Central Texas · Texas
Stephenville business brokers and M&A advisors
For owners in Stephenville, MDR & Associates is an M&A advisor that sells profitable Texas companies on the owner's behalf and is paid only if the deal closes. The Erath County seat on the North Bosque River grew as an agricultural and livestock center and is home to Tarleton State University. Our advisors travel to Stephenville for every meeting you need.
Coal, livestock and a university: the Stephenville economy
John M. Stephen founded the town in 1854, though Comanche raids and the Civil War slowed its early settlement. Coal mining became important in 1886 and stayed a major part of the local economy for about 30 years, the railroad arrived in 1889, and the population grew as Stephenville became an agricultural and livestock center. Many of the buildings around the courthouse square went up in the 1890s. In the 20th century, industry took on a larger role.
Tarleton State University, which awarded 3,536 degrees in 2021, anchors the city of 20,897 people along with a campus of Ranger College. U.S. Highways 377, 281 and 67 all pass through the city, which is the center of its own micropolitan area.
Stephenville at a glance
- CountyErath County
- Metro areaStephenville Micropolitan Statistical Area
- Companies we sell$3M–$100M
- Typical transaction3–9 months
- Fee if we do not closeNone
Who might buy a company based in Erath County
Buyers for a Stephenville business rarely come from Stephenville. They are individuals looking for a well-run company to own and operate, capital groups and private equity funds, and we reach them through the firm's own database before anything is listed publicly. What draws them is steady earnings and a business that works without the owner in every conversation.
If your company supplies the farms and ranches of the area, or moves products along those three highways, our distribution and wholesale practice is the right starting point. Buyers in that sector look closely at supplier terms, inventory and delivery routes, so we assemble those figures before a single buyer asks.
A company that serves the university and its students has its own questions to answer, mainly how revenue holds up during summer and holiday breaks. Showing several years month by month settles that quickly.
Meeting in Erath County, and a quick first number
We come to your office or meet you somewhere private, then study three years of financials and give you a free low-to-high opinion of value. You can get a quick range first with the online valuation snapshot. We also serve owners throughout Central Texas, always from our corporate office in Frisco and always in person when it counts.
What we sell in and around Stephenville
Industry decides the buyer, the multiple and the diligence. These are the four sectors we work in most.
Manufacturing
Equipment, real estate, backlog and customer concentration decide what a manufacturer is worth.
How buyers value itHome Services
Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, landscaping and other home service companies — where repeat customers, crews and technicians decide the price.
How buyers value itDistribution & Wholesale
Inventory, working capital and supplier agreements decide what a distributor is worth.
How buyers value itBusiness Services
Recurring revenue and owner dependence separate a two-times business from a six-times business.
How buyers value itStraight answers
Questions Stephenville owners ask before they sell
Answered in full by the advisors who run the sales. Every Austin answer.
The process
How a Stephenville sale runs
Ten steps in four stages, typically three to nine months. Click any step to see it in full.
- Prepare
- Go to market
- Negotiate
- Close
We also work with owners near Stephenville
Questions owners in Stephenville ask
Can a business tied to agriculture in Erath County sell for a fair multiple?
Yes, if the earnings are steady and documented. Buyers discount seasonal swings they cannot explain, so we show several years side by side. For a company in the $3 million to $100 million revenue range, prices most often come to three to seven times adjusted EBITDA.
Does the university presence help when I sell?
It can help a buyer see a stable customer base and a local pool of workers, but it does not replace your own numbers. We describe the market around your company honestly in the marketing package and let your results carry the price.
Talk to an advisor about your Stephenville company
Four fields, a reply the same business day, and nothing shared with anyone. If you would rather talk, call (855) 637-2776.