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Fergus County

Selling a Business in Fergus County

Fergus County has 444 employer businesses, and 92% 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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Areas in Montana

Beaverhead County

Big Horn County

Billings

Bozeman

Custer County

Dawson County

Deer Lodge County

Fergus County

Flathead County

Glacier County

Great Falls

Helena

Hill County

Lake County

Lincoln County

Madison County

Missoula

Park County

Pondera County

Powell County

Ravalli County

Richland County

Roosevelt County

Rosebud County

Sanders County

Silver Bow County

Sweet Grass County

Teton County

Toole County

Valley County

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Fergus County by the numbers

444

444

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

92%

92%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,137

1,137

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,428

3,428

EMPLOYMENT

$163 million

$163 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

175

175

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 Fergus County compares

  • Fergus County ranks 16th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 0.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Fergus County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 175 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Fergus County ranks 16th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 0.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Fergus County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 175 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Construction: 67 employer businesses

  • Retail: 61 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 52 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 44 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 38 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Construction: 67 employer businesses

  • Retail: 61 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 52 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 44 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 38 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Fergus County

Construction, retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services

Carpentry & Framing

Construction & Engineering

Civil Engineering

Construction & Engineering

Audio Visual (AV)

Home Services

Commercial Cleaning

Home Services

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Every kind of business we sell in Fergus County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Fergus 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.

Construction & Engineering

52 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • General Contracting: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Carpentry & Framing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

30 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Restaurants & Food

30 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Manufacturing

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Medical Practices

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Retail Stores

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Automotive & Boat

13 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Car Washes: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Education & Childcare

8 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Daycare Centers: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

8 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Gas Stations: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

7 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Hotels: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

7 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Fergus 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.

Construction & Engineering

52 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • General Contracting: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Carpentry & Framing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

30 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Restaurants & Food

30 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Manufacturing

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Medical Practices

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Retail Stores

14 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Automotive & Boat

13 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Car Washes: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Education & Childcare

8 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Daycare Centers: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

8 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Gas Stations: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

7 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Hotels: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

7 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Fergus County.

Working with owners in Fergus County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Fergus County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Fergus 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.

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How is a business valued in Fergus 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.

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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.

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FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Fergus 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