Sell Your Electrical Business in Louisiana, 76+ Active PE Buyers, $0 Seller Fees

Selling an electrical contracting business in Louisiana in 2026 is one of the most industrially specialized electrical M&A opportunities in the country. Louisiana electrical contractor sales sit at the intersection of the Mississippi River chemical corridor (more than 150 petrochemical and refining facilities between Baton Rouge and New Orleans), Gulf Coast LNG export buildout (Cheniere Sabine Pass, Venture Global Plaquemines and Calcasieu Pass, Sempra Cameron LNG), Lake Charles industrial cluster (Sasol, LyondellBasell, Citgo, Phillips 66), New Orleans commercial and tourism electrical, hurricane restoration and resilience work (post-Katrina, post-Ida, post-Laura, post-Delta hardening continues into 2026), and Baton Rouge state government / LSU healthcare anchor demand. Louisiana’s post-2025 flat tax sets the top marginal rate at 4.25%.

This guide is for Louisiana electrical contractor owners running between $750K and $50M of revenue, with normalized earnings between $150K SDE and $8M EBITDA. We’ll walk through Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) Electrical (EL) classification under LA R.S. 37:2150 et seq., the qualifying-party (master electrician / business representative) succession structure that does not transfer in an asset sale, the after-tax math at Louisiana’s 4.25% flat tax (vs zero-tax Texas/Florida/Tennessee), segment-specific premiums for petrochemical / LNG / refinery / hurricane restoration / commercial electrical, IBEW Local 130 (New Orleans) and Local 995 (Baton Rouge) union dynamics, multiemployer pension exposure for industrial union shops, and the 18-24 month preparation playbook.

The framework draws on direct work with 76+ active U.S. lower middle market buyers, including PE-backed Gulf South consolidators and industrial-services platforms. We’re a buy-side partner. The buyers pay us when a deal closes, not you. Of our 76+ buyers, 13 actively bid on Louisiana electrical in 2024-2026: IES Holdings (NYSE: IESC), MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG), EMCOR Group (NYSE: EME), Comfort Systems USA (NYSE: FIX), APi Group (NYSE: APG), Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ, the single most active Louisiana acquirer with multi-trade industrial-services platforms), Wynnchurch Capital, Incline Equity Partners, Riverside Company, plus 4 regional Gulf South rollups. Use our free valuation calculator below for a 90-second starting-point estimate, or read on for the full state-specific framework.

One realistic note before you start. Louisiana petrochemical and LNG industrial electrical specialists clear premium multiples that rival California data center electrical, 7-9x EBITDA on $3M+ EBITDA platforms. The buyer pool for industrial Louisiana electrical is deeper than most owners realize. But residential service shops without qualifying-party succession planning, sloppy LSLBC compliance, or unresolved post-hurricane warranty exposure will struggle to clear 3x SDE. The 18-24 month preparation playbook matters.

“Louisiana electrical sellers underestimate just how much PE money is chasing Gulf Coast petrochemical and LNG industrial electrical platforms. Bernhard Capital is headquartered in Baton Rouge and is the single most active Louisiana acquirer; IES Holdings, EMCOR, and APi Group all run dedicated industrial-services teams that fly in for the right Louisiana refinery or LNG specialty operator. The mistake we see is generic auctions that miss the industrial-services PE pool entirely. We’re a buy-side partner working with 76+ active buyers, including 13 with current Louisiana electrical mandates, the buyers pay us, not you, no contract required.”

Key Takeaways

• Louisiana electrical PE/strategic activity is concentrated and well-capitalized: 13 of our 76+ buyers actively bid on Louisiana electrical in 2024-2026, including IES Holdings (NYSE: IESC), MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG), EMCOR (NYSE: EME), Comfort Systems USA (NYSE: FIX), APi Group, Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ), Wynnchurch Capital, Incline Equity, Riverside Company, plus 4 regional Gulf South rollups.
• LSLBC administers Electrical (EL) classification commercial contractor licensing under LA R.S. 37:2150 et seq. Major project thresholds: $50K+ commercial / $75K+ residential. Qualifying party (master electrician / business representative) is personal, does NOT transfer with the entity in an asset sale.
• Louisiana top marginal income tax is 4.25% (2025 flat-tax reform). On $5M gain, Louisiana sellers keep $400K-$650K more than CA but $200K less than TX/FL/TN. State tax compression is real but offset for petrochemical/LNG specialists by industrial premium.
• Louisiana electrical multiples by size and segment: sub-$2M revenue residential = 0.5-1.0x revenue / 3-4.5x SDE; $1M-$3M EBITDA commercial = 5.0-6.5x EBITDA; $3M+ EBITDA petrochemical / LNG / refinery industrial specialists = 6.5-9.0x EBITDA.
• Mississippi River corridor (Baton Rouge to New Orleans) hosts more than 150 petrochemical/refining facilities. Gulf Coast LNG export buildout (Cheniere, Venture Global, Sempra) drives sustained industrial electrical demand through 2030+.
• IBEW Local 130 (New Orleans) and Local 995 (Baton Rouge) operate joint apprenticeship programs with NECA chapters. Industrial union shops face National Electrical Benefit Fund withdrawal liability of $500K-$8M+ on sale; Section 4204 sale-of-assets exception requires careful structuring.

Why Louisiana electrical contractor M&A is one of the most industrially specialized markets in the U.S.

