Scored tree care listings.
Anonymized observations from real tree care 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
Tree care business, 3 ISA-certified arborists on staff, commercial contract book, fleet under 5 years
Observed: Three ISA Certified Arborists on staff as W-2 employees — none is the selling owner. Commercial maintenance contracts at 42% of revenue. Crane and bucket truck fleet 4.1-year average age. Storm/emergency removal normalized to 3-year average. Workers comp EMR 0.74.
Outcome: Signed at 2.9× SDE. Lender DSCR 1.26× on normalized earnings. Closed without repricing.
Composite →02 · Mid-band
Tree care business, owner is sole ISA arborist, partial storm-year in trailing period, fleet at mid-life
Observed: Owner holds the only ISA Certified Arborist credential on staff. One above-average storm event in trailing 12 months added $160,000 of emergency removal revenue above the 3-year run-rate. Fleet 6.2-year average. Workers comp EMR 1.04 — near the 1.0 threshold.
Outcome: Initial ask 2.7× storm-year SDE. After storm normalization, ISA continuity discount, fleet capex reserve, and insurance cost step-up normalization, adjusted SDE declined 28%. Repriced to 2.1× adjusted SDE with ISA hire contingency in seller note structure.
Composite →03 · Lower band
Tree care contractor, EMR above 1.0, aged fleet at book value, storm revenue as primary revenue driver
Observed: Workers comp EMR 1.31 — high claims history indicating safety management deficiency. Fleet 11-year average age presented at book value; independent appraisal showed 38% of book. Storm and emergency removal revenue 64% of trailing total — not normalized. No ISA-certified arborist on staff.
Outcome: Buyer submitted LOI at 2.1× stated SDE. After insurance cost step-up, storm normalization, and fleet capex reserve, adjusted SDE declined 64%. SBA lender declined: DSCR 0.74×, equipment collateral insufficient, EMR above acceptable threshold. Deal terminated.
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.