Transport and logistics businesses for sale

A transport business is three things at once: a fleet, a set of permits and a book of customer contracts. Its value depends on all three. Start with the customers: how many are there, what share of revenue comes from the largest, and when do the contracts expire? A haulier with one major customer on a contract that can be terminated at short notice is far more exposed than one with many customers and agreements running for several years.

Then look at the fleet and the drivers. Old vehicles with high mileage mean early replacements, and leased or financed vehicles mean debt you must take over or settle. Drivers are hard to recruit, so ask about age, length of service and whether anyone plans to leave. And ask how many hours the owner spends driving, planning and selling.

Transport businesses with employees are usually priced on operating profit. Sitavo’s indicative range is 2–4 times annual profit (EBITDA: profit before depreciation, after a market salary for the owner’s work), cross-checked against 0.2–0.6 times revenue — plus the value of the fleet and the length of the contracts. Long contracts and a broad customer base push the price up; one dominant customer and a worn fleet pull it down. These are indicative market ranges, not a valuation — use Sitavo’s price estimate for a specific business, and see market data for transport.

• Revenue and profit for the last three years, ideally split by customer.
• Customer concentration: the share of revenue from the largest and the three largest customers.
• Contract terms and notice periods.
• Fleet with year, mileage, condition and outstanding finance per vehicle.
• Fuel, tyres and maintenance relative to revenue — and whether prices can be adjusted with customers.

• Customer contracts with term, termination, price adjustment and any change-of-control clause.
• Fleet register with registration numbers, year, mileage, inspection reports and lease or loan agreements.
• Permits: operator licence or other licences, the transport manager and how they carry over.
• Driver list with terms of employment, collective agreement, licences and qualification certificates.
• Compliance with driving and rest time rules, and any cases or fines.
• Insurance, claims history and the lease for the yard, garage or warehouse.

Sellers can share contracts and fleet lists in a data room behind an NDA, so you can review them before you make an offer. See also the pre-purchase checklist.

Carrying goods for others in Denmark requires an operator licence from the Danish Road Traffic Authority (Færdselsstyrelsen) and a transport manager, and taxi services also require a licence. In an asset purchase, licences do not transfer automatically — you will normally need your own licence and transport manager before you can keep operating. In a share purchase the licences stay with the company, but check whether the transport manager is staying and whether the authorities must be notified. Read about the difference between an asset and a share purchase.

Drivers transfer with the business on their existing terms. Customer contracts may need the customer’s consent to a new owner, and leases need the leasing company’s approval. Agree a transition period in which the seller introduces you to customers and the planning. Many vehicles are tied to fleet management and telematics systems — make sure accounts and data come with them. Buyers from abroad should expect Danish contracts, Danish VAT and Danish licensing, and a local adviser is usually worth it.

Transport acquisitions are often financed with a bank loan, leasing of the fleet and vendor financing. The fleet can sometimes be financed separately, so the business and the vehicles are priced on their own. Messaging sellers and making offers on Sitavo is free, and an offer is valid for 7 days. You agree price and terms in the deal workflow, which keeps the purchase agreement and handover in one place. The purchase price is paid directly from buyer to seller — Sitavo never holds the money. Set up a search alert, or browse all businesses for sale.