Louisiana electrical contractor M&A combines petrochemical industrial demand, LNG export buildout, hurricane restoration, and New Orleans commercial work. The Mississippi River chemical corridor (Baton Rouge to New Orleans, roughly 85 miles along River Road) hosts more than 150 petrochemical, refining, and chemical-manufacturing facilities: ExxonMobil Baton Rouge (one of the largest refineries in the U.S.), Shell Norco, Marathon Garyville, Valero St. Charles, Dow Plaquemine, Shintech, Nucor Convent, Cornerstone Chemical, BASF Geismar, ExxonMobil Chemical Baton Rouge, Methanex Geismar. Lake Charles cluster: Sasol Westlake (multi-billion dollar petrochemical complex), LyondellBasell, Citgo, Phillips 66 Lake Charles, Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines LNG, Sempra Cameron LNG. New Orleans drives commercial, hospitality (French Quarter, Convention Center, Superdome), and Port of New Orleans logistics electrical. Baton Rouge adds state government (Capitol, LSU campus, Our Lady of the Lake), and LSU Health New Orleans / Tulane Medical anchor healthcare.

Hurricane restoration is a Louisiana-specific recurring opportunity. Hurricane Katrina (2005), Gustav (2008), Isaac (2012), Harvey (2017 LA effects), Laura (2020), Delta (2020), Ida (2021), and Francine (2024) have all driven multi-year electrical restoration work. Resilience hardening (above-ground to underground transitions, generator installation, microgrid build-out, hospital and critical-facility hardening) creates recurring contract opportunities through 2030. Louisiana electrical contractors with documented FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP project history command a meaningful diligence premium because the pipeline is structural and recession-resistant.

Active PE-backed and strategic Louisiana electrical buyers in 2024-2026. Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ) is the single most active Louisiana acquirer with multi-trade industrial-services platforms covering electrical, mechanical, and engineering services across the Gulf South. Public strategic acquirers including IES Holdings (NYSE: IESC), MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG, with strong T&D and substation work), EMCOR Group (NYSE: EME), Comfort Systems USA (NYSE: FIX), and APi Group (NYSE: APG) all run dedicated industrial-services teams. Wynnchurch Capital, Incline Equity Partners, and Riverside Company have multi-trade contractor theses. Plus 4 regional Gulf South rollups round out the buyer pool.

What this means for Louisiana electrical contractor sellers. If you’re running a $1M+ EBITDA Louisiana petrochemical / LNG / refinery industrial electrical specialist, you should expect 5-8 indications of interest from a mix of public strategic acquirers and Gulf South PE platforms. If you’re running a residential service shop without LSLBC qualifying-party succession planning, the buyer pool narrows to SBA buyers and small regional operators. The single biggest leverage point: LSLBC qualifying-party planning + petrochemical/LNG customer documentation, executed 18-24 months pre-sale.

LSLBC Electrical (EL) classification: Louisiana’s contractor licensing structure

Louisiana electrical contractor licensing is administered by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) under LA R.S. 37:2150 et seq. Two relevant license tiers: (1) Commercial Contractor with Electrical (EL) classification, required for commercial electrical work projects of $50,000 or more (combined labor and materials); and (2) Residential Contractor with electrical scope, required for residential projects of $75,000 or more. Below these thresholds, an electrical contractor still typically needs local municipal licensure and a master electrician of record (parish-specific in Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, and others). The LSLBC issues the contractor license to the entity, but the entity must designate a qualifying party (often a Master Electrician or designated business representative) who has passed the relevant trade and business/law exams.

The qualifying party is personal and does not transfer with the entity. When you sell a Louisiana electrical business, in an asset sale the buyer’s entity must obtain its own LSLBC commercial contractor license with EL classification before performing major commercial electrical work, which means the buyer’s entity must designate a qualifying party who has passed the EL trade exam (administered by PSI as of August 2025) and the business/law exam. If you, the seller, are the qualifying party for your entity, the buyer faces three choices: (1) the buyer designates an existing employee or new hire who already qualifies; (2) the buyer’s qualifying party sits and passes the EL exam (not always feasible on a deal timeline); or (3) you, the seller, agree to remain employed as qualifying party for a 6-24 month transition period.

Stock sale vs asset sale license dynamics. In a stock sale, the LSLBC commercial contractor license stays with the entity, but LSLBC requires notification of any change in ownership and qualifying party. The buyer must continue to satisfy bonding and insurance requirements. In an asset sale, the buyer’s entity must obtain its own LSLBC license before performing covered work. This is a meaningful reason Louisiana industrial electrical deals trend toward stock sales.

How to handle LSLBC licensing 12-24 months before sale. If you’re the only LSLBC qualifying party at your business, identify a senior electrician with the experience and credentials to sit the EL exam, support them through the trade and business/law exams (administered by PSI as of August 2025), and add them as an additional qualifying party. Once you have a second qualifying party on staff, your buyer pool widens dramatically because the buyer is no longer dependent on you remaining employed post-close. This single action typically returns 0.5-1x EBITDA in higher offers in Louisiana, and is even more valuable for industrial operators where buyer dependency on the qualifying party can be a deal-killer.

Parish-level master electrician licensure (New Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge). Louisiana is unusual in that several parishes (most notably Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, Caddo Parish) maintain their own master electrician and journeyman licensing requirements separate from LSLBC. Orleans Parish Department of Safety and Permits (City of New Orleans) issues master electrician licenses; East Baton Rouge Parish operates its own master electrician program. Buyers will diligence both LSLBC commercial contractor licensure AND parish-level master electrician licensure for the operating geography. Address parish-level licensing 12+ months pre-sale.

Louisiana electrical segment dynamics: residential, commercial, petrochemical, LNG, refinery, hurricane restoration

Louisiana electrical M&A divides into six segments with materially different buyer pools and multiples. Knowing which segment your business primarily serves is the most important positioning decision. Louisiana has more industrial-specialty segments than most Southeast states because of the Gulf Coast petrochemical and LNG concentration, the petrochemical/LNG specialty premium is real and rivals California data center premiums for the right operator.

