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Howard County

Selling a Business in Howard County

Howard County has 270 employer businesses, and 87% 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

Howard County by the numbers

270

270

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

890

890

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

6,020

6,020

EMPLOYMENT

$228 million

$228 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

120

120

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 Howard County compares

  • Howard County ranks 49th of 75 Arkansas counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.6% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 4% of employer businesses in Howard County, compared with 1% in Arkansas.

  • 120 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Howard County ranks 49th of 75 Arkansas counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.6% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 4% of employer businesses in Howard County, compared with 1% in Arkansas.

  • 120 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 44 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 33 employer businesses

  • Finance and insurance: 29 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 26 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 44 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 33 employer businesses

  • Finance and insurance: 29 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 26 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Howard County

Retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services, finance and insurance

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Dental Practices

Medical Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Medical Practices

Gyms & Health Clubs

Health & Fitness

Personal Training Studios

Health & Fitness

Every kind of business we sell in Howard County

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

Restaurants & Food

18 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Financial & Professional Services

15 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Logistics & Transportation

13 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Automotive & Boat

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

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

  • Collision Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Manufacturing

7 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Construction & Engineering

4 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Health & Fitness

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Gyms & Health Clubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.

  • Yoga Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.

  • Pilates Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.

  • Personal Training Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

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

Restaurants & Food

18 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Financial & Professional Services

15 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Logistics & Transportation

13 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Automotive & Boat

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

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

  • Collision Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

10 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Manufacturing

7 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Construction & Engineering

4 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Health & Fitness

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

  • Gyms & Health Clubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.

  • Yoga Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.

  • Pilates Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.

  • Personal Training Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Howard County.

Working with owners in Howard County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Howard County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard 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