March Market Update: Strong Momentum for 2026

March Market Update: Strong Momentum for 2026

The final quarter of 2025 presented challenges for the small business sales sector, with various delays slowing the pace of completions. However, persistence paid off, and those transactions have now successfully settled.

The market has shifted significantly in the first two months of 2026. We are seeing a surprising surge in activity, particularly driven by strong interest from local buyers.

At Gunnink & Co, our team remained active throughout the holiday period to meet this demand, managing a high volume of inquiries across all sectors. This momentum has translated into a very successful start to the year. Notably, 30% of our recent sales were completed with existing buyers in our database, successfully closing without the need for public internet marketing.

Key trends we are observing:

• High-Yield Demand: Businesses with a net profit of $500,000+ per annum remain the most sought-after assets in the current market.
• Off-Market Success: Our internal buyer network is proving exceptionally effective for quick, discreet transitions.

It has been a promising start to 2026, and we look forward to maintaining this trajectory.

As the Australian Small Business Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, recently noted, the current progress in the sector is being built ‘step by step, through effort, judgment, and persistence.’ We certainly see that resolve in the buyers we are working with today.