📋 Sample Report — Briggs Mechanical Services LLC. This is a fictional sole-proprietor business. Financials and the resulting valuation are illustrative — generated by the same engine you'll see on your own report. The Valuation Scenario Planner below is fully interactive — try the sliders.
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Business Valuation Report
Briggs Mechanical Services LLC
home_services  ·  TX  ·  14 years in business
Prepared: May 10, 2026  ·  Recipient: sample-solo@valueai.pro
Estimated Business Value
$1,806,582 – $2,550,469
Midpoint: $2,125,391
DCF Analysis $3,536,916
Market Multiples $901,500 – $1,502,500
Asset-Based $1,131,500
▲ Triangulated Value $2,125,391
Valuation Factors

Three inputs directly affect your valuation multiples and discount rate. Each is shown below with its current status and exact impact on your result.

Key Person Dependency
⚠ High — the business is substantially dependent on the owner
Valuation Impact
−30% on multiples
The 30% discount is already reflected in the multiples shown — your valuation is not separately reduced again. To put this in context: a comparable business with low key-person dependency would warrant approximately $515,143 more in the multiples-based estimate. Buyers view high owner-dependence as a major risk requiring price discount or earn-out structures. To address: develop a documented succession plan, transition key client relationships to other team members, and build operational independence from the owner.
Customer Concentration
⚠ Moderate — top customer 16%, top 3 32%
Valuation Impact
−7% on multiples
The 7% discount is already reflected in the multiples shown — your valuation is not separately reduced again. To put this in context: a comparable diversified business would warrant approximately $84,938 more in the multiples-based estimate. To recover this: diversify the customer base, formalize multi-year contracts with the largest customer, and develop pipeline depth in adjacent client segments.
Recurring Revenue
35% of revenue is recurring
Valuation Impact
+0.42x on multiples
Meaningful recurring revenue. Multiples increased by approximately $252,420 (+0.42x SDE) and discount rate reduced by 0.7pt — a substantial portion of revenue is predictable, which buyers value.
Key Financials
Annual Revenue
$1,200,000
Net Profit
$390,000
SDE (Seller's Earnings)
$601,000
Owner Salary/Draw
$140,000
Profit Margin
32.5%
SDE Margin
50.1%
Valuation Analysis

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The valuation range for Briggs Mechanical Services LLC is $1,806,582 to $2,550,469. This range is derived from a triangulation of three valuation methods: Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Market Multiples, and Asset-Based Valuation. The business's strong financial performance, tempered by significant key person risk and moderate customer concentration, positions it within this range. The triangulated value reflects both the growth potential and the risks associated with the business.

BUSINESS PROFILE & FINANCIAL HEALTH Briggs Mechanical Services LLC has demonstrated consistent revenue growth, with a 3-year CAGR of 6.9%, reaching $1,200,000 in annual revenue. The business maintains a healthy profitability margin of 32.5%, with Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) at $601,000, indicating strong operational efficiency. Compared to industry benchmarks, these figures suggest above-average profitability, although the high key person dependency poses a significant risk to sustained performance.

VALUATION METHOD 1 — DCF ANALYSIS The DCF valuation of $3,536,916 is based on a 6.0% growth rate, reflecting historical performance and industry growth expectations. The discount rate of 22.2% accounts for company-specific risks, including a 5.0% premium for key person dependency and 1.0% for customer concentration. The terminal value of $1,535,697 was derived using a perpetual growth model, assuming continued moderate growth beyond the projection period.

VALUATION METHOD 2 — MARKET MULTIPLES The market multiples approach yields a valuation range of $901,500 to $1,502,500, based on an SDE multiple range of 1.5x to 2.5x. The business's strong SDE and growth trajectory push it toward the higher end of this range, but adjustments for key person risk temper the valuation. This method reflects what similar businesses in the General Business category might command in the market.

VALUATION METHOD 3 — ASSET-BASED The asset-based valuation totals $1,131,500, comprising $230,000 in tangible assets and $901,500 in goodwill (calculated at 1.5x SDE). This method is particularly relevant for assessing the liquidation value and provides a floor for the business's worth, emphasizing the tangible and intangible assets' contribution to overall value.

INDUSTRY BENCHMARKS & COMPARISON Briggs Mechanical Services LLC outperforms typical General Business benchmarks in profitability margins and growth rates. However, industry risks such as market saturation and economic cycles, combined with high owner dependency, pose challenges. Key value drivers include customer retention and operational efficiency, which are crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and enhancing valuation.