Residential service electrical: 3-4.5x SDE owner-op / 4.5-6x EBITDA platform. Service calls, panel upgrades, EV charging installation, smart-home work, residential remodels, hurricane-restoration residential rewiring. Buyer pool: SBA individuals, regional Gulf South rollups, occasional search funder. Premium for shops with hurricane-restoration recurring revenue, presence in NOLA / Baton Rouge / Lake Charles / Lafayette / Shreveport, and clean qualifying-party succession planning.

Commercial electrical: 5.0-6.5x EBITDA platform. Tenant fit-outs, retail buildouts, hospitality (French Quarter, Convention Center, Superdome), office, healthcare facilities (LSU Health, Tulane Medical, Our Lady of the Lake, Ochsner), light industrial. Buyer pool: regional Gulf South commercial-focused rollups, public strategic acquirers (IES, EMCOR, Comfort Systems). Multiples typically 5.0-6.5x EBITDA at platform scale. Premium for shops with recurring commercial maintenance and TI-focused operations across NOLA, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette.

Petrochemical industrial electrical: 6.5-8.5x EBITDA platform. Mississippi River corridor petrochemical and refining facility electrical work: ExxonMobil Baton Rouge, Shell Norco, Marathon Garyville, Valero St. Charles, Dow Plaquemine, Shintech, BASF Geismar, Methanex, Nucor Convent. Lake Charles cluster: Sasol Westlake, LyondellBasell, Citgo, Phillips 66. Buyer pool: industrial-focused PE platforms, public strategic acquirers (IES Holdings has dedicated industrial capability, APi Group industrial services, EMCOR industrial), Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ, explicit petrochemical focus). Multiples typically 6.5-8.5x EBITDA at platform scale. Premium for documented multi-year MSAs with anchor refinery / chemical operators, turnaround experience, and Class I Division 2 hazardous-location specialty knowledge.

LNG export terminal industrial electrical: 7.0-9.0x EBITDA platform. Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG (one of the largest LNG export facilities globally), Venture Global Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines LNG, Sempra Cameron LNG, Tellurian Driftwood LNG (under development). LNG electrical work commands the highest segment premium in Louisiana, rivaling California data center multiples, because the project pipeline is structural through 2030+. Buyer pool: dedicated industrial-services PE platforms, public strategic acquirers (APi Group, EMCOR, IES Holdings), Bernhard Capital. Multiples typically 7.0-9.0x EBITDA at platform scale. Premium for hyperscale LNG project history and recurring service / turnaround relationships with Cheniere or Venture Global.

Hurricane restoration and resilience hardening: 5.5-7.0x EBITDA platform. Post-hurricane restoration (residential and commercial rewiring, panel replacement, generator installation), resilience hardening (above-ground to underground transitions, hospital and critical-facility hardening, microgrid installation). FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP-funded work. Buyer pool: regional Gulf South operators, industrial-services PE platforms with disaster-services theses. Multiples typically 5.5-7.0x EBITDA at platform scale. Premium for documented FEMA / GOHSEP project history and emergency-response capability.

T&D and utility electrical: 6.0-8.0x EBITDA platform. Entergy Louisiana, Cleco Power, SWEPCO, and rural electric cooperative T&D and substation work. MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG) is the dominant public-strategic acquirer for Louisiana T&D specialty operators. Buyer pool: MYR Group, IES Holdings, regional T&D-focused PE platforms. Multiples typically 6.0-8.0x EBITDA at platform scale. Premium for documented Entergy / Cleco MSA relationships and storm-response capability.

Who actually buys Louisiana electrical businesses in 2026: the five buyer archetypes

The Louisiana electrical buyer pool divides into five archetypes with materially different motivations, multiples, and deal structures. Louisiana’s buyer pool is unusually deep for a state of its size because of Gulf Coast industrial concentration. Bernhard Capital’s Baton Rouge headquarters means the most active Gulf South industrial-services PE platform is Louisiana-headquartered.

Archetype 1: Public strategic acquirers (IES, MYR, EMCOR, Comfort Systems, APi). IES Holdings (NYSE: IESC) is one of the most active public-company electrical-contractor acquirers and runs a dedicated industrial-services arm. MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG) targets T&D and substation work; Louisiana is a real focus. EMCOR Group (NYSE: EME) has Louisiana industrial-services operations including via University Mechanical and others. Comfort Systems USA (NYSE: FIX) acquires mechanical-electrical specialty contractors. APi Group (NYSE: APG) acquires industrial services including electrical. Typical target: $1.5M-$20M EBITDA. Multiples: 6.0-8.5x EBITDA at platform scale, paid mostly with cash. Close timeline: 90-180 days.

Archetype 2: Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ, the most active Louisiana acquirer). Bernhard Capital Partners is headquartered in Baton Rouge and is the single most active Louisiana-focused PE acquirer in the multi-trade industrial-services space. Bernhard has built multi-trade industrial-services platforms covering electrical, mechanical, engineering, and utility services across the Gulf South with explicit petrochemical / LNG / refinery focus. Typical target: $1M-$15M EBITDA Louisiana industrial electrical contractor with petrochemical / LNG / refinery customer base. Multiples: 6.0-8.0x EBITDA. Cash + 20-35% rollover + earnout. Close timeline: 90-150 days.

Archetype 3: PE-backed Gulf South consolidators (Wynnchurch, Incline Equity, Riverside, regional rollups). Wynnchurch Capital, Incline Equity Partners, and Riverside Company have multi-trade contractor theses and bid on Louisiana platforms. Plus 4 regional Gulf South rollups. Typical target: $750K-$8M EBITDA. Multiples: 5.5-7.0x EBITDA. Cash + 10-25% rollover + earnout. Close timeline: 90-150 days.

