This week we're looking at why there is no single “right” multiple when selling a business.
Taken from Pete Moore's discussion with Brian Smith from Piper Sandler at the July 2026 Athletech News convention in NYC.
Last year, one deal closed at 6x EBITDA while another reached 15x EBITDA. That's a massive range, and it all comes down to the individual business.
A stagnant company with little unit growth will be valued very differently from a company growing 30% to 40% per year.
The biggest question buyers are asking is simple: Can this business generate more cash in the future?
Our job in M&A is to help buyers understand exactly what they're stepping into while positioning the business to achieve the strongest possible valuation.
You want the buyer to feel like they're getting a good multiple.
And you want the seller to feel like they're getting the highest multiple possible.
Finding that middle ground (and getting both sides comfortable with the deal) is what makes M&A work.
Until next week—Go HALO!
We go into much more detail in the HALO Academy. Registration is open now for our next cohort: https://www.thehaloacademy.com
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RESOURCES
https://www.integritysq.com
https://www.halotalks.com
https://www.thehaloacademy.com
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ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Pete is the Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Dream Architect at Integrity Square ("ISQ"), a leading boutique financial advisory firm focused on the $4.7T Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor ("HALO") sector.
Since founding ISQ in 2010, the firm has played an active advisory role in 100+ mergers & acquisitions, private placements and advisory assignments across North America. Pete Moore and his team have also invested in passionate entrepreneurs at HigherDOSE, XTEND, and Promotion Vault.
ISQ's media and "live education" properties include HALO Talks, the leading B2B podcast in the sector, Time To Win Again, and the HALO Academy, an Executive Education Bootcamp Series.
Prior to ISQ, Pete was Head of the Active Lifestyle & Wellness Group at Sagent Advisors (2003-2010.) Prior to 2003, Pete was co-founder of FitnessInsite, a SasS sales management platform with 1500+ clients (based in AZ.) At FitnessInsite, Pete invested his personal capital, leveraged his credit cards and learned what it takes to manage a startup.
Pete built his business and financial acumen on top of the foundation laid at three critical positions early in his career: Senior Associate at Brockway Moran & Partners, the private equity owner of Gold’s Gym International, Inc; worked as an Associate at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; and an Analyst at Chase Securities. (Now JP Morgan.)
ISQ saw a need for a deeper & more useful level of education in the HALO sector. In response, we launched the HALO Talks podcast, with 500+ completed interviews and over 120,000 downloads. HALO Talks has become a “must listen” for anyone working or investing in the sector.
Pete graduated from Emory University (BBA, 1994) and received his MBA from Harvard Business School (1999.) While at HBS, he co-founded IRON PLANET, the leading B2B auction site for used heavy equipment, which was sold to Ritchie Bros for $758 million.
His hobbies include: Football, basketball, tennis, podcasting, amateur ventriloquism, pro bono DJ and fitness enthusiast.
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Find HALO Talks / Integrity Square at:
Website: https://www.halotalks.com
Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
HALO Academy: https://www.thehaloacademy.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/integrity-square
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@halotalks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehaloadvisors
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Integritysquare
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