GROWTH SCENARIOS The optimistic growth scenario projects a valuation of $4,353,592, achievable through strategic initiatives to reduce key person dependency and diversify the customer base. To reach this scenario, the owner should focus on process documentation, relationship transfer, and expanding service offerings to mitigate risks and capitalize on growth opportunities.

STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Develop a comprehensive transition plan to reduce key person dependency, including process documentation and training for key employees.
  • Diversify the customer base to lower moderate customer concentration risk, aiming to reduce reliance on the largest customer to below 15% of revenue.
  • Enhance recurring revenue streams by expanding service contracts, which could improve predictability and valuation multiples.
  • Invest in marketing and sales efforts to sustain and potentially accelerate the current growth rate, targeting a 10% annual increase in revenue.
BUYER PROFILE (a) Likely buyer archetypes:
  • Regional home services companies seeking geographic expansion or service line diversification.
  • Private equity firms interested in roll-up strategies within the home services sector.
  • Strategic buyers from adjacent industries looking to integrate complementary services.
  • Experienced operators or managers seeking to own and operate a well-established business.
(b) Why each archetype would buy this specific business:
  • Regional companies would value the $1,200,000 revenue and established presence in Texas as a platform for growth.
  • Private equity firms may be attracted by the $601,000 SDE and potential for operational improvements.
  • Strategic buyers could leverage the 14-year operating history to enhance their service offerings.
  • Experienced operators might see the business as a stable income source with room for growth.
(c) Realistic buyer pool size: Moderate, due to the specific geographic location in Texas and the niche within the home services industry, which may limit interest to regional players and industry insiders.

(d) What buyers will scrutinize hardest: Buyers will focus on the high owner dependency, assessing the depth of management and employee capabilities. They will also examine the moderate customer concentration and the sustainability of recurring revenue streams. Additionally, they will evaluate the condition and value of tangible assets.

(e) Deal structure & mechanics: This is likely to be an asset sale, common in the General Business category, with potential earnout provisions tied to future performance to mitigate risks associated with key person dependency. A typical transition period may range from 6 to 12 months, aligning with the owner's 3-5 year sale timeline.

DCF — 5-Year Cash Flow Projections
Period Projected FCF Growth Rate Present Value
Year 1 $637,060 6.0% $521,326
Year 2 $675,284 6.0% $452,214
Year 3 $715,801 6.0% $392,264
Year 4 $758,749 6.0% $340,262
Year 5 $804,274 6.0% $295,153
Terminal Value (PV) Gordon Growth Model @ 2.5% terminal growth $1,535,697
Total DCF Value $3,536,916

Growth rate: 6.0% | Discount rate: 22.2% (build-up method)

Discount Rate — Build-Up Method
Risk-free rate (T-bills)4.4%
Equity risk premium5.5%
Small company premium5.0%
Industry risk adjustment2.0%
⚠ Key person dependency risk+5.0%
⚠ Customer concentration risk+1.0%
✓ Recurring revenue reduces risk−0.7%
Total Discount Rate22.2%
Company-specific risk adds 5.3% to the base rate, directly reducing the DCF value. Addressing these factors before a sale would lower the discount rate and increase business value.
Market Multiples — General Business Benchmarks
Multiple BasisRangeThis BusinessValue Range
Revenue Multiple 0.29x – 0.63x $1,200,000 $348,000 – $756,000
SDE Multiple (Primary) 1.5x – 2.5x $601,000 $901,500 – $1,502,500

Industry: General Business | Typical buyers: Individual operators, local investors

