This $900k Chiropractic Pays $352,399/Year After Debt

Priced at or below the benchmark multiple and coverage clears the 2.0x Bulletproof threshold. Here is how it holds up across all five criteria.

This is a chiropractic business listed at $900,000, generating $1.5M in annual revenue and $489,862 in seller's discretionary earnings. At a 1.84x cash flow multiple, the asking price is within the 3.00x Bulletproof threshold and below the 2.50x benchmark for chiropractic businesses. The profit margin is 33%, above the 25% benchmark for chiropractic businesses, about 1.3x the category figure.

We ran this deal through the DealScore Pro Bulletproof Calculator to see how it holds up across all five scoring criteria. Here is the full breakdown.

Deal Snapshot

Key Metrics
Industry
Chiropractic
Asking Price
$900,000
Revenue
$1.5M
Cash Flow (SDE)
$489,862
Cash Flow Multiple
1.84x
Industry avg: 2.50x
Profit Margin
33%
Industry avg: 25%

The deal snapshot tells a clean story. Revenue of $1.5M produces a 33% margin, above the 25% benchmark for chiropractic businesses, about 1.3x the category figure. The 1.84x multiple is within the 3.00x Bulletproof threshold and below the 2.50x benchmark for chiropractic businesses.

Financing Overview

Using the standard 80/10/10 SBA deal structure (80% SBA 7(a) loan, 10% seller financing, 10% buyer down payment), here is what this acquisition looks like when financed.

SBA Financing Breakdown
Total Acquisition Cost
$948,420
Purchase price plus SBA guaranty fee and closing costs. The three financing slices below are shares of the purchase price only.
Down Payment
$90,000
SBA Loan
$720,000
10-year term, ~10.5% rate
Seller Note
$90,000
Typically 2-year standby, then 5-year amort
Cash Required at Closing
$117,000
Down payment plus $27,000 closing costs plus $166,650 working capital reserve
Annual Debt Service
$137,463
Post-Debt Cash FlowBefore replacing the owner’s role
$352,399 / year
DSCR
3.56x
Bulletproof minimum: 2.0x
Stress Test (20% Revenue Drop)
Passes
Still covers debt at $1.2M revenue

Why the Numbers Matter

The headline number most buyers fixate on is the asking price. But the asking price alone tells you almost nothing about whether a deal is worth doing. What matters is what happens after you finance it.

The post-debt cash flow of $352,399 per year is what is left after every loan payment on the figures entered. On a $90,000 cash investment, that is a strong return, and it is well above the $100K minimum threshold that the Bulletproof standard requires. This figure is calculated before any cost of replacing the owner’s own role in the business. Where the seller is also the person producing the revenue, a buyer should subtract what it would cost to hire that role before treating this as take-home pay.

The DSCR of 3.56x means the business generates $3.56 for every $1 of annual debt payment. SBA lenders require a minimum of 1.25x. The Bulletproof standard requires 2.0x. This deal clears both with room to spare, which means you have a real safety margin if revenue softens or costs spike unexpectedly.

The stress test is where many deals that look good on paper fall apart. We model a 20% drop in revenue and check whether the business can still cover all debt obligations. This deal passes. Even at $1.2M in revenue (down from $1.5M), the cash flow still services the debt. That is the kind of resilience you want in a financed acquisition.

Industry Context

📈 How This Deal Compares to the Chiropractic Industry

Chiropractic sits in the lowest default band tracked here. Licensing requirements and established client relationships tend to keep revenue steady through a transition. The SBA default rate of 2.4% is well under the 5.1% all-industry average.

Multiple
1.84x
Avg: 2.50x
Margin
33%
Avg: 25%
Default Rate
2.4%
All industries: 5.1%

Combined with a deal that performs well on the fundamentals, this is the profile lenders like to fund.

Strengths and Risks

✓ What Works

  • Debt coverage of 3.56 against a bank minimum of 1.25. That is margin for a bad year, not just a good one.
  • Coverage still holds at 2.85 after a modeled 20% revenue drop.
  • Owner cash flow of $352k after every loan payment is made.
  • Priced at 1.84x, inside the 2.12x to 2.88x band these businesses normally trade in.

⚠ Watch Out For

  • Every figure here comes from the listing and none of it is verified. A listing is marketing, and it is written by someone paid on the sale.

Who This Deal Is For

Best fit for:

A buyer with roughly $90k for the equity injection, plus closing costs and working capital on top.

Someone who needs the business to pay them from day one. After debt service this leaves $352k.

An owner-operator who intends to run it, since the financing math here assumes no separate manager salary.

Not a passive investor. SBA acquisition financing requires the buyer to be actively involved.

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10.0 / 10
Bulletproof Verdict
This clears all five thresholds at 1.84x, inside the 2.12x to 2.88x range chiropractic deals normally trade in. Coverage is 3.56 and still holds at 2.85 after a modeled 20% revenue drop, which is the number that actually matters. Anyone covers debt in a good year. Owner cash flow after every payment is $352k. Deals that clear all five on paper are less common, and strong listings attract competing buyers, so the real work is verifying the numbers fast.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is $900,000 a fair price for a chiropractic business?

At 1.84x seller's discretionary earnings, this asking price is within the 3.00x Bulletproof threshold and below the 2.50x benchmark for chiropractic businesses. The Bulletproof threshold and the category benchmark are two different yardsticks, and this deal sits inside the stricter of the two.

What is a good profit margin for a chiropractic business?

The benchmark profit margin for chiropractic businesses is approximately 25%. This listing operates at a 33% margin, which is above the 25% benchmark for chiropractic businesses, about 1.3x the category figure. That is a comparison against category medians, not a verdict on this listing.

Can I buy a chiropractic business with an SBA loan?

Yes. Chiropractic businesses are commonly financed through SBA 7(a) loans using an 80/10/10 structure: 80% SBA loan, 10% seller financing, and 10% buyer down payment. For this $900,000 deal the down payment is $90,000, but cash required at closing is $117,000 once closing costs and a working capital reserve of $166,650 are counted. SBA lenders require a minimum DSCR of 1.25x, but conservative buyers target 2.0x or higher. This deal's 3.56x DSCR comfortably clears both thresholds.

How much do chiropractic business owners actually make?

Owner earnings vary widely based on revenue, pricing, and operational involvement. This chiropractic business generates $489,862 in seller's discretionary earnings (SDE) before debt service. After SBA financing under the 80/10/10 structure, the buyer would take home approximately $352,399 per year. That post-debt figure is the number that actually matters for a financed acquisition, because it reflects what ends up in your pocket after every loan payment is made.