Wellington business valuation benchmarks
Business valuation evidence for Wellington, drawn from 464 verified sales recorded by licensed NZ business brokers. Indexed price trends, median time-to-sell, recent comparables and an industry breakdown, covering the Wellington region across every ANZSIC division.
The state of the Wellington business sales market
Wellington is the capital-city market, with a commercial base shaped by central government, professional services and a dense hospitality scene. Bizstats has recorded 464 verified Wellington sales. Accommodation and Food Services is the most active category at roughly 34% of recorded transactions, ahead of Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
The indexed median Wellington sale price reached 148 by 2025, a 48% cumulative rise on the 2010 baseline. With a modest sample behind each year's median, the index is volatile, so read the multi-year trend.
Median time-to-sell has drifted up, from 4 months early in the period to 6 months by 2025, peaking at 9 months in 2024. A lengthening time-to-sell points to a more cautious buyer pool. SDE multiples have sat below their baseline in recent years, so buyers have not been paying 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 Wellington
Median sale price for business transactions recorded in Wellington, indexed to 2010 = 100. The underlying dollar medians by industry and sub-category are published in the Bizstats valuation report.
Commentary: The Wellington price index reached 148 by 2025, a 48% cumulative rise since 2010, with a volatile path that has touched 254 at its high. 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 Wellington
Median SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiple paid for businesses in Wellington, 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 Wellington SDE multiple has moved within a 63-107 band on a 2010 = 100 index and sat at 71 by 2025, below the 2010 baseline. Buyers have not been paying a richer multiple per dollar of earnings in recent years.
What buyers pay for in a Wellington 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 Wellington, 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 | 26% | 6% | 68% |
| 2012 | 43% | 3% | 54% |
| 2013 | 56% | 6% | 38% |
| 2014 | 50% | 3% | 47% |
| 2015 | 22% | 5% | 73% |
| 2016 | 32% | 3% | 65% |
| 2017 | 21% | 3% | 76% |
| 2018 | 17% | 4% | 79% |
| 2019 | 12% | 3% | 85% |
| 2020 | 19% | 4% | 77% |
| 2021 | 18% | 2% | 80% |
| 2022 | 9% | 3% | 88% |
| 2023 | 12% | 2% | 86% |
| 2024 | 11% | 6% | 83% |
| 2025 | 13% | 13% | 74% |
Commentary: Across Wellington's recorded sales the median deal split roughly 13% tangible assets, 13% stock and 74% intangibles by 2025. The intangible share has moved from 68% in 2011 to 74% (+6 points). Wellington's services-heavy economy, led by Accommodation and Food Services, tilts the mix firmly toward the intangible end of the deal.
Median time-to-sell for Wellington businesses
Median months from listing to unconditional sale for business transactions in Wellington. A leading indicator of buyer demand. Tighter time-to-sell signals stronger competition for available stock.
Commentary: Time-to-sell has drifted up, from 4 months early in the period to 6 months by 2025, peaking at 9 months in 2024. A lengthening time-to-sell points to a more cautious buyer pool in the capital.
Recent business sales in Wellington
A sample of recent anonymised transactions recorded in Wellington. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel Retailing | $5,700,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Dec 2025 |
| Industrial and Agricultural Chemical Product Wholesaling | $4,400,000 | $400,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Houseware Retailing | $400,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Other Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | $2,900,000 | $500,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Other Construction Services n.e.c. | $700,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Oct 2025 |
| Metal Coating and Finishing | $300,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Aug 2025 |
| Fuel Retailing | $6,900,000 | $600,000 | ••• | Aug 2025 |
| Confectionery Manufacturing | $700,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Aug 2025 |
| Building and Other Industrial Cleaning Services | $500,000 | $200,000 | ••• | Aug 2025 |
| Other Specialised Food Retailing | $800,000 | $100,000 | ••• | Jul 2025 |
See what they actually sold for. A Bizstats valuation report unlocks exact sale prices, SDE multiples and time-to-sell for businesses in Wellington by ANZSIC sub-category.
Create a Bizstats report →Sample drawn from 464 verified Wellington transactions, updated as new sales are recorded by our network of licensed NZ business brokers.
Business sales by industry in Wellington
Recorded Wellington business sales by ANZSIC industry division. Accommodation and Food Services leads with 160 recorded sales, about 34% of the regional total. Follow any linked industry for its nationwide benchmarks.
| Industry (ANZSIC division) | Recorded sales | Share of region |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 160 | 34% |
| Retail Trade | 71 | 15% |
| Manufacturing | 55 | 12% |
| Other Services | 37 | 8% |
| Wholesale Trade | 29 | 6% |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 20 | 4% |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 20 | 4% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 19 | 4% |
| Construction | 18 | 4% |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 11 | 2% |
| Education and Training | 10 | 2% |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 6 | 1% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 3 | 1% |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 2 | 0% |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 1 | 0% |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 1 | 0% |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 1 | 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 Wellington benchmarks to work
Apply Bizstats Wellington 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 Wellington business, step by step.
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Calculate ROIWellington business valuation FAQ
Wellington is the capital-city business-sales market, with a commercial base shaped by central government, professional services and a dense hospitality scene. Bizstats has recorded 464 verified Wellington sales. Accommodation and Food Services is the most active category at roughly 34% of recorded transactions, ahead of Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
Over the long run, yes. Indexed to 2010 = 100, the median Wellington sale price reached around 148 by 2025, a 48% 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. Location, lease terms, customer concentration and the strength of trading history all influence where a specific business lands. The exact SDE multiples for a Wellington business in your industry are published in a Bizstats valuation report.
Median time-to-sell for Wellington businesses has drifted up to roughly 6 months, from 4 months early in the period. A lengthening time-to-sell points to a more cautious buyer pool in the capital.
Accommodation and Food Services leads with 160 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 464 verified business sales recorded in Wellington 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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Understanding ANZSIC
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