⚡ TL;DR
The 2008 exception: One SBA industry held up through the financial crisis. Recent loans tell a more complicated story.
6 uncommon acquisition leads: Insurance-claim housing, school transportation, a subscription CPA firm, an app and two more. Five clear $750K in listed or annualized earnings.
SBA Trivia Game: Think you know SBA loans? Take the 1-minute, 10-question challenge.
EBIT COMMUNITY · ISSUE #86 · NOVEMBER 8, 2026
FEATURED RESEARCH · STABLE INDUSTRIES NO. 3
Which Industry Survived the SBA Default Wave of 2008?
27.5% vs. 9.5%
Of SBA loans made in FY2007, 27.5% defaulted within three years. In one service industry, the rate was just 9.5%.
That advantage held through the financial crisis. But recent loans are showing stress, and there's an ownership catch most searchers should understand before pursuing a deal.
INK INSURANCE · 1-MINUTE SBA CHALLENGE
Trivia Game: How Well Do You Know SBA Lending?
Ten quick questions about SBA lending, built by Ink Insurance. Test your instincts on franchises, credit risk, and deal math. It takes about a minute.
How many can you get right?
THE DEAL BOARD · SIX BUSINESSES FOR SALE
Not Your Typical Broker Listings
Five businesses above the $750K earnings gate, using listed, projected or annualized figures, plus one smaller exception. Earnings definitions are identified on each deal and must be verified with the seller.
★ DEAL TO INVESTIGATE · 01 · DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TEXAS
Temporary Housing for Displaced Homeowners
$8.50M asking · $1.39M listed SDE · ~6.1×
Temporary RV housing for households displaced by insured home losses accounts for about 80% of revenue. Vacation rentals make up the rest. The broker lists $1.85M in equipment and says the owner spends 5 to 10 hours weekly coordinating partners.
EBIT take: A highly unusual niche. But the listed 2026 earnings are forward-looking and the margin looks unusually high. Underwrite insurer relationships, fleet replacement, utilization and hidden owner labor.
02 · LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
71-Vehicle School Transportation Operator
$7.50M asking · $1.90M reported cash flow · ~3.9×
Family-owned school transport business operating for more than 30 years, reporting $7.9M in revenue and a 71-vehicle fleet in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
EBIT take: The revenue may be durable, but the vans are a rolling liability. Check school contracts, driver retention, insurance loss runs and how much replacement capital the fleet requires.
03 · UTAH · MAJORITY STAKE
Virtual CPA Advisory Firm · 47% Subscription Revenue
Price by bid · ~$2.0M projected 2026 SDE · majority stake
A $4.3M revenue advisory and accounting firm with a 10-plus-person remote team. Nearly half of revenue comes from recurring subscriptions. The founder intends to keep a minority interest.
EBIT take: An interesting recurring-revenue platform, not a conventional whole-company buyout. Diligence the forecast and the unusually important referral agreement with the founder's separate education business.
04 · CALIFORNIA · DIGITAL BUSINESS
Class-Action Claims App · 20,888 Active Subscriptions
$2.655M asking · $72,852 monthly profit (~$874K annualized)
An iOS and Android app helping consumers discover settlement claims. Its listing advertises $1.30M in trailing revenue, a 69% net margin and a personal-injury law firm referral relationship.
EBIT take: The digital economics are compelling, but the app launched in 2025. Annualized monthly profit is not verified trailing EBITDA. Test subscriber churn, acquisition costs, platform policy and legal-referral compliance.
05 · UTAH · LARGER DEAL
Excavation, Paving and Trucking · Equipment and Real Estate
$14.50M asking · $2.49M listed EBITDA · ~5.8×
Founded in 1988 with 54 employees, $10.34M in listed sales and $9.5M of listed equipment. The broker says real estate is included.
EBIT take: The real estate and fleet are substantial, but asset-heavy EBITDA is not cash flow. Verify equipment values, maintenance capex, secured debt, backlog margins and property allocation.
06 · FLORIDA · ONE SMALLER EXCEPTION
Online Vehicle Registration and Compliance Platform
$1.50M asking · $716K reported cash flow · ~2.1×
Tech-enabled business handling vehicle titles, LLC formation, registrations and renewals. The broker reports more than 10,000 customers served since 2022 and seller financing for qualified buyers.
EBIT take: Great niche economics on paper, but the model depends on state registration and tax rules. Verify legality by customer jurisdiction, regulatory enforcement risk, acquisition costs and repeat usage.
BEFORE YOU MAKE AN OFFER
Found an interesting listing? Test its cash to close and loan payments before contacting the broker.
Listings and financials are third-party claims. Confirm availability, earnings, and financing directly before acting.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, tax, or investment advice. Business acquisitions involve significant risks, and outcomes can vary based on individual circumstances. Consult with qualified legal, accounting, and financing professionals before making acquisition decisions.
