The event planning and rental industry serves weddings, corporate functions, nonprofit galas, and social celebrations by providing coordination services and physical rental inventory such as tents, furniture, linens, AV equipment, and décor. The sector fragmented heavily at the local and regional level with thousands of independent operators, making it an active target for acquisition and roll-up strategies. Post-COVID recovery has driven strong event demand, but operators face ongoing pressure from labor costs, equipment inflation, and venue consolidation.
Who buys these: Entrepreneurial owner-operators, hospitality industry veterans, private equity-backed roll-up platforms, and corporate event professionals seeking to own a business with recurring seasonal revenue and tangible asset bases
2.5–4.5×
Typical EBITDA multiple
$1M–$5M
Revenue range
Growing
Market trend
SBA Eligible
7(a) financing available
Buyers typically seek businesses with $300K–$1.2M in EBITDA, diversified client mix with no single client exceeding 20% of revenue, documented vendor relationships, maintained equipment inventory, and ideally a second-in-command manager capable of running operations independently
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Key items to investigate when evaluating a Event Planning & Rental acquisition
Seller Intelligence
Who sells Event Planning & Rental businesses?
Owner-operators in their 50s–60s approaching retirement, founders burned out from high-demand event seasons, and entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on post-COVID event industry recovery and elevated valuations
Typical exit timeline: 12–24 months
Event Planning & Rental businesses in the $1M–$5M revenue range typically sell for 2.5–4.5× EBITDA. Buyers typically seek businesses with $300K–$1.2M in EBITDA, diversified client mix with no single client exceeding 20% of revenue, documented vendor relationships, maintained equipment inventory, and ideally a second-in-command manager capable of running operations independently
Event Planning & Rental businesses typically trade at 2.5–4.5× EBITDA in the lower middle market. The market is highly fragmented with growing demand, which supports premium multiples.
Event Planning & Rental businesses are SBA 7(a) eligible, making them accessible to first-time buyers. SBA 7(a) loan covering 80–90% of purchase price with seller note of 5–10% and buyer equity injection of 10%
Key due diligence areas include: Physical inventory audit of all rental assets including age, condition, replacement cost, and depreciation schedules; Revenue concentration analysis by client, event type, and seasonality to identify dependency risks; Verification of all venue partnerships, vendor contracts, and exclusivity agreements that transfer with the business; Review of staffing model including W-2 vs. 1099 classification, key employee retention plans, and labor compliance; Insurance coverage adequacy including general liability, equipment coverage, and event cancellation policies.
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