Valuation & EBITDA Multiples for Tech Companies: 2024 Report

The valuation multiple tables below reflect data collected by our analysts between H2 2022 and H1 2024 on private company M&A transactions within the tech sector.

They contain average EBITDA and revenue multiples for tech companies within 9 industries, which we further subdivide by EBITDA or revenue range. Our dataset was built from an amalgam of paid private equity databases and proprietary deal records from M&A professionals. (Sources)

EBITDA Multiples for Private Tech Companies, H2 2022 – H1 2024
Industry	EBITDA Range
$1-$3M	$3-$5M	$5-$10M
Adtech	7.3x	9.2x	10.7x
Agtech	8.3x	10.3x	11.4x
B2B SaaS	9x	11x	12.5x
Cybersecurity	9.1x	11.4x	12.7x
Fintech	9.8x	12x	12.3x
Hosting	7.4x	9x	11.4x
Managed Services	8.1x	9.8x	10.8x
SaaS	8.8x	11.3x	12.4x
Semiconductors	9.4x	11.5x	12.9x
Software Development	8.4x	9.9x	11.9x

Revenue Multiples for Private Tech Companies, H2 2022 – H1 2024
Industry	Revenue Range
$1-$5M	$6-$10M	$10-$75M
Adtech	2x	2.4x	2.9x
Agtech	2.2x	2.5x	3.1x
B2B SaaS	2.3x	3x	3.3x
Cybersecurity	2.6x	2.8x	3.2x
Fintech	2.6x	2.8x	3.4x
Hosting	1.3x	2.1x	2.6x
Managed Services	2.1x	2.4x	2.9x
SaaS	2.3x	2.8x	3.4x
Semiconductors	2.6x	3.3x	3.5x
Software Development	1.9x	2.5x	3.3x

The following sections provide context for the multiples listed above by discussing the current state of tech M&A, as well as common factors affecting the valuation of tech companies. 

The State of Tech M&A in 2024

Until recently, the tech industry was thought of as a relatively stable, reliable field in which to invest.

With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, these multiples rapidly rose, largely due to the growing need for tech solutions in the face of work-from-home mandates.

When the economic downturn started in H2 2022, these multiples fell, as many tech companies couldn’t produce value at the scale of their projected worth. 

As it sits now, the tech industry is going through something of a reckoning within M&A.

The last two years in particular have seen great use of revenue multiples to mask a lack of quantifiable data establishing profitability in tech startups with heavy sunken costs.

This tactic earned many tech companies a higher payout in frothier times, however buyers in 2024 have grown more stringent in their acquisition choices, demanding a clear path to profitability before considering a purchase.

Despite these overall considerations, the future impact of tech companies is undeniable. With an expected industry CAGR of 9.5%, tech fields are expected to grow into a conglomerated industry worth over $600b by 2030, with overall growth being led by fast-growing sectors like business intelligence and customer analytics. 

Predictions

Based on our read of the market, our research team has the following assumptions about the future of the tech industry:

• Valuation multiples will continue to decline moderately as the risk in speculative fields of tech become more apparent and buyers become more wary. This could change in H2 2024, however, depending on the speed and severity with which the Federal Reserve chooses to lower interest rates, as they have been projecting since H2 2023.
  

• EBITDA will likely regain its original prominence, with investors having previously relied too heavily on revenue multiples that do not indicate a company’s profitability.
  

• PE Firms & Strategics will favor smaller tech companies, as the weaker market will tempt buyers to save cash and put more sweat equity into deals, rehabbing businesses over time.
  

Factors Affecting Multiples

With publicly-available deal information available for approximately 379 deals in 2023, our research team identified not only the valuation multiple averages listed above, but also the criteria upon which those multiples were earned. 

The table below identifies these criteria, as well as an approximated weight for each.

This weight was determined by the overall impact their absence or presence appears to have had on offers made.

Valuation Factors For Tech Companies, Weighted
Factor	Description	Weight
Cash Flow	Profit sustained over at least a 24 month period	45%
Company Size & Age	An established infrastructure, base of operations, and labor force, sustained over multiple years	30%
Owner Dependency	The ability to replace the owner after a 12-36 month earnout	15%
Customer Base	A growing customer base with high loyalty and low churn	10%

It should be noted that additional factors (e.g. geography, specialization) were factored into a company’s valuation.

The difference between these smaller examples and the four listed above is that the examples on the table were noted in more than 90% of deals listed, indicating a greater reliance on them on the part of buyers in both PE firms and strategics.

Selling a Tech Company

Anyone who has sold a company before will tell you that it’s a complicated experience, regardless of the seller, industry, or EBITDA range.

Despite the promise of lowering interest rates in mid-2024, the turbulence of the last two years continues to give many buyers pause before committing to a purchase.

Last Updated: May 23, 2024

Author: Evan Bailyn

Evan Bailyn is a best-selling author and award-winning speaker on the subjects of SEO and thought leadership.