Public Administration and Safety | 5 | 1% |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 3 | 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 Waikato benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats Waikato 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 Waikato business, step by step.
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Calculate ROIWaikato business valuation FAQ
The Waikato is the central North Island's main business-sales market, anchored by Hamilton and the agricultural-servicing economy around it. Bizstats has recorded 673 verified Waikato sales spanning hospitality, retail, manufacturing and trade-services. Accommodation and Food Services is the most active category at roughly 30% of recorded transactions.
Yes, strongly. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median Waikato sale price reached around 339 by 2025, a 239% increase and one of the steepest of any NZ region. Year to year the index is volatile, because each year rests on a modest sample, but the long-run direction is firmly up. 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 a Waikato business in your industry are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Median time-to-sell for Waikato businesses has tightened to roughly 4.5 months, down from 12 months early in the period. A falling time-to-sell reflects strengthening buyer demand across the region.
Accommodation and Food Services leads with 199 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 673 verified business sales recorded in Waikato 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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Understanding ANZSIC
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