What multiple does a trucking company sell for?

Trucking and logistics covers everything from owner-operator carriers to asset-light freight brokerages and 3PLs, and that range shows up in valuations. Established, professionally managed companies are valued on EBITDA at about 5.0x-9.0x, while smaller owner-operated carriers are valued on SDE at roughly 3.0x-6.0x. Asset-light brokerage and 3PL models tend to sit higher because they carry less capital and more recurring customer relationships.

Earnings quality drives the multiple. Contracted, dedicated freight is worth more than volatile spot-market hauls; a diversified shipper base with low customer concentration, strong safety scores (a clean FMCSA/CSA record), a stable driver roster in a tight labor market, modern and well-maintained equipment, and management depth all push you to the top. Heavy spot exposure, customer or lane concentration, an aging fleet, and owner-dependent dispatch pull it down.

How equipment is treated matters: in an asset sale the value of tractors and trailers is assessed alongside the operating business, and buyers separate the going-concern value from the rolling stock. Buyer type sets the ceiling, with PE platforms and strategics paying EBITDA multiples and often 60%-80% cash at close plus rollover or an earnout. DealSeam is not a traditional business broker; where there's a fit, it introduces owners to qualified buyers, with the buyer paying the success fee.