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LANDSCAPING · Q1 2026 · 2.0×–3.5× SDE band held quarter-over-quarter (n=85, BizBuySell trailing-12-month closed deals)LANDSCAPING · Maintenance vs install revenue co-mingled in 63% of deals · First Earnings Quality finding pre-LOILANDSCAPING · H-2B dependency above 20% in 29% of deals · No documented renewal pipeline = post-close operational cliffLANDSCAPING · Equipment fleet over 8 years in 34% of deals · 8–12% of revenue capex reserve requiredLANDSCAPING · Seasonal DSCR trough Dec–Feb · Monthly modeling required north of the 35th parallelLANDSCAPING · H-2B program cap 66,000 visas annually · 33,000 first-half + 33,000 second-half · Supplemental allocations discretionaryLANDSCAPING · Industry size $176B (IBISWorld 2024) · 4.5% CAGR 2020–2025LANDSCAPING · BLS 37-3011 median wage $36,440 (May 2024) · 1M+ employed; supervisor 37-1012 median $57,180LANDSCAPING · BrightView (KKR take-private 2024) · Yellowstone Landscape (CIVC) · Monarch (Charlesbank) lead PE roll-up activityLANDSCAPING · NALP industry research · Recurring maintenance contract share is dominant Pricing pillar driverJAPAN · 造園工事業 license under Construction Business Act (建設業法) · Prefectural or MLIT-issuedMETHODOLOGY · Acquidex v1.0 · Sample window 2025-05 → 2026-04 · Trailing 12 months · n=85 SMB transactionsLANDSCAPING · Q1 2026 · 2.0×–3.5× SDE band held quarter-over-quarter (n=85, BizBuySell trailing-12-month closed deals)LANDSCAPING · Maintenance vs install revenue co-mingled in 63% of deals · First Earnings Quality finding pre-LOILANDSCAPING · H-2B dependency above 20% in 29% of deals · No documented renewal pipeline = post-close operational cliffLANDSCAPING · Equipment fleet over 8 years in 34% of deals · 8–12% of revenue capex reserve requiredLANDSCAPING · Seasonal DSCR trough Dec–Feb · Monthly modeling required north of the 35th parallelLANDSCAPING · H-2B program cap 66,000 visas annually · 33,000 first-half + 33,000 second-half · Supplemental allocations discretionaryLANDSCAPING · Industry size $176B (IBISWorld 2024) · 4.5% CAGR 2020–2025LANDSCAPING · BLS 37-3011 median wage $36,440 (May 2024) · 1M+ employed; supervisor 37-1012 median $57,180LANDSCAPING · BrightView (KKR take-private 2024) · Yellowstone Landscape (CIVC) · Monarch (Charlesbank) lead PE roll-up activityLANDSCAPING · NALP industry research · Recurring maintenance contract share is dominant Pricing pillar driverJAPAN · 造園工事業 license under Construction Business Act (建設業法) · Prefectural or MLIT-issuedMETHODOLOGY · Acquidex v1.0 · Sample window 2025-05 → 2026-04 · Trailing 12 months · n=85 SMB transactions
Scored Listing·Landscaping·Updated 2026-05-02
Upper bandComposite

Commercial landscaping contractor, 74% maintenance revenue, H-2B operational

§ 01 · Observed

What was documented in diligence.

Maintenance contract list provided with customer names, annual values, contract terms, and 3-year renewal history — renewal rate 91% on commercial book. H-2B visa quota established with returning worker relationships documented. Installation and enhancement revenue ($210,000) separated from recurring maintenance ($680,000) and excluded from the SDE multiple basis. Equipment appraisal: mowing fleet, trucks, trailers, skid steers at 4.2-year average; appraised value within 8% of book. Foreman on staff 7 years with employment agreement through transition.

§ 02 · Outcome

What happened.

Signed at 3.2× SDE on maintenance-only recurring base. Closed without repricing. Lender confirmed DSCR at 1.34× on normalized earnings.

§ 03 · Structural Pattern

How this deal fits the four-pillar framework.

Upper-band placement driven by maintenance contract dominance above 70%, H-2B labor continuity, and proper separation of installation revenue from the recurring SDE base. All structural conditions aligned with a 3.0×–3.5× placement.

This is an anonymized composite drawn from observable structural patterns in the sample window. It is not a specific deal. The structural pattern, band placement, and outcome reflect commonly observed combinations; a future consented case study will replace this entry.

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Methodology · Acquidex v1.0, §3.4 (Earnings Quality), §3.3 (Transferability), §5.1 (Add-Back Stripping per SBA SOP 50 10 8). Methodology paper forthcoming Q3 2026.

Sources · BizBuySell closed-deal data, IBBA Market Pulse Q3–4 2025 and Q1 2026, Pratt's Stats SMB transaction database, Acquidex direct deal observations.

Author · Avery Hastings, CPA. Tokyo-based; SMB and lower-middle-market acquisitions in the US and Japan.

Commercial landscaping contractor, 74% maintenance revenue, H-2B operational — Landscaping Deal Teardown | Acquidex | Acquidex