May 2026: Staffing multiples report, M&A activity and AI Audit.
Special & Exclusive CEO & CFO Round Table Invite
The May 2026 data is in. Long-weekend Special: AI-Enabled Staffing is Winning the Valuation Game
This market intelligence from the EQ.app and Blackwood Capital partnership shows the gap between traditional staffing and tech-enabled models has never been wider.
If you’re looking to exit or scale, the “tech premium” is no longer optional it’s the market standard.
We’re offering a free online AI audit to identify exactly where you can use AI to automate to boost your multiple.
Apply for private to, staffing leaders & peer-to-peer Zoom session.
“Staffing valuation strategies”. With Expert Owners & M&A leaders & $100M + sharing how the exits happen.
Limited to 15 CEO & CFOs of $25M+ staffing firms.
Market Momentum: Where the Growth Is
We’re finally seeing “green shoots” as share prices bounce back from 10-year lows.
With SIA forecasting steady growth through 2027, M&A activity is heating up in three specific areas: IT/AI & Defense (the AI boom), Energy (renewables), and Industrial (warehousing and data centers).
The Numbers: Traditional vs. Tech-Enabled
While traditional generalist firms typically trade at 0.5x to 1.0x revenue, tech-enabled platforms are in a different league.
Dayforce, which commanded a 6.8x revenue multiple and a 48.1x EV/EBITDA.
Recruit Holdings maintains a massive $77.3 billion EV because of digital assets like Indeed.
Infosys acquiring Optimum Healthcare IT (1.7x revenue) and KKR taking on Forum Engineering (2.2x revenue)
Private equity is back, but they are only hunting for businesses with high automation the kind that converts gross margin to EBITDA at 30% to 50%+.
If your business is still stuck at the 10% to 20% conversion rate of “old-fashioned” models, you are leaving millions on the table. Efficiency is the new currency for CEOs aiming for a premium exit.
special podcast episode dropping next week. Keep an eye out!
Want in? Reply “invite me” to join the next session or click above to start your tech audit today.