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agricultural business for Sale in Missouri

Similar businesses sell at 2.0x to 3.9x SDE. Compare live listings and connect with sellers.

Tree Farms & Orchards
+1

Platform or Add On: St. Louis Metro / Resi Tree Care / $3.1 Adj EBITDA

St Louis, MO, US

The opportunity comprises two separately owned, complementary tree-care companies being marketed together as a single platform. The businesses have operated alongside one another for approximately two decades, and their owners maintain a longstanding professional relationship, but there is no common ownership between the companies today. Founded in 1960 and 2007, respectively, the businesses provide residential and commercial tree removal, pruning, storm response, plant-health care, stump grinding, and technically complex crane and heavy-access services. Operating from locations in Belleville, Edwardsville, and O’Fallon, Illinois, the combined platform covers the two most populous Illinois counties within the St. Louis metropolitan area. The platform is overwhelmingly residential, with 89% of combined revenue generated from homeowners. The remaining 11% is diversified across municipal and government entities, HOAs and property managers, commercial and industrial customers, builders and landscapers, and institutional accounts. One business contributes a 65-year operating history, approximately $4.9 million of LTM revenue, a Board Certified Master Arborist-led technical team, a debt-free balance sheet, and an extensive owned fleet capable of completing difficult removals that many competitors cannot perform. The second contributes approximately $3.3 million of LTM revenue, a modern sales and marketing engine, sophisticated field-service systems, nearly 800 Google reviews, and significant recent organic growth. Key KPIs: • $8.1 million of combined LTM revenue • Approximately $2.9 million of combined LTM adjusted EBITDA • Approximately $2.7 million of pro forma adjusted EBITDA after market-rate owner compensation • 35.4% LTM adjusted EBITDA margin • 17% combined LTM revenue growth • $8.7 million of projected FY2026 revenue • Approximately $3.1 million of projected FY2026 adjusted EBITDA • 2,732 active LTM customers • 32% growth in active customers since FY2023 • 89% residential revenue • 11% diversified non-residential revenue • Non-residential mix includes approximately 3% municipal and government, 3% HOA and property management, 2% commercial and industrial, 2% builders and contractors, and 1% institutional • Largest combined customer representing approximately 0.6% of revenue • Top 10 combined customers representing approximately 4.7% of revenue • 53% tree removal and 24% tree-pruning revenue • Core non-storm revenue growth of approximately 29% during the LTM period • Only 8% of combined revenue attributable to storm and emergency work • Approximately $10.8 million of gross fixed assets • Nearly 900 combined Google reviews, with both brands carrying 4.9-star ratings • 43 combined employees • Three operating locations across contiguous service territories The platform operates in an attractive, highly fragmented market. The approximately $35.6 billion U.S. tree-care industry includes roughly 144,000 operators, most of which are small, locally focused businesses. Private-equity consolidation remains relatively early compared with HVAC, plumbing, and other residential-service verticals, creating a substantial opportunity to establish a scaled regional platform before the market becomes more heavily consolidated. The combined business possesses a meaningful competitive moat through its technical credentials and specialized equipment. The platform includes an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, multiple ISA Certified Arborists, a Certified Treecare Safety Professional, certified crane operators, and an extensive fleet of cranes, grapple trucks, tracked lifts, loaders, and heavy-access equipment. This capability allows the companies to complete large, technically challenging, and access-restricted projects that smaller competitors frequently decline.

-Asking Price
$8,700,000Revenue
$8,700,000Cash Flow

Market Snapshot

National transaction benchmarks for agricultural business businesses.

Under $500K

Median revenue$335k
Median cash flow$79k
Median sale price$250k
Multiple range2.0x - 3.9x

A variety of factors can cause businesses to trade outside this range, including earnings quality, operational transferability, key-person risk, growth trajectory, and geography, so a listing priced above or below the typical multiple usually reflects real differences in the underlying business.

What to know about agricultural business acquisitions

GW

By George Wellmer

Cofounder & CEO

Key diligence, valuation, financing, and transition considerations for buyers evaluating agricultural business acquisitions.

Separate land value from business value

Many agricultural deals are mostly real estate. Get the land, buildings, and water rights appraised independently of the operating cash flow so you know what you are really buying.

Verify water and land-use rights

Water access, irrigation rights, and agricultural-use zoning are often the most valuable and most fragile parts of the deal. Get it in writing that they transfer to a new owner.

Study seasonality and commodity exposure

Revenue and cash flow can swing hard year to year. Review several years of records rather than a single strong season before you trust the numbers.

Inspect equipment and infrastructure

Greenhouses, irrigation systems, cold storage, and machinery carry real deferred-maintenance risk. Budget for what the seller has put off.

Check licenses, certifications, and environmental history

Organic certification, pesticide handling, and prior land use all raise compliance and liability questions. A Phase I assessment is common where chemicals were used.

Assess labor and owner dependence

Seasonal labor availability and the owner hands-on role both affect how easily the operation transfers. Be clear on what running it actually requires week to week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common buyer questions for this market.

Often yes. Real estate in the deal can strengthen the collateral position, and qualification depends on clean financials, verifiable tax returns, and a seller who meets program requirements on the business side.