Selling a business in New Zealand
Selling a business in NZ. Practical guides for owners.
Plan the preparation, understand the earnings and organise the evidence before listing. Start with the question you need to answer, then use a tool or discuss the work with your advisers.
A good place to start
6–12 months before a sale
Give the preparation time to work.
A practical roadmap from the first questions to the handover to your broker.
Read the preparation plan →Explore the guides
Plan and prepare a business sale
- Preparation plan
Preparing a business for sale in NZ: a 6–12 month plan
A practical NZ business sale preparation plan: test earnings, reduce owner dependence, build evidence and organise the documents before listing.
- Guide
How to sell a business in New Zealand: an owner's guide
An owner's guide to selling a NZ business: preparation, value, choosing advisers, listing, buyer due diligence and handover. For businesses worth NZD 1–10m.
- Due diligence
Vendor due diligence in NZ: a seller's preparation guide
Prepare for business sale due diligence in NZ. Records to gather, questions to resolve, document access and the difference between preparation and a formal report.
Explore the guides
Understand value and buyer concerns
- Valuation
What is my business worth? How buyers price New Zealand businesses
Understand NZ business value: maintainable earnings, EBITDA adjustments, assumed multiples and a worked example. Learn why business value differs from sale proceeds.
- Earnings
EBITDA add-backs: what to document before selling a NZ business
Prepare an earnings adjustments schedule for a NZ business sale. Owner pay, personal costs, one-offs, replacement costs and the evidence a buyer may question.
- Customers
Customer concentration: how a key customer can affect a sale
How customer concentration affects a NZ business sale price: concentration risks buyers consider, why buyer priorities matter, and what to prepare before listing.
- Owner dependence
Reduce owner dependence before selling: the diary test
Use a four-week diary to identify owner dependence before a business sale. Map responsibilities, replacement costs and the handovers to test before listing.
- Buyers
Who buys a business in New Zealand? Five useful buyer profiles
Understand potential buyers for a NZ business worth NZD 1–10m: owner-operators, managers, trade buyers, acquisition groups and management buyouts. What to prepare.
Explore the guides
Prepare for your sector or market
- Manufacturing
Selling a manufacturing business in New Zealand
Prepare a NZ manufacturing business for sale: margins, stock, work in progress, machinery, production knowledge, customers and the handover beyond the owner.
- Trades
Selling a trades, contracting or distribution business in New Zealand
Prepare a NZ trades, contracting or distribution business for sale: quoting, customers, staff, earnings adjustments, supplier agreements and premises.
- Tourism
Selling a tourism or accommodation business in New Zealand
Prepare a NZ tourism, accommodation or activity business for sale: seasonal trading, staff arrangements, property, concessions and the evidence behind the growth story.
- Queenstown
Selling a business in Queenstown and the Southern Lakes
Prepare a Queenstown, Wānaka or Southern Lakes business for sale. Seasonal trading, staff accommodation, leases and operating permissions, from an owner's perspective.
A conversation first
A clear next step starts with a conversation.
Twenty minutes: what the business does, roughly what it earns, when you'd like to have sold. I'll tell you plainly whether a review is worth your money.
