The Q2, 2026 Exit Readiness Index draws on 1,032 owner assessments completed this quarter, part of a longitudinal base of 75,738 businesses tracked over 14 years. Download the report to see what the largest data set of exit-minded owners reveals about buyer demand, readiness, and valuations.
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The Q2, 2026 Exit Readiness Index
21% of Business Owners Got a Written Offer Last Year. Only 1% Were Ready to Sell.
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- Why unsolicited offers have jumped from 13% to 21% of owners in 18 months, and why the median multiple hasn't moved
- The one sector where 62% of owners fielded an offer last year, yet readiness scores are the lowest of any industry
- Three signs owners are finally reducing their dependence on themselves, the cleanest driver-level signal in two years of data
- Which industries lead on exit readiness, and which trail by 10 points or more
- The shrinking exit runway: median owner age is now 54, and 58% plan to exit within five years
- New benchmark: SMB AI adoption crossed 58% and is climbing each quarter
Who this report is for:
If you advise business owners, this data tells you what's happening in their inboxes. Buyers are approaching more owners than at any point in our tracking, and most of those owners are unprepared to negotiate. The advisor who starts the readiness conversation first is best positioned to guide the client through the liquidity event that follows.
Inside this report: