The BizExchange Index for the June 09 quarter has been released and and it provides further evidence that the economy may have bottomed out.
The latest index – the short version of which can be downloaded here (PDF) – reveals that the number of private businesses being listed for sale increased after a dramatic fall last quarter. It also suggests that the market oversupply is coming to an end and that a floor in business values may have formed, which will prevent them falling significantly further.
BizExchange has been monitoring Australian private business values since March 2006 and publishing the BizExchange Index since September 2006.
In short, the good times aren’t back just yet, but the worst might be behind us.
Key findings for the BizExchange Index (June Quarter 2009)
- The market in the June quarter has come back to life after being effectively frozen early in the year.
- The ongoing refusal of business owners to sell at anything lower than current prices continues to provide a floor in Private Business prices. With prices holding relatively steady over the last three quarters despite substantial variations in volume.
- The growth in the volume of businesses listed for sale in Australia has risen again after the sudden drop last quarter.
- The overall market trend of declining values continues, with some fluctuation between quarters resulting from variations in the type and quality of businesses on offer.
- The value of businesses continues to be aligned with turnover across all industry sectors.
- The number of businesses advertised for sale for less than a year’s earnings continues to increase. This reaffirms a longer-term trend that had business sales at these low multiples first seen just over two years ago.
- The number of businesses listed for sale with a turnover of greater than $5 Million has decreased dramatically in the last two quarters. This is evident in the dramatic decrease in the number of industries for which there was sufficient data to calculate an index value in this price range.
Source: BizExchange.com.au
Detailed reports are available on business values for specific industries and specific business size and also in the Professional edition of the BizExchange Index. These publications can be purchased from www.valuemybusiness.com.au