Service Sector Acquisitions up 11%, Retail Up 14%, as Buyers Focus on Essential Businesses

Buyer interest in essential industries surged in the third quarter, with service and retail sectors leading the way. Amid economic uncertainty, these categories stood out as resilient and attractive opportunities. Transaction volume for service businesses rose 11% year-over-year, while retail acquisitions jumped 14%.

“I focus on residential and commercial services. The market is still hot for HVAC, P&H, Electrical, Roofing, Landscaping, etc. and I have 300+ active buyers in my database. There are not enough listings for all the buyers,” said Adam Pratt of Atlantic Business Brokers in Maine.

Following broader Q3 trends, acquisitions in both sectors leaned toward lower-priced deals tied to modest earnings. The median sale price of service businesses fell 8% YoY to $300,000, with median cash flow down 15%. Retail followed suit, with a median sale price of $237,000 —down 5% YoY —alongside a 4% YoY decline in cash flow.

Sales Transactions Intensifies

Up 8% over Q3-2024

Business-for-sale transaction volume accelerated in the third quarter of 2025, with closed deals reaching 2,599, an 8% increase from Q3 2024 and up 11% compared to Q2 2025. This is according to BizBuySell, which tracks and analyzes U.S. business-for-sale transactions and sentiment from business owners, buyers, and brokers. The total enterprise value of completed deals hit $2.13 billion, marking gains of 5% year-over-year and 12% quarter-over-quarter.

Despite the uptick in activity, underlying concerns about the future appear to be weighing on business owners specifically. BizBuySell’s annual Buyer-Seller Confidence Index, which measures sentiment on a scale of 0–100, shows owner confidence declined from 50 to 48, falling below the neutral threshold.

This shift is closely tied to small businesses struggling with higher costs stemming from persistent inflation and ongoing tariff uncertainty. Over half (53%) of small business owners surveyed by BizBuySell say tariffs have increased business expenses, while 62% report that inflation is not easing, keeping prices for goods and supplies elevated.

Donny Ravas, owner of LogistEx Global Management, Inc. dba Dell Transport in West Virginia, explains “Things are expensive, especially insurance and maintenance costs. We’re a small company, so it’s tough. We've been around for 27 years in January 2026 and have seen just about everything. Fuel has come down, though.”

Strong transaction growth suggests many owners are choosing to sell now rather than wait. In fact, 55% believe they can achieve their desired price today, while 60% of surveyed business owners worry that waiting until next year could result in receiving the same or even a lower price.