Asset-Based Valuation Breakdown
Equipment & FF&E
$185,000
Inventory
$45,000
Goodwill (1.5x SDE)
$901,500
Real Estate — excluded, sold separately
$720,000
Total Asset Value
$1,131,500
Real estate (estimated $720,000) is owned by the seller and being sold separately. It is excluded from the operating-business asset total because the buyer of the business will not acquire the property.
Growth Scenarios — 5-Year DCF Value
Conservative $3,072,141
Minimal growth, maintain current operations (2% annual growth, yr5 revenue: $1,324,897)
Base Case $3,415,101
Modest growth with operational improvements (5% annual growth, yr5 revenue: $1,531,538)
Optimistic $4,353,592
Aggressive expansion, new revenue streams (12% annual growth, yr5 revenue: $2,114,810)
Adjusted Valuation
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Adjusted Valuation
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Revenue Growth Rate
current
-25%0%+25%+50%+75%+100%
Modeled annual growth used in DCF projections.
Key Person Dependency
Customer Concentration
— Diversified
Top customer % of revenue
0% — Diversified
current
0%15%30%45%60%
Top 3 customers combined %
0% — Diversified
current
0%25%50%75%100%
Recurring Revenue %
current
0%25%50%75%100%
Your highest-ROI improvements, ranked
Appendix
Methodology & Calculations
All figures derived from data
provided at time of submission
1 · Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE)
SDE represents the total economic benefit available to a working owner-buyer. It normalizes owner compensation AND adds back personal expenses run through the business so the valuation reflects true earning power regardless of how the owner chooses to pay themselves.
Annual Revenue $1,200,000
Total Business Expenses − $810,000
Net Profit $390,000
Add back: Owner Compensation + $140,000
Reported SDE (net profit + owner compensation) $530,000
Recurring Add-Backs (apply to all years)
Owner's health insurance through business+ $14,000
Owner's retirement contributions+ $18,000
Personal vehicle expenses+ $9,000
Personal phone/travel/meals/entertainment+ $6,000
Rent Normalization (apply to all years)
Above-market rent — add back excess (actual $66,000 vs. market $42,000) + $24,000
Normalized SDE (used for valuation) $601,000
Add-backs are personal/discretionary expenses run through the business that buyers add back when assessing true earning power. Recurring add-backs apply to historical years for trend analysis; one-time add-backs apply only to the current year so they don't distort the trend. Rent normalization adjusts SDE to reflect what an arms-length tenant would pay (rent paid to a related entity owned by the seller), so the operating-business value reflects true earning power independent of who owns the real estate.
1b · Earnings History & Volatility
Buyers value earnings predictability. The 3-year SDE history below shows the consistency of earning power. Recurring add-backs apply to all years (consistency assumption); one-time add-backs apply only to the current year.
2 years ago — Normalized SDE $526,000
1 year ago — Normalized SDE $566,000
Current year — Recurring SDE (excludes one-time add-backs) $601,000
Earnings consistency (coefficient of variation) 5.4% — stable
Earnings have been steady (CV under 10%) — no additional volatility risk premium is applied. Buyers value predictable earnings.
2 · DCF Discount Rate — Build-Up Method
The discount rate represents the return a buyer would require to justify purchasing this business, given its risk profile. Calculated using the standard build-up method.
Risk-free rate (10-yr Treasury) 4.4%
Equity risk premium 5.5%
Small company premium 5.0%
Industry risk adjustment (General Business) +2.0%
⚠ Key person dependency risk (High) +5.0%
⚠ Customer concentration risk (Moderate) +1.0%
✓ Recurring revenue reduces risk (35% recurring) −0.7%
Total Discount Rate 22.2%
3 · Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation
Projects future earnings and discounts them to present value using the risk-adjusted discount rate. Growth rate: 6.0% | Terminal growth rate: 2.5%
Period Projected FCF Present Value
Year 1 $637,060 $521,326
Year 2 $675,284 $452,214
Year 3 $715,801 $392,264
Year 4 $758,749 $340,262
Year 5 $804,274 $295,153
Terminal Value (PV) $1,535,697
DCF Value $3,536,916
4 · Market Multiples Valuation
Applies transaction multiples from comparable business sales in the General Business industry. The industry baseline is then adjusted for revenue trend, key person risk, customer concentration, and recurring revenue. Each adjustment compounds — the final adjusted multiple is what produces the value range below.
Industry baseline SDE multiple range 1.5x – 3.0x
Industry baseline revenue multiple range 0.30x – 0.80x
Key person risk adjustment (multiplicative) ×0.70 (−30%)
Customer concentration adjustment (multiplicative) ×0.93 (−7%)
Recurring revenue premium (additive) +0.42x SDE
Final adjusted SDE multiple range 1.5x – 2.5x
SDE-based value range (final SDE multiple × $601,000) $901,500 – $1,502,500
Revenue-based value range (final revenue multiple × $1,200,000) $348,000 – $756,000
Market Multiples Value (SDE-based, primary) $901,500 – $1,502,500
