B2B and Industrial · Seller's Guide

How to Sell a Freight or Logistics Company

Trucking and logistics companies sell on contracts, fleet, and authority. Here is what drives value and how the sale works.

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Why It's Different

What makes selling a logistics company different

A freight or logistics company's value is its customer contracts and lane consistency, dedicated freight, shipper contracts, and steady, profitable lanes, plus for brokerages the book of shipper and carrier relationships. Contracted, recurring freight is the durable asset.

Fleet, authority, and drivers are central for asset-based carriers. Trucks and trailers are major assets valued on age and condition, operating authority and safety (DOT and FMCSA) scores affect insurability and value, and driver retention in a tight market is a real factor. Asset-light brokerages are valued differently, on the book and margins.

How It's Valued

What is a logistics company worth?

Most buyers value a logistics company on a multiple of Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE), your profit plus the owner's salary and the personal expenses run through the business.

Logistics companies are typically valued on a multiple of SDE or adjusted EBITDA, commonly around 2.5 to 4 times, with asset-based carriers also carrying fleet value and asset-light brokerages valued on their book and margins; contracted freight, clean safety scores, and diversified customers push toward the top. I present your contracts, fleet, and safety record and rebuild earnings with proper add-backs.

A broker's job is to rebuild your SDE with the right add-backs so your true earning power, not just the tax-return bottom line, sets the price. Get a free, confidential valuation →

Confidentiality

Selling without your staff or competitors finding out

Selling a logistics company works best when no one finds out until the right moment. Employees, competitors, customers, and suppliers learning early is the number-one fear owners have, and for good reason, it can cost you staff and revenue mid-sale. I market every business with a blind profile: a teaser that describes the opportunity, the numbers, and the area only in general terms, and never names your business. Every buyer is screened and signs a non-disclosure agreement before they learn which business is for sale. Your team keeps working, your customers keep coming, and your sale stays private until it closes.

What's your logistics company actually worth?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Selling a logistics company, answered

Dedicated and contracted freight is a major value driver, but some shipper contracts require consent at a change of ownership. We identify which transfer, present your lane consistency, and address any consent needs early.

DOT operating authority and FMCSA safety scores affect insurability, customer relationships, and value. A clean safety record supports a stronger, more financeable deal, and we present it clearly to buyers and their insurers.

Yes. Asset-based carriers carry fleet value on top of earnings and depend on drivers and safety, while asset-light brokerages are valued on their shipper and carrier book and margins. We value and market each on its own strengths.

About Your Broker

Martin Navarro, Business Broker

Martin Navarro is a California business broker, DRE #02372118, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He is bilingual in English and Spanish and a member of the California Association of Business Brokers (CABB), the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), ACG Los Angeles (Association for Corporate Growth), and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. Gas stations, car washes, self-storage, and other businesses with real estate are a specialty within his full-service brokerage practice. Martin serves business owners across Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Ventura, and Orange County, and throughout Southern California.

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