The Acquisition Report

Private market intelligence for professionals acquiring lower middle-market businesses.

Recent Market Signals

Sub-$10M professional services transactions continue to clear more consistently than larger platform deals
Buyers are prioritizing cash yield and operational clarity over growth narratives
Earn-ins and extended transition structures are increasingly preferred to traditional earn-outs
Regulated and compliance-heavy service businesses are attracting disproportionate buyer interest

Regional CPA firm acquires a specialty tax practice to deepen client capabilities
PE-backed IT services platform completes an add-on focused on compliance and security services
Founder-owned environmental consultancy sold to a strategic buyer seeking regulatory expertise

Regional CPA firm acquires a specialty tax practice to deepen client capabilities
PE-backed IT services platform completes an add-on focused on compliance and security services
Founder-owned environmental consultancy sold to a strategic buyer seeking regulatory expertise

Accounting, tax, and advisory roll-ups prioritizing metro density and cross-service expansion over national footprint growth
Environmental, compliance, and risk-management services are emerging as quiet roll-up candidates due to regulatory tailwinds
IT services platforms are shifting toward security, compliance, and governance-focused add-ons to strengthen client retention
Roll-up operators are slowing the acquisition pace to focus on integration discipline and operational standardization

Succession-driven sales of CPA, tax, and advisory firms
Consolidation in environmental, compliance, and risk-management services
Platform buyers shifting focus from acquisition velocity to integration discipline
Capital is reallocating away from speculative growth toward durable cash-flow businesses