Archetype 4: Search funders pursuing NOLA / Baton Rouge commercial electrical. Individual MBA-backed searchers and deal-by-deal investors targeting NOLA, Baton Rouge, or Lafayette commercial electrical. Search funders are increasingly active in Louisiana because of attractive entry valuations and structural Gulf Coast tailwinds. Typical target: $500K-$2.5M EBITDA. Multiples: 4.5-6.0x EBITDA. Close timeline: 120-180 days.

Archetype 5: SBA 7(a)-financed individuals. First-time owner-operators using the SBA 7(a) program, primarily targeting residential service electrical shops in NOLA, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. Typical target: $150K-$600K SDE residential service with a transferable qualifying-party pathway. Multiples: 2.5-4x SDE. SBA 7(a) caps at $5M loan, so deal sizes top out around $7-8M total enterprise value. Close timeline: 60-120 days.

Louisiana electrical buyer archetype	Typical multiple	Deal structure norms	Close timeline
Public strategic (IES, MYR, EMCOR, FIX, APi)	6.0-8.5x EBITDA	Cash-heavy, smaller rollover, earnout common	90-180 days
Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ)	6.0-8.0x EBITDA	Cash + 20-35% rollover + earnout	90-150 days
PE rollup (Wynnchurch, Incline, Riverside, regional)	5.5-7.0x EBITDA	Cash + 10-25% rollover + earnout	90-150 days
Search funder	4.5-6.0x EBITDA	Senior debt + 10-20% seller note + earnout	120-180 days
SBA 7(a) individual (residential)	2.5-4x SDE	10% buyer equity, 20-30% seller note, training	60-120 days

Buyer type	Cash at close	Rollover equity	Exclusivity	Best fit for
Strategic acquirer	High (40–60%+)	Low (0–10%)	60–90 days	Sellers who want a clean exit; competitor or upstream consolidator
PE platform	Medium (60–80%)	Medium (15–25%)	60–120 days	Sellers willing to hold rollover for the second sale; bigger deals
PE add-on	Higher (70–85%)	Low–Medium (10–20%)	45–90 days	Sellers folding into existing platform; faster process
Search fund / ETA	Medium (50–70%)	High (20–40%)	90–180 days	Legacy-conscious sellers wanting an owner-operator successor
Independent sponsor	Medium (55–75%)	Medium (15–30%)	60–120 days	Sellers OK with deal-by-deal capital and longer financing closes

Louisiana electrical multiples by size and segment: what 2026 deal data shows

Louisiana electrical multiples vary dramatically by segment. A $1M EBITDA residential service contractor in Lafayette and a $1M EBITDA Mississippi River corridor petrochemical industrial electrical contractor will sell at very different multiples, often 3-4x EBITDA apart. Within each segment, size still drives meaningful expansion as the business crosses key thresholds.

Sub-$1M revenue residential service: 0.4-0.7x revenue / 2-3x SDE. Micro-shops sold primarily through BizBuySell and Louisiana broker networks to SBA buyers. Almost always owner-dependent. Multiples compress further if the owner is the only qualifying party, if there are open LSLBC complaints, or if the customer base is highly concentrated.

$1M-$3M revenue residential or light commercial: 0.5-1.0x revenue / 3-4.5x SDE. Core SBA buyer territory. Multiples improve materially with: (a) recurring service contracts (commercial maintenance is highest-leverage); (b) tech-enabled dispatch (ServiceTitan, Procore); (c) documented systems and operations manager; (d) commercial revenue at 30%+ of mix; (e) qualifying-party succession in place; (f) hurricane-restoration recurring revenue documentation.

$3M-$10M revenue / $500K-$2M EBITDA commercial/industrial: 5.0-6.5x EBITDA. Wider buyer pool: search funders, independent sponsors, regional PE add-ons (Bernhard Capital, Wynnchurch, Incline Equity), public strategic interest. Multiples accelerate with recurring service revenue, low customer concentration, tenured second-tier management, documented petrochemical / LNG / refinery customer history, clean LSLBC compliance, and proven specialty (industrial, T&D-adjacent, hurricane-restoration).

$10M-$30M revenue / $2M-$5M EBITDA industrial/specialty: 6.5-8.5x EBITDA. Platform territory for PE rollups and prime acquisition target for IES Holdings, MYR Group, EMCOR Group, Comfort Systems USA, APi Group, and Bernhard Capital. Multiples premium for petrochemical specialty work, LNG export terminal experience, refinery turnaround capability, and recurring industrial service contracts.

$30M+ revenue / $5M+ EBITDA petrochemical / LNG specialty: 7.0-9.0x EBITDA. Platform-of-the-platform deals. Strategic premium from public consolidators and Bernhard Capital willing to pay up for proven industrial specialty platforms. Louisiana platforms at this size with hyperscale LNG, refinery turnaround, or petrochemical specialty typically draw competitive bids from at least 4-6 PE and strategic buyers. Specialty LNG work has reached 8.5-9.5x EBITDA on premier platforms in 2024-2026.

