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The Great Separation: Why Some Businesses are Selling for 10x While Others Stall
The Great Separation: Why Some Businesses are Selling for 10x While Others Stall
As we enter March 2026, the M&A headlines are telling two very different stories.
On one side, we see “Average” businesses, those still operating with owner-dependency and manual financials, struggling to close. On the other, we are seeing a “Feeding Frenzy” for Platform-ready firms. This is the K-Shaped Exit, and the gap has never been wider.
The SBA Catalyst
The recent stabilization of SBA rates has acted as a green light for acquisition financing. Buyers who were sitting on the sidelines in 2024 & 2025 are now aggressively deploying capital. However, because interest rates are no longer at “pandemic lows,” buyers are far more selective. They aren’t just buying cash flow, they are buying risk mitigation.
The Rise of “Agentic” Due Diligence
The biggest shift this month is how deals are being vetted. We have moved past simple spreadsheets. At Lion Business Advisors, we are seeing the rise of Agentic AI in due diligence.
Buyers are now using autonomous AI agents to stress-test your financials against 2026 tariff shifts, labor trends, and supply chain volatility. If you wait for the buyer to run these tests, you’ve already lost the negotiation.
We flip the script. By using these same Agentic tools before we hit the market, we uncover “Ghost EBITDA” and fix operational “hair” that would otherwise kill a deal in the final 48 hours.
What’s Hot in March 2026?
While the “Blue Collar” trades remain a staple of the American economy, our consultative focus this month highlights three surging sectors:
B2B Professional Services: Firms with “Talent Density” and AI-integrated workflows.
SaaS & Tech Infrastructure: Buyers are moving away from “growth at all costs” to the Rule of 40 (Growth + Profitability).
Advanced Manufacturing: Specifically those who have de-risked their supply chains against the latest trade policies.
Conclusion: Don’t Just List. Engineer.
In this high-stakes environment, the traditional “Listing” model is a liability. You don’t need a broker to post your business on a portal; you need a consultative engineer to position your legacy for a premium outcome.
The March window is open, and for the prepared owner, the rewards have never been higher.
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