Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers: SBA business acquisition loan data
105 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2018 financed the purchase of an existing business classified as Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (NAICS 444240), totaling $96.4M. Median loan $540,200, 16% lower than the all-acquisition median. Annual volume fell 92% from FY2024 to FY2026.
The purchase agreement decides what you bought, not the loan approval.
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Reading this industry's numbers
- Deal size. The loan excludes the buyer's equity and any seller note and may include working capital. A loan request far above $1,335,000 would be in the top quarter of SBA acquisition loans in this industry.
- Share of all acquisitions. This industry is 0.2% of all SBA-financed business purchases, ranking #89 of 300 industries tracked.
- Geography. California leads with 11 loans; the top five states account for 38% of the industry's acquisitions.
- Jobs. Lenders reported 1,418 jobs supported across these loans, about 13.5 per acquisition, a rough proxy for the size of business changing hands.
Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers acquisitions by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 3 | $3.2M | $1,206,000 | |
| FY2019 | 11 | $5.8M | $279,900 | |
| FY2020 | 13 | $13.4M | $500,000 | |
| FY2021 | 19 | $14M | $466,500 | |
| FY2022 | 13 | $17.3M | $1,401,000 | |
| FY2023 | 14 | $15.9M | $708,000 | |
| FY2024 | 12 | $7.9M | $362,500 | |
| FY2025 | 19 | $16.2M | $548,700 | |
| FY2026 | 1 | $2.7M | $2,740,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 46 Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), none have been charged off by the SBA. 26 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers has none charged off, against the 3.5% average across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort. Non-acquisition 7(a) loans (every other stated purpose) approved FY2018 to FY2021 charged off at 6.2%.
"Charged off" is the SBA's final loss action on a defaulted loan after collection efforts. It lags default by a year or more, which is why only older cohorts are measured. It is not the same as a delinquency rate, and loans still outstanding can still fail. See charge-off in the glossary.
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Top states
| # | State | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 11 | 10.5% | $13.2M | |
| 2 | Michigan | 10 | 9.5% | $11.7M | |
| 3 | Minnesota | 7 | 6.7% | $4M | |
| 4 | Florida | 6 | 5.7% | $7M | |
| 5 | South Carolina | 6 | 5.7% | $6.5M | |
| 6 | Missouri | 6 | 5.7% | $2.4M | |
| 7 | Illinois | 5 | 4.8% | $4M | |
| 8 | North Carolina | 4 | 3.8% | $7.3M | |
| 9 | Colorado | 4 | 3.8% | $4.2M | |
| 10 | Oregon | 4 | 3.8% | $3.3M |
Most active lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Oak Banking Company | 8 | 7.6% | $16.8M | |
| 2 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 4 | 3.8% | $5.1M | |
| 3 | The Huntington National Bank | 4 | 3.8% | $2.9M | |
| 4 | First Internet Bank of Indiana | 3 | 2.9% | $6.5M | |
| 5 | BancFirst | 3 | 2.9% | $2.1M | |
| 6 | Columbia Bank | 3 | 2.9% | $1.8M | |
| 7 | Pathward National Association | 3 | 2.9% | $1.3M | |
| 8 | Belgrade State Bank | 3 | 2.9% | $825K | |
| 9 | United Prairie Bank | 3 | 2.9% | $710K | |
| 10 | Old National Bank | 2 | 1.9% | $4M |
The purchase agreement decides what you bought, not the loan approval.
Request Engagement AssessmentAlex Lubyansky leads every engagement.
Franchise brands in Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers
1% of acquisition loans in this industry involved a franchised unit. Brands with the most SBA-financed resales:
| # | Brand | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do it Best | 1 | 100.0% | $1.4M |
Questions buyers ask
How much is a typical SBA loan to buy a business in Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers?
Median $540,200 across 105 acquisition loans (FY2018 to FY2026); the middle half ran $273,600 to $1,335,000. That is 16% lower than the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions.
Which lenders finance the most Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers acquisitions?
Live Oak Banking Company (8), Wells Fargo Bank National Association (4), The Huntington National Bank (4), First Internet Bank of Indiana (3), BancFirst (3).
Are businesses in Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers often franchised?
Rarely. Only 1% of acquisition loans in this industry involved a franchised business; most are independent operators.
How risky are SBA loans for buying a business in Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers?
Of 46 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021), none charged off, against the 3.5% benchmark for all SBA acquisition loans.
What loan terms are common for Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers acquisitions?
Median term 10 years, average initial rate 7.37% at approval (blended across years and fixed/variable structures). Terms longer than 10 years usually indicate real estate was included in the purchase.
That draft favors the seller. We review it for the buyer, line by line.
Submit Transaction DetailsAlex Lubyansky leads every engagement.
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