Sell Your Security Business

Security Services

Sell Your Security Business Into an Active PE Consolidation Cycle

Security services (guard services, monitoring, alarm installation, electronic security, integration) is in an active PE consolidation cycle. Allied Universal, Securitas, ADT, and dozens of PE-backed platforms are aggressively acquiring. Quality businesses with recurring monitoring revenue and commercial mix command premium multiples.

200+
Deals Sold
$800M+
Volume Sold
#1
Ranked by Axial
50
States Served
The Security Market

Why Security Services Sees Sustained PE Demand

Security services has multiple distinct segments — armed/unarmed guard services, electronic security and monitoring, integration, and government/specialized security — each with its own buyer set. Recurring monitoring revenue and government contracting both command premium multiples.

$60B+
US security services market
Guard services, monitoring, alarm installation, electronic security/integration, and cybersecurity-adjacent physical security. Mid-single-digit growth.
5x–9x
Quality EBITDA multiples
Guard services with strong contract book at 4x–6x; electronic security with monitoring revenue at 6x–9x; integration/specialty at 6x–8x.
RMR
Monitoring revenue is the premium tier
Electronic security businesses with strong recurring monitoring revenue trade at the highest multiples in the category. RMR is the dominant value driver.
Active
PE consolidation cycle
Allied Universal (Wendel Group, PE-backed), Securitas, ADT, Pavion, and dozens of regional PE platforms are aggressively acquiring.
Security Industry Economics

Recurring Monitoring Revenue Is the Premium Tier

Security services has wider multiple variance than most industries. Pure guard services trades at lower multiples than electronic security with monitoring. Specialty work (government, executive protection, integration) trades at a premium. Knowing your segment matters.

Monitoring revenue commands the highest premiums

Guard services with strong contract book: 4x–6x EBITDA. Mixed guard + electronic: 5x–7x. Electronic security with strong monitoring RMR and $2M+ EBITDA: 6x–9x EBITDA. Government / specialty / integration businesses often command similar premiums.

Multiples could compress when interest rates normalize. We’re not financial advisors — talk to your CPA and M&A counsel.

5x–9x
EBITDA multiples for quality security businesses in 2025
Who’s Buying Security Businesses

Security Has a Concentrated Buyer Set With Active Roll-Ups

Security services consolidation has been steady for years. Four buyer categories compete for quality deals:

National security platforms

Allied Universal (PE-backed), Securitas, GardaWorld, ADT, Pavion, and dozens of others continue acquisition activity. Pay competitive multiples for businesses with strong contract books.

Electronic security & integration platforms

Convergint, Pavion, NextGen, and many PE-backed regional electronic-security platforms aggressively acquire installers and integrators with recurring monitoring revenue.

Strategic acquirers (manufacturers, integrators)

Security equipment manufacturers and large IT services firms occasionally acquire security businesses, especially for cybersecurity/physical security convergence plays.

Search funds and SBA-leveraged operators

For security businesses under $1.5M EBITDA, individual operators with SBA financing are competitive buyers, especially for businesses with strong RMR.

What Drives Value

What Buyers Look For in Security Acquisitions

Recurring monitoring revenue, contract base, and specialty mix drive the biggest multiple swings.

Recurring monitoring revenue (RMR)Single biggest multiple driver in electronic security. Above 30% RMR meaningfully lifts valuations; above 50% RMR is premium territory.
Commercial mix & contract lengthCommercial contracts with multi-year terms support premium multiples. Pure-residential alarm trades at lower multiples than commercial monitoring.
Customer concentrationNo single customer above 10% of revenue. Diversified commercial book supports premium multiples.
Specialty / government workGovernment contracting, executive protection, specialty integration, and cybersecurity-adjacent work command premium multiples for revenue durability.
Licensed personnel & training systemsFor guard services, retention of licensed personnel and documented training systems matter for buyer confidence.
EBITDA scale & marginsAbove $2M EBITDA, you become a platform target. Margins typically run 8–18%; above 12% commands a premium.
The Process

How We Sell Your Security Business

From your first valuation call to the wire hitting your account, we handle every stage of the exit. A typical transaction closes in 4–9 months. You focus on running the business; we run the deal.

