Thinking of selling your business in 2026? Read this first.

If you’re thinking about selling in 2026, the mood music is better than it’s been for a while. But don’t confuse activity with easy.

Here’s what actually matters this year, not the generic “prepare a data room” stuff.

1)    There’s money to deploy. But it’s picky.

Private equity has been sitting on capital. Strategic buyers have been cautious. Debt markets have been choppy.

That logjam has started to ease.

Expect more processes. More conversations. More confidence.

But also expect sharper due diligence. Buyers aren’t paying for “potential” unless you can prove it in numbers. If your growth story is just verbiage in a pitch deck, 2026 will expose that quickly.

2)    Valuations aren’t “back to 2021” — and probably won’t be.

Let’s be blunt: the froth isn’t back so far this year.

Multiples in many sectors have stabilised compared to the volatility of 2022–23. Buyers remain disciplined. Cost of capital still matters. Debt isn’t free. Risk is being priced properly.

If you’re anchoring your expectations to a deal someone else did at the peak, you may be disappointed.

The upside? Solid, resilient businesses presented to market by a strong advisor in a professional way will stand out from the crowd to achieve the valuation you deserve.

3)    Tax timing is real in 2026.

For UK shareholders relying on Business Asset Disposal Relief, the applicable CGT rate increases again from 6 April 2026 (moving to 18%).

That doesn’t mean you should rush a bad deal to beat a date.But it does mean 2026 isn’t tax-neutral. Timing and eligibility matter more than they did a few years ago.

Ignore this at your peril.

4)    Buyers are obsessing over resilience.

The 2026 buyer checklist is brutally consistent:

• Recurring or highly repeatable revenue

• Defensible margin

• Clear visibility on forward earnings

• Low customer concentration risk

• Evidence the business runs without heroic founder effort

If your business is cyclical, project-heavy, or reliant on one or two relationships, make sure your advisor knows how to sell your strengths.

If it’s sticky, data-rich and operationally tight, you’ll feel the difference in competitive bidding.

5)    The window is open. It’s not guaranteed to stay that way.

2026 still sits in a politically and economically sensitive period globally. Markets can turn quickly. Sentiment can change faster than fundamentals.

But macroeconomics is calmer than it was. Financing markets are functioning. Deal pipelines are rebuilding.

If you’re in the “maybe in a couple of years” camp, at least sense-check whether 2026 is actually your moment.

The best time to sell isn’t when you’re exhausted, it’s when you’re thriving. It’s when buyers are leaning forward.

If you’re thinking about a sale, the question isn’t “is it a good market?”, it’s: “How do I know if 2026 is the right time for me & my business?”