Louisiana electrical business profile	Revenue multiple range	SDE/EBITDA multiple range	Dominant buyer pool
Sub-$1M revenue residential	0.4-0.7x revenue	2-3x SDE	SBA individual
$1M-$3M revenue residential/commercial	0.5-1.0x revenue	3-4.5x SDE	SBA + occasional search funder
$3M-$10M / $500K-$2M EBITDA	0.7-1.2x revenue	5.0-6.5x EBITDA	Search, indie sponsor, PE add-on, public strategic
$10M-$30M / $2M-$5M EBITDA industrial	0.9-1.4x revenue	6.5-8.5x EBITDA	Bernhard, public strategic, PE platform
$30M+ / $5M+ EBITDA petrochem/LNG specialty	1.1-1.7x revenue	7.0-9.0x EBITDA	Public strategic, Bernhard, PE platform-of-platform

Louisiana state tax dynamics: 4.25% flat tax and the after-tax math

Louisiana’s post-2025 flat tax sets the top marginal rate at 4.25%. Louisiana enacted a flat-tax reform in late 2024 (effective 2025 tax year) replacing the prior tiered rate structure (1.85% / 3.5% / 4.25%) with a single 4.25% rate (some analyses cite 3% with offsetting structural changes; the effective top-rate environment for capital gains on a business sale is approximately 4.25%). On a $5M business sale where the seller’s gain is primarily long-term capital, federal capital gains tax (15-20% plus 3.8% NIIT) applies and Louisiana adds 4.25% on top. Compare this to California (12.3-13.3%), New York (10.9%), Texas (0%), Florida (0%), Tennessee (0%). Louisiana sellers keep $400K-$650K more than California sellers but $200K less than zero-tax-state sellers on a $5M gain.

Why specialty premiums offset Louisiana state tax compression for industrial operators. A Louisiana petrochemical or LNG industrial electrical specialist clearing 7-8x EBITDA on $3M EBITDA ($21-24M enterprise value) versus a Texas equivalent clearing 6.5-7.5x EBITDA ($19.5-22.5M) recovers the entire Louisiana state tax differential through higher gross multiple. The petrochemical / LNG specialty premium is real, particularly for operators with documented multi-year MSAs with anchor refinery or LNG operators. Generic Louisiana residential service contractors face the full state tax compression without offsetting premium.

Asset allocation negotiation matters for Louisiana sellers. In an asset sale, allocation of purchase price between equipment (ordinary income recapture, federal up to 37% plus LA 4.25%), inventory (ordinary income), goodwill (long-term capital gains, 15-20% federal plus LA 4.25%), and non-compete (ordinary income to seller) determines after-tax proceeds. Louisiana sellers should engage tax counsel early in the LOI process to optimize allocation; a skilled negotiation can shift $75K-$400K of after-tax proceeds in the seller’s favor on a typical Louisiana mid-size deal.

Louisiana franchise tax phaseout (effective 2026). Louisiana enacted a phaseout of the corporate franchise tax effective January 1, 2026 (2025 reform). For C-corps, this removes a recurring annual tax burden that historically affected sale dynamics. For pass-through electrical contracting LLCs and S-corps, the phaseout has indirect effects through reduced compliance burden but does not directly impact sale-tax treatment.

IBEW Local 130 / Local 995 dynamics and Louisiana industrial union exposure

Louisiana is a right-to-work state under LA R.S. 23:983. Most Louisiana residential and commercial electrical contractors are merit-shop. IBEW penetration is concentrated in industrial work and major-metro commercial: IBEW Local 130 (New Orleans area, one of the oldest IBEW locals in the country, chartered 1900), IBEW Local 995 (Baton Rouge and the Mississippi River chemical corridor, partners with the Baton Rouge Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, members work on industrial facilities owned by Dow, Shintech, Sasol and others), IBEW Local 861 (Lake Charles area), and IBEW Local 446 (Monroe). Petrochemical and LNG industrial electrical work is mixed merit-shop and IBEW depending on facility owner preference.

Multiemployer pension exposure for industrial union shops. Louisiana IBEW Local 130 (NOLA) and Local 995 (Baton Rouge) shops participating in the National Electrical Benefit Fund (NEBF) and regional pension plans face multiemployer pension withdrawal liability under ERISA Section 4203 on sale. For petrochemical and LNG industrial electrical contractors with long tenure and large covered-work footprints, withdrawal liability typically ranges $500K-$8M+. The Section 4204 sale-of-assets exception requires careful structuring with ERISA counsel: the buyer must assume the seller’s contribution obligation, post a bond or escrow, and operate covered work for at least 5 years post-close.

How to handle pension exposure 12+ months pre-sale. Get a current actuarial valuation of unfunded vested benefits from the plan. Engage ERISA counsel and tax counsel to evaluate: (1) Section 4204 sale-of-assets exception (most common path); (2) Section 4203 free-look option (rarely available for active operators); (3) building reserves to offset withdrawal-liability assessment; (4) buyer assumption with pension-bond posting. Louisiana industrial union shops that don’t engage ERISA counsel 12+ months pre-sale lose 1-2x EBITDA in either escrow holdbacks or buyer walk-aways.

Apprenticeship and training pipeline. Louisiana IBEW Local 130 (New Orleans) and Local 995 (Baton Rouge) operate joint apprenticeship and training committees (JATCs) with NECA chapters. The Baton Rouge Area Electrical JATC (BREJATC) is a major regional training program. Merit-shop contractors typically train through Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) of Louisiana or Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Pelican Chapter. Buyers will diligence apprenticeship pipeline depth as a proxy for sustainable growth; documented IEC, ABC, or JATC pipeline relationships are a positive diligence signal.

Service mix and recurring revenue: the highest-leverage multiple driver in Louisiana electrical

Recurring service revenue and turnaround / MSA contracts are the highest-leverage multiple drivers in Louisiana electrical M&A. An electrical contractor with 30%+ of revenue from recurring service contracts (petrochemical facility MSAs, refinery turnaround contracts, LNG terminal service relationships, healthcare facility service contracts, hurricane-restoration retainer relationships) trades at a 0.75-1.5x EBITDA premium versus an otherwise identical project-only contractor. Bernhard Capital Partners and public strategic acquirers (IES, EMCOR, APi) value recurring industrial revenue dramatically because Louisiana petrochemical capex cycles can be volatile.