01

Free Business Valuation

We benchmark your financials against current Security comparables and active buyer demand to give you a real, defensible valuation — at no cost and no obligation.

02

Confidential Marketing

We approach the Security buyers most likely to bid quickly first — typically PE platforms and strategic acquirers active in your category — then broaden the process.

03

Buyer Competition

We bring multiple qualified offers to the table — PE platforms, strategics, search funds, SBA buyers — and negotiate them against each other to drive price and terms.

04

Due Diligence & Close

We coordinate with your CPA, attorney, and the buyer’s diligence team to keep momentum and prevent the deal from drifting. Closings typically happen 60–120 days after LOI.

Recent Market Activity

Security Services Deal Activity Stayed Active Through 2024–2025

Across all buyer categories, security services deal volume remained robust through 2024 and 2025 — with electronic security and government-services categories drawing the most premium pricing.

Allied Universal & Securitas activity
Major national guard services platforms continued strategic acquisitions through 2025, including specialty and tech-enabled security capabilities.
Electronic security roll-ups
Convergint, Pavion, and other PE-backed integration platforms continued aggressive add-on activity through 2025.
Government-services premium
Federal-contracting security platforms continued aggressive acquisitions in 2024–2025, often paying premium multiples for cleared-personnel businesses.
Common Questions

Security Sellers Ask Us

What is my security business actually worth?
For businesses with $1M+ EBITDA, current multiples range from 5x–9x EBITDA. Recurring monitoring revenue, contract base, specialty mix, and EBITDA scale are the biggest variables. Smaller businesses (under $500K EBITDA) trade at 3x–5x. Electronic security with strong RMR commands the highest multiples. Get a free valuation.
Is electronic security really worth more than guard services?
Generally yes. Electronic security with strong recurring monitoring revenue (RMR) typically trades at 1–3 turns of EBITDA above pure guard services. The recurring economics, lower labor intensity, and stickier customer relationships all justify the premium. Businesses with both capabilities (guard + electronic) often optimize value by emphasizing the monitoring side.
How important is having cleared / licensed personnel for my multiple?
For government contracting and high-security work, very important. Cleared personnel and security clearances create real barriers to entry that buyers pay premiums for. For guard services more broadly, licensed-personnel retention and documented training systems support premium multiples.
How long does it take to sell a security business?
Most transactions close within 4–9 months from start to wire. Smaller SBA-financed deals can move faster (3–5 months). Larger PE-led deals with quality-of-earnings reports and committee approvals can take 6–10 months. We give you a realistic timeline at the valuation call.
Will my employees, customers, or competitors find out I’m selling?
No. We never publish your business name. Every prospective buyer signs an NDA before seeing identifying details, and we vet financial qualifications before granting access to your data room.
Do I have to stay on after the sale?
Almost always for some transition period — 3 to 12 months is typical. Search-fund and PE buyers often want longer because they’re acquiring the relationships and knowledge as much as the assets. Shorter transitions are possible when the operation is genuinely turnkey.
What does Business Exits charge?
We work on a success-fee model — we get paid only when your deal closes. There are no upfront retainers and the valuation is free.
Our Team

Brokers Built From the Operator’s Side of the Table

Our brokers are former business owners themselves. That’s why the process is built around the things that actually matter to sellers — net proceeds, confidentiality, and not having the deal drift for a year.

Business Exits Team

Find Out What Your Security Business Is Worth

Takes 15 minutes. No obligation. Just an honest number, benchmarked against current buyer demand and recent comparable transactions in your industry.

Get My Free Valuation →

Market Data Sources

Security services market size and growth from industry research aggregators (2025). EBITDA multiples from industry M&A research and First Page Sage. Active acquirer examples are drawn from publicly disclosed transactions and firm marketing materials and do not imply an exclusive relationship with Business Exits. We are not tax or legal advisors; consult a CPA and attorney before any transaction.