Scored landscaping listings.
Anonymized observations from real landscaping business acquisitions evaluated against the four-pillar framework. Each entry reports what was observed and what happened. Neutral evaluation; no recommendations.
3 scored listings
Q1 2026
01 · Upper band
Commercial landscaping contractor, 74% maintenance revenue, H-2B operational
Observed: Commercial maintenance contracts at 74% of revenue with formal signed agreements and documented renewal rates. H-2B visa program operational for 4 seasons. Equipment fleet 4.2-year average age. Installation revenue separated and excluded from recurring SDE base.
Outcome: Signed at 3.2× SDE on maintenance-only recurring base. Closed without repricing. Lender confirmed DSCR at 1.34× on normalized earnings.
Composite →02 · Mid-band
Residential and light commercial landscaping, 48% maintenance, northern climate
Observed: Maintenance contracts at 48% of revenue with informal annual renewal arrangements. Large $185,000 patio and hardscape installation in trailing 12 months inflated SDE. Seasonal operation with 72% of revenue in Q2–Q3. Equipment 6.8-year average age.
Outcome: Initial ask 3.1× blended SDE including installation project. After installation normalization and seasonal reserve discussion, buyer repriced to 2.6× on recurring maintenance base. Lender required a $60,000 seasonal line of credit as a condition. Closed at 2.6× with seasonal line structure.
Composite →03 · Lower band
Landscaping contractor, installation-dominant revenue, equipment at end of service life
Observed: Installation and enhancement revenue at 68% of trailing 12-month total. Equipment 10-year average age with three units past manufacturer service life. Informal maintenance agreements on residential accounts with no written contracts.
Outcome: Buyer submitted LOI at 2.9× blended SDE. After installation normalization, equipment capex reserve, and maintenance-base-only SDE calculation, adjusted SDE dropped 54%. Deal terminated — repriced multiple on adjusted basis was not financeable.
Composite →
Listings above are anonymized composites pending the publication of consented case studies. Each scored listing has its own URL — citable, shareable, long-tail-SEO eligible. Composites preserve the structural pattern without identifying the specific deal, seller, or broker.
How to read these
What each scored listing reports.
Band placement
Where in the multiples band the deal sat — upper, mid, or lower third. Tied to the structural conditions in the Atlas.
Observed
The specific structural conditions documented in diligence — the four pillars applied to the specific deal.
Outcome
What happened — closed, repriced, financing fell through, walked. We report. We do not claim the score "told you to" do anything.