What Louisiana electrical buyers value most. (1) Recurring service contract count and aggregate annual value, especially with ExxonMobil, Shell, Marathon, Valero, Dow, Shintech, Sasol, LyondellBasell, Cheniere, Venture Global, Sempra, or healthcare anchors; (2) master service agreements with anchor petrochemical / refinery / LNG operators; (3) turnaround project history and capability; (4) service revenue percentage versus project revenue; (5) replace/repair gross margin on residential service work; (6) project gross margin on commercial/industrial; (7) customer retention rate; (8) Mississippi River corridor / Lake Charles cluster / NOLA / Baton Rouge geographic density; (9) specialty certifications (Class I Division 2 hazardous-location, NFPA 70E arc-flash, OSHA 30, manufacturer certifications, hyperscale LNG project credentials); (10) electrician retention and tenure (Louisiana industrial electricians are scarce and expensive); (11) qualifying-party succession planning.

Why project-only revenue compresses Louisiana multiples. Project-only revenue is high-variance, low-visibility, and dependent on continued petrochemical capex cycles. Louisiana petrochemical and LNG construction cycles can be tied to global commodity prices, federal LNG export licensing, and macro energy demand. Buyers discount project-only contractors more in Louisiana than in steadier commercial markets. PE rollups and public strategic buyers explicitly target Louisiana electrical contractors with 30-50%+ recurring industrial-service revenue.

How to reposition mix in 18-24 months pre-sale. Aggressively grow recurring industrial service contracts: pursue petrochemical MSAs along the Mississippi River corridor; pursue LNG terminal service relationships with Cheniere and Venture Global; pursue refinery turnaround retainer relationships; pursue Entergy / Cleco T&D MSA work; build out FEMA / GOHSEP hurricane-response retainer base; develop hospital and critical-facility resilience-hardening recurring contracts. Owners who execute this shift see their pre-sale Louisiana multiple improve by 1-2x EBITDA, often $1M-$5M of additional enterprise value on a mid-size deal.

What Louisiana electrical buyers diligence: the checklist that determines your final price

Louisiana electrical diligence is among the most rigorous in the Southeast because of industrial customer concentration and regulatory complexity. Buyers want to verify earnings (SDE/EBITDA quality), validate revenue mix and customer concentration (especially petrochemical / LNG / refinery exposure), confirm electrician retention, validate LSLBC qualifying-party succession and parish-level master licensure, evaluate FEMA / Stafford Act compliance for hurricane-restoration work, assess multiemployer pension exposure for union shops, and assess hurricane-warranty exposure.

Earnings quality and add-back validation. 24-36 months of monthly P&Ls. Louisiana Department of Revenue filings matching financials. Documented add-backs with receipts. CPA-prepared annual financial statements. Bank reconciliations. AR aging and bad debt history. Job costing reports by project type. WIP schedule for project work. Backlog with contract details. Louisiana-specific: LDR sales and use tax compliance, withholding tax compliance, parish-level sales tax compliance (Louisiana has parish-level sales taxes that vary), franchise-tax compliance (phaseout effective 2026).

Revenue mix, customer concentration, and industrial exposure. Service vs project breakdown by year. Recurring contract count, retention rate, and average annual value. Top 10 customers as percentage of revenue. Commercial vs industrial vs residential breakdown. Petrochemical (ExxonMobil, Shell, Marathon, Valero, Dow, Shintech, BASF), refinery turnaround, LNG (Cheniere, Venture Global, Sempra), Sasol Westlake, healthcare (LSU Health, Tulane, Ochsner) project history. FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP-funded project history with documentation. Public-works prevailing-wage history (federal Davis-Bacon for federal projects).

Electrician headcount, productivity, retention, and LSLBC licensing. Electrician roster with tenure, comp, certifications (Journeyman, Master, OSHA 30, NFPA 70E arc-flash, Class I Division 2 hazardous-location, manufacturer certifications, TWIC card for petrochemical/port work), W-2 vs 1099 status, and I-9 documentation. Electrician retention rate over 24 months. Productivity metrics. Louisiana-specific: LSLBC commercial contractor license documentation with EL classification, qualifying-party documentation, parish-level master electrician licensure (Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge as relevant), any LSLBC complaints or disciplinary actions, apprentice pipeline through IEC of Louisiana / ABC Pelican / IBEW JATCs.

Fleet, equipment, warranty, and Louisiana regulatory exposure. Service van count, age, mileage, replacement schedule. Specialty equipment list (industrial generators, switchgear specialty tooling, hot-stick equipment for utility work). Outstanding warranty exposure on installations, particularly post-hurricane work. Inventory levels. Real estate ownership and lease terms. Louisiana-specific: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality compliance, OSHA history (industrial electrical work has higher injury severity), Louisiana workers’ comp claim history, Louisiana Workforce Commission compliance.

License, prevailing wage, insurance, and Louisiana regulatory. LSLBC commercial contractor license documentation with EL classification, parish-level master electrician licensure for operating geography, qualifying-party documentation, contractor business registration. Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing-wage compliance for any federal projects (Stafford Act-funded hurricane work, military bases, federal facilities). Louisiana does NOT have a state prevailing-wage law for state/local public works (cleaner than CA, IL, NY). General liability and Louisiana workers’ comp coverage status. Past lawsuits or claims. Surety bond status. Multiemployer pension plan participation disclosure if applicable for Local 130 or 995 union shops. Louisiana Department of Insurance contractor licensing if performing low-voltage / fire-alarm work.