SDE-based multiples are the primary basis for triangulation; revenue-based multiples are shown as a cross-check. The risk adjustments above are already incorporated into the final multiple — they are not re-applied to the value range or to the triangulated valuation.
5 · Asset-Based Floor Value
Represents the minimum value of the business based on tangible and estimated intangible assets. Typically used as a floor — the business should be worth at least this even if earnings are minimal.
Equipment value$185,000
Inventory value$45,000
Goodwill estimate (1.5x SDE)$901,500
Real estate — excluded, sold separately$720,000
Asset-Based Floor Value $1,131,500
Real estate (estimated $720,000) is owned by the seller and being sold separately. It is excluded from this floor value because the buyer of the operating business will not acquire the property; the property's value accrues to the seller through the separate real estate transaction.
Goodwill multiplier calibrated against BizBuySell 2025 small business transaction data (~9,500 reported sales across 100+ industries). For general business businesses, 1.5x SDE reflects typical residual goodwill after tangible assets are accounted for separately.
6 · Triangulated Valuation
The final valuation is a weighted average of the three methods, with weights reflecting the reliability of each method for this business profile.
DCF value 40% weight $3,536,916
Market multiples midpoint 45% weight $1,202,000
Asset-based floor 15% weight $1,131,500
Triangulated Value $2,125,391
Estimated range: $1,806,582 – $2,550,469  ·  All values reflect data as submitted. See disclaimer below.
Range Sensitivity Summary
The estimated range of $1,806,582 – $2,550,469 is derived from the triangulated midpoint of $2,125,391 by stress-testing key assumptions across plausible scenarios:
Assumption Base Case Low Case High Case
Growth rate 6.0% 3.0% 9.0%
Discount rate 22.2% 20.2% 24.2%
Market multiples Risk-adjusted base −5% contraction +5% expansion
This produces an asymmetric band of −15% to +20% around the midpoint — standard practice reflecting that downside scenarios (tighter credit, slower growth, buyer discounting) tend to compress value more than upside scenarios expand it. Risk adjustments for key person dependency and customer concentration are already embedded in the base case multiples and discount rate above.
Methodology note. Risk-factor adjustments shown above are applied as direct multiplier reductions for transparency, so the impact of each factor is visible to the reader. A formal USPAP-compliant business appraisal would typically incorporate these risks via the company-specific risk premium (CSRP) within the discount-rate build-up rather than as a separate flat-multiple discount. The valuation effects converge to similar magnitudes, but the underlying methodologies differ. Consult a credentialed appraiser (ABV, ASA, CVA, or equivalent) for any transaction, dispute, tax filing, or other situation requiring a defensible valuation.
Appendix
7 · Submitted Inputs
All inputs provided at the time of submission. These are the exact values used to generate this report. If any figure appears incorrect, contact support@valueai.pro to request a corrected report.
Business Overview
Business name Briggs Mechanical Services LLC
Industry home_services
State / location TX
Years in business 14 years
Number of employees 8
Business structure / entity type Sole Proprietor / Single-member LLC
Financials
Annual revenue $1,200,000
Annual expenses $810,000
Net profit $390,000
Owner compensation (salary / draws / guaranteed payments) $140,000
Owner add-backs (sum of recurring + one-time) $47,000
Rent normalization adjustment +$24,000
Normalized SDE (used for valuation) $601,000
Revenue history (2yr ago → 1yr ago → current) $1,050,000 → $1,135,000 → $1,200,000
Revenue CAGR (calculated) +6.9%
Net profit history (2yr ago → 1yr ago) $315,000 → $355,000
Earnings volatility (CV) 5.4% (stable)
Risk Factors
Key person dependency High — the business is largely me
Customer concentration top customer 16% of revenue; top 3 32%
Recurring revenue 35.0% of revenue
Assets & Property
Location ownership Owns building
Current annual rent paid $66,000
Estimated market annual rent $42,000
Rent paid to related entity Yes (LLC controlled by owner)
Equipment value $185,000
Inventory value $45,000
Owns real estate Yes (selling separately)
Intellectual property No
Valuation Parameters
Risk-free rate used 4.4% (live — Federal Reserve)
Discount rate (calculated) 22.2%
Report generated May 10, 2026
Disclaimer

This report is generated for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a formal business appraisal, financial advice, legal opinion, or tax advice. It is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any business interest, security, insurance product, or other financial instrument. Valuations are based on the financial data provided by the submitter and publicly available industry benchmarks. Actual market value may vary based on due diligence findings, current market conditions, buyer/seller motivations, and factors not disclosed in this analysis. For any transaction, partnership dispute, tax filing, litigation, regulatory matter, or other situation requiring a defensible valuation, engage a credentialed business appraiser (ABV, ASA, CVA, or equivalent) or qualified attorney.