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Sanders County

Selling a Business in Sanders County

Sanders County has 394 employer businesses, and 94% 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

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Sanders County

Silver Bow County

Sweet Grass County

Teton County

Toole County

Valley County

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Sanders County by the numbers

394

394

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

94%

94%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,378

1,378

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,585

2,585

EMPLOYMENT

$100 million

$100 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

131

131

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 Sanders County compares

  • Sanders County ranks 19th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 8.5% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Sanders County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 131 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Sanders County ranks 19th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 8.5% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Sanders County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 131 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Construction: 70 employer businesses

  • Retail: 54 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 41 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 40 employer businesses

  • Professional and technical services: 28 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Construction: 70 employer businesses

  • Retail: 54 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 41 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 40 employer businesses

  • Professional and technical services: 28 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Sanders County

Construction, retail, accommodation and food service, health care and social assistance

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 Sanders County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Sanders 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

60 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • General Contracting: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 13 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: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Landscaping: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

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

Restaurants & Food

27 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Manufacturing

14 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Entertainment & Recreation

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Outdoor Recreation: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

  • Transportation Services: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.1x SDE.

Retail Stores

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Gas Stations: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Logistics & Transportation

9 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Medical Practices

9 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Sanders 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

60 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • General Contracting: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 13 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: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Landscaping: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

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

Restaurants & Food

27 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Manufacturing

14 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Entertainment & Recreation

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Outdoor Recreation: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

  • Transportation Services: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.1x SDE.

Retail Stores

12 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Gas Stations: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Logistics & Transportation

9 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Medical Practices

9 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in Sanders County.

  • Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Working with owners in Sanders County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Sanders County ask

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