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Dent County

Selling a Business in Dent County

Dent County has 292 employer businesses, and 89% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Dent County by the numbers

292

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

89%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,018

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,870

EMPLOYMENT

$155 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

111

BUSINESSES WITH 5 TO 49 EMPLOYEES

U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024. Counts are employer establishments, meaning business locations with paid employees.

How Dent County compares

Dent County ranks 70th of 115 Missouri counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 15.6% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 9% of employer businesses in Dent County, compared with 4% in Missouri.
111 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Dent County ranks 70th of 115 Missouri counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 15.6% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 9% of employer businesses in Dent County, compared with 4% in Missouri.
111 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Repair, personal care and other services: 39 employer businesses
Retail: 39 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses
Construction: 28 employer businesses
Manufacturing: 27 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Repair, personal care and other services: 39 employer businesses
Retail: 39 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses
Construction: 28 employer businesses
Manufacturing: 27 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Dent County

Repair, personal care and other services, retail, health care and social assistance, construction

Barber Shops

Beauty & Personal Care

Day Spas

Beauty & Personal Care

Auto Parts

Automotive & Boat

Auto Repair

Automotive & Boat

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Every kind of business we sell in Dent County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Dent County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Manufacturing

22 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Accounting & Tax Practices: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Real Estate Brokerages: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

16 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Collision Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Restaurants & Food

16 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

12 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Plumbing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
General Contracting: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

10 related employer businesses in Dent County.

General Freight Trucking: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

7 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Veterinary Medicine: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

5 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Gas Stations: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Senior Care & Living

4 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Non-Medical Home Care: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Health & Fitness

3 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Wellness & Recovery Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

22 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Accounting & Tax Practices: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Real Estate Brokerages: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

16 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Collision Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Restaurants & Food

16 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

12 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Plumbing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
General Contracting: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

10 related employer businesses in Dent County.

General Freight Trucking: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

7 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Veterinary Medicine: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

5 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Gas Stations: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Senior Care & Living

4 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Non-Medical Home Care: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Health & Fitness

3 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Wellness & Recovery Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Dent County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Dent County

Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Dent County. Contact us to talk about a sale.

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Dent County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Dent County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers. Many sales take six months or longer from the start of the process to closing.

How is a business valued in Dent County?

Valuation starts with the earnings the business produces for an owner, then adjusts for assets, size, industry and the terms a buyer is likely to accept. The result is a range, and the asking price is set inside it.

Is the sale confidential?

Buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they see the name of the business or its financial statements.

FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Dent County

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article