Distribution and logistics businesses in Alicante: buying, selling and valuation
Combining wholesale trade with transport, storage and postal activities, the province of Alicante had 18,113 active establishments in 2025, 34.5% of those in the Valencian Community (Comunidad Valenciana). The largest block is wholesale trade and intermediaries, with 11,297 establishments, followed by land transport (4,355), postal and courier activities (1,355) and warehousing and support activities (1,028).
At the port, the Port Authority of Alicante recorded total traffic of 2,906,944 tonnes and 193,416 TEU in 2025, according to provisional year-end data from Puertos del Estado (the Spanish state ports agency). These are figures for the infrastructure, not for companies, but they help to place the province's logistics activity in context.
Distribution and logistics · Alicante in figures
Active establishments in the province (CNAE activity code 46–53)
18,113
Share of the Valencian Community
34.5%
Active companies in the province (all activities)
145,106
What affects the value of distribution and logistics businesses in Alicante
In a wholesale distributor, the buyer looks for two things: customers who come back and purchasing terms that do not disappear with the change of owner. Distribution agreements with manufacturers, especially exclusive ones for a territory, can be the main asset, and also the greatest risk if the manufacturer can terminate them on a change of control. Read them before putting the company up for sale.
Working capital weighs heavily in this business. Stock, customer payment terms and supplier payment terms determine how much money the company needs to operate, and in the negotiation a normal level of working capital to be handed over with the business is usually agreed. Obsolete or slow-moving stock is discounted, so it is worth clearing it out beforehand.
In transport, what counts is the fleet (age, owned or leased, maintenance), the transport authorisations, the drivers and their stability, and the relationship with shippers. If a large share of the loads is for one or two customers, the buyer will want to understand that tie and whether a contract backs it up.
The warehouse and systems also add value: a long lease on a well-located industrial unit, warehouse management software that works and documented processes allow a buyer to integrate the company without depending on the founder having everything in their head.
Indicative valuation multiples
| Method | Range | Median |
|---|---|---|
| SDE (small businesses) | 2× – 3.2× | 2.5× |
| EBITDA (medium-sized businesses) | 3.5× – 6× | 4.5× |
Frequently asked questions
It is the sum of the establishments in wholesale trade, land, sea and air transport, warehousing and postal activities that the INE (Spanish National Statistics Institute) publishes for the province. It counts premises, not companies, and does not include retail.
It depends on each contract. Some manufacturers include clauses that allow them to end the agreement if the owner changes. Identify them before selling and, if possible, talk to the manufacturer at the right moment in the process.
Normally a level of stock and working capital that goes with the business is agreed, and the price is adjusted if there is more or less at completion. Obsolete or hard-to-sell stock is usually valued well below its cost.
It may be of interest for its customers, its authorisations or its drivers, but the buyer will discount the investment needed to renew the vehicles. It is better to present the age of the fleet and a renewal plan clearly than to let the buyer discover it during the review.
Distributors from other areas that want to cover the province, logistics operators seeking customers or warehouses, manufacturers that prefer to control their distribution and managers from the sector backed by investors. Each values different things, so the presentation should be adapted.
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- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Locales por provincia, actividad principal (divisiones CNAE 2009) y estrato de asalariados
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Locales por CCAA, actividad principal (grupos CNAE 2009) y estrato de asalariados
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Empresas por provincia y estrato de asalariados
- Puertos del Estado (Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible): Puertos del Estado – Estadística mensual, Cuadros resumen diciembre 2025 (CuadrosResumen_2025_12.xlsx), datos de cierre provisionales, fecha 23/1/2026
Latest official data available on the date given for each source.
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