Component	Typical share of price	When you actually receive it	Risk to seller
Cash at close	60–80%	Wire on closing day	Low, this is real money
Earnout	10–20%	Over 18–24 months, performance-based	High, routinely paid out at less than face value
Rollover equity	0–25%	At the next platform sale (typically 4–6 years)	Variable, can multiply or go to zero
Indemnity escrow	5–12%	12–24 months after close (if no claims)	Medium, usually returned, sometimes contested
Working capital peg	+/- 2–7% of price	Adjustment at close or 30-90 days post	High, methodology disputes are common

The 18-24 month preparation playbook for Louisiana electrical sellers

Louisiana electrical contractors who do real 18-24 month preparation routinely sell for 1.5-3x EBITDA more than unprepared sellers. Louisiana has more structural complexity than most Southeast states (LSLBC + parish licensing, multiemployer pension exposure for industrial union shops, hurricane-warranty exposure, petrochemical-customer concentration), and they all take 12+ months to materially fix. Owners who skip prep don’t exit faster, they exit at 30-50% lower after-tax proceeds, or worse, can’t close at all because of qualifying-party or pension issues.

Months 24-18: financial cleanup and segment positioning. Move to monthly closes by the 15th of the following month. CPA-prepared annual financial statements. Job costing system tied to accounting (Sage, Procore, ServiceTitan). Document all add-backs with receipts. Begin segment positioning analysis: petrochemical, LNG, refinery, T&D, hurricane-restoration, commercial, healthcare, or residential. Address Louisiana Department of Revenue, parish sales tax, and LSLBC compliance. Resolve any open LSLBC complaints or disciplinary matters.

Months 18-12: LSLBC qualifying-party succession, parish licensing, and pension actuarial. Identify a senior electrician with the experience and credentials to sit the LSLBC EL trade exam plus business/law exam. Document parish-level master electrician licensure (Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge as relevant). Document customer relationships with petrochemical / LNG / refinery anchors with 3-5 year revenue history. Audit FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP compliance for hurricane-restoration work. For union shops: get a current actuarial valuation of multiemployer pension withdrawal liability and engage ERISA counsel.

Months 12-6: reduce owner dependency and build management depth. Identify what only you do today. Document SOPs. Promote or hire a general manager or operations manager. Take a 30-day extended absence 9 months before going to market. Build out second-tier management for estimating, project management, turnaround coordination, and field supervision. Strengthen recurring industrial service contract base aggressively, target 30-40%+ recurring revenue mix at time of going to market.

Months 6-0: data room, CIM, and buyer-pool targeting. Compile 36 months of tax returns, P&Ls, balance sheets, bank statements, payroll registers, vendor invoices, customer contracts, master service agreements with petrochemical / LNG / refinery anchors, LSLBC and parish-level licensing documentation, insurance policies, and equipment lists. Build a CIM emphasizing your segment’s buyer-relevant story: petrochemical for Bernhard Capital / IES / APi; LNG for IES / EMCOR / APi; T&D for MYR Group; commercial for regional Gulf South PE; hurricane-restoration for industrial-services PE platforms. Engage tax counsel for asset allocation strategy.

Louisiana electrical sale process timeline: what actually happens month by month

Louisiana electrical sale processes run 8-12 months for sub-$1M EBITDA deals and 10-14 months for $1M+ EBITDA platform or strategic deals. Louisiana timelines run 1 month longer than Texas or Tennessee because of regulatory diligence complexity (LSLBC + parish licensing, multiemployer pension for industrial union shops, FEMA-hurricane warranty exposure). Add 18-24 months on the front for proper preparation if your books, LSLBC licensing, and customer documentation aren’t already buyer-ready.

Months 1-2: positioning and outreach. Build the CIM (12-22 pages for sub-$1M; 30-55 pages for $1M+ EBITDA). Identify target buyer archetype mix carefully by segment. Reach out to public strategic acquirers (IES Holdings, MYR Group, EMCOR, Comfort Systems USA, APi Group), Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ), PE-backed Gulf South consolidators (Wynnchurch, Incline Equity, Riverside), Gulf South-focused search funders, and SBA buyers via specialized Louisiana brokers. Sign NDAs. Target 6-12 serious initial conversations.

Months 2-4: management meetings and indications of interest. Take 4-7 buyer meetings. Receive 3-5 IOIs. Negotiate to a single LOI.

Months 4-9: LOI, diligence, financing, and LSLBC planning. Sign LOI with 60-90 day exclusivity. Buyer-side diligence: financial QoE for $1M+ EBITDA deals; LSLBC license transfer review with Louisiana contractor licensing counsel; parish-level master electrician licensure review; federal Davis-Bacon compliance review for any federal/Stafford Act projects; multiemployer pension withdrawal liability analysis if union shop; environmental review (LDEQ); hurricane-warranty review; customer interviews; petrochemical / LNG / refinery customer portfolio review.

Months 9-11: definitive agreement and close. Negotiate purchase agreement: working capital target, indemnification caps, R&W insurance for $2M+ EBITDA deals, non-compete (typically 2-3 years and 50-100 mile radius given Louisiana’s LA R.S. 23:921 enforceability constraints, Louisiana is more restrictive on non-competes than most southern states), seller employment agreement if qualifying-party transition requires. LSLBC and parish-level change-of-control filings. Final walkthrough. Employee notification. Customer notification.

Months 11+: transition and LSLBC compliance. Post-close transition typically 90-180 days. Seller often available by phone for an additional 6-12 months. LSLBC qualifying-party transition monitoring. Earnout periods 12-36 months post-close depending on structure.

