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Every security business is different. These are the key areas buyers and valuers focus on when assessing what your company is worth.
What a UK security business sells for depends heavily on its revenue mix. Manned guarding operations typically transact at roughly 3x to 8x EBITDA, with most well-run firms in the 3.5x to 6.5x range, reflecting thin margins and labour-dependent earnings. Electronic security and alarm businesses achieve more: integrated installers commonly reach 6x to 10x EBITDA, because maintenance and service contracts add recurring, predictable income.
Monitoring and alarm receiving centre businesses are often valued differently again, on a multiple of recurring monthly revenue rather than earnings, typically 30x to 45x monthly RMR depending on customer attrition and gross margin. A contracted book of monitored accounts is the single biggest value driver in the sector. For smaller, owner-managed businesses below around £1m in earnings there is no published security-specific multiple, so a general SME proxy of roughly 3x to 5x EBITDA is the fairest guide, and manned guarding tends to sit at the lower end of even that proxy.
The modifiers that move a business towards the upper end include: recurring monitoring or service contracts as a high share of revenue; SIA Approved Contractor status with NSI Gold or SSAIB certification; BS 7858-vetted, retained and licensed staff that reduce owner dependency; a diverse, low-concentration client base across retail, corporate, and public sector; and clean, TUPE-stable, long-term contracts rather than one-off installs. Private equity is consolidating the sector quickly, with around 70% of UK fire and security deals in 2025 backed by private-equity buyers, up from 57% the year before.
Sources: DealFlowAgent, Sell Your Security Business 2026 Guide, April 2026; Grant Thornton, UK Fire and Security Sector M&A Review 2025. Practitioner guidance, not guaranteed transaction data.
Contracted monitoring and service income is the single most valuable asset in a security business. Buyers pay a premium for predictable, repeating revenue from a book of monitored or ARC-connected accounts, often valuing it on a multiple of monthly recurring revenue.
SIA Approved Contractor status, NSI Gold or NACOSS Gold, and SSAIB certification underpin tender eligibility, insurance, and self-certification. Accredited businesses are lower-risk acquisitions, and unaccredited operators typically attract a discount to cover re-certification.
A trained, SIA-licensed and BS 7858-vetted team that stays with the business reduces owner dependency and protects contract continuity. Buyers value a stable, compliant workforce that transfers cleanly under TUPE.
An in-house alarm receiving centre, or a transferable book of monitored accounts, commands the highest multiples in the sector. With the PSTN switch-off forcing alarms onto IP signalling, a well-maintained, compliant monitoring base is increasingly valuable.
A spread of clients across retail, corporate, and public sector, on long-term contracts, reduces concentration risk. Buyers discount businesses that rely on one or two large accounts and pay more for diversified, sticky revenue.
One-off installations are valuable, but recurring service and maintenance work carries higher margins and steadier earnings. A healthy balance weighted towards ongoing service supports a stronger multiple than install-only revenue.
Businesses that can operate without the owner command significantly higher multiples. If contracts, monitoring, and client relationships depend on you personally, buyers will discount accordingly. A capable management layer is a real asset.
Places on public sector frameworks across NHS, local authority, education, and government estates signal reliability and open larger, longer contracts. Framework positions are hard to win and add genuine value at sale.
"An indicative range is the start of the conversation. What your business is genuinely worth is revealed by real buyer competition, and that is what we create."Simon Read, Managing Director
