Does anyone know typical acquisition multiples for event agencies?

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March 10, 2026

by a searcher from Brown University in New York, NY, USA

I'm evaluating a premium event agency and am curious what SDE multiples these businesses typically transact at. For those who have looked at the space, what ranges have you seen for agencies focused on higher-end corporate events, brand activations, or experiential marketing? Would also be helpful to know how multiples change based on: - Owner dependence - Mix of repeat vs one-off clients - Revenue concentration - Event production vs. pure planning/agency work Appreciate the help!
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Reply by a searcher
from Northwestern University in Toronto, ON, Canada
Expect lower overall multiples Hunter. Much of this has to do with the discretionary nature of the revenue, and the target company's dependency on their clients budget. If their client is having a bad year, one of the first things they cut would be optional spend like events, activations, etc. I would want to dig deep into their customer base to understand who they are, and how critical these events are to their business model. For companies with under $10M in revenue, expect a pretty large owner involvement/dependence. It's going to be hard to isolate the change in multiple based on the factors you mentioned, since it's very company/deal specific, but you can likely use methodologies from another industry and translate it over. I know I didn't answer your question, but happy to discuss further as I have a bit of industry experience.
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Reply by an intermediary
from Texas A&M University in Houston, TX, USA
Feel free to send me an email, redacted and I'll share a list of multiples that other event companies have sold for using SBA Loans.
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