Sell Your Electrical Business in Other States: Sibling Guides

Sibling state guides for selling a electrical business. Each guide below covers state-specific licensing, multiple ranges, tax considerations, and named PE buyers active in that geography. If you operate in multiple states, the multi-state premium typically adds 0.5-1.5x to EBITDA multiple at exit (buyers value contiguous coverage).

State-by-state guides: Sell Your Electrical Business in Texas · Sell Your Electrical Business in Florida · Sell Your Electrical Business in California · Sell Your Electrical Business in New York · Sell Your Electrical Business in Pennsylvania · Sell Your Electrical Business in Illinois · Sell Your Electrical Business in Idaho · Sell Your Electrical Business in Utah

For valuation context that applies regardless of state: See our electrical business valuation guide for nationwide multiple ranges and PE buyer pool. Run our free 90-second valuation calculator for a starting-point estimate. Or browse the full sell-your-business hub for all verticals and states.

Common mistakes Louisiana electrical sellers make (and how to avoid them)

Mistake 1: ignoring LSLBC qualifying-party succession until LOI. Louisiana buyers walk from deals when the LSLBC qualifying party is the seller and there’s no documented succession path. Address this 18-24 months in advance: identify a senior electrician with the experience to sit the EL trade exam plus business/law exam (administered by PSI as of August 2025) and add them as an additional qualifying party.

Mistake 2: forgetting parish-level master electrician licensure. Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and Caddo Parish maintain separate master electrician programs. Owners who only document LSLBC compliance miss parish-level requirements that buyers will diligence. Document parish-level master electrician licensure 12+ months pre-sale for every parish where you operate.

Mistake 3: positioning the business generically instead of as petrochemical/LNG-anchored. A $1.5M EBITDA Louisiana electrical contractor positioned as a generic commercial business gets 5-5.5x EBITDA. The same business positioned correctly as a petrochemical specialist with documented Mississippi River corridor MSA history gets 7-8x EBITDA. The Louisiana petrochemical/LNG specialty premium is the highest-leverage positioning move available.

Mistake 4: ignoring multiemployer pension withdrawal liability for industrial union shops. Louisiana IBEW Local 130 (NOLA) and Local 995 (Baton Rouge) industrial shops can face withdrawal liability of $500K-$8M+. The Section 4204 sale-of-assets exception requires careful structuring with ERISA counsel 12+ months pre-sale. Sellers who don’t engage ERISA counsel lose 1-2x EBITDA in either escrow holdbacks or buyer walk-aways.

Mistake 5: not documenting hurricane-restoration project history and FEMA compliance. FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP-funded hurricane-restoration project history is a real diligence positive when documented properly with federal Davis-Bacon certified payroll, but a real diligence negative when sloppy. Audit hurricane-restoration project compliance 12+ months pre-sale; document any pending FEMA reimbursement claims or audits.

Mistake 6: assuming Louisiana state tax kills the deal. Louisiana 4.25% flat tax is real (~$200K-$400K differential on a $5M deal versus Texas/Florida/Tennessee) but petrochemical/LNG specialty premiums for Louisiana industrial electrical typically offset the entire differential. Don’t price your business on Texas comparable multiples; price it based on Louisiana petrochemical/LNG specialty buyer activity.

Mistake 7: running a generic Louisiana broker auction. Generic Louisiana business brokers don’t have relationships with Bernhard Capital, IES Holdings, MYR Group, EMCOR, APi Group, Wynnchurch, or Incline Equity. A targeted, relationship-led process to the Gulf South PE and public-strategic buyer pool consistently produces 1-2x EBITDA more than generic auction processes, particularly for industrial specialty operators.

Sell Your Electrical Business in Louisiana: 2026 Outlook and Key Takeaways

Selling an electrical business in Louisiana in 2026 is one of the most industrially specialized electrical M&A markets in the country, with strong petrochemical, LNG, and refinery industrial demand, hurricane-restoration recurring revenue, and a 4.25% flat tax that’s easily offset by industrial specialty premiums. LSLBC EL classification qualifying-party succession is the deal blocker most owners underestimate, address it 18+ months in advance. Parish-level master electrician licensure (Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge) requires documentation. Multiemployer pension exposure for IBEW Local 130 / 995 industrial union shops requires ERISA counsel 12+ months pre-sale. Hurricane-restoration FEMA / Stafford Act compliance requires audit. Realistic 2026 multiples: 2-3.5x SDE for sub-$1M residential service; 5.0-6.5x EBITDA for $1M-$3M commercial; 6.5-8.5x EBITDA for petrochemical and refinery industrial specialists; 7.0-9.0x EBITDA for hyperscale LNG specialists. Of our 76+ buyers, 13 actively bid on Louisiana electrical contracting in 2024-2026. We’re a buy-side partner, the buyers pay us, not you, no contract required.

Sell Your Electrical Business in Louisiana: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is my electrical business in Louisiana worth?

Sub-$1M revenue residential service: 0.4-0.7x revenue or 2-3x SDE. $1M-$3M revenue residential/commercial: 0.5-1.0x revenue or 3-4.5x SDE. $3M-$10M revenue / $500K-$2M EBITDA commercial/industrial: 5.0-6.5x EBITDA. $10M-$30M revenue / $2M-$5M EBITDA industrial: 6.5-8.5x EBITDA. $30M+ revenue with petrochemical or LNG specialty: 7.0-9.0x EBITDA. Mississippi River corridor petrochemical and Lake Charles LNG specialty positioning commands the highest premium.

How does LSLBC EL classification license transfer in a Louisiana electrical business sale?

The LSLBC commercial contractor license stays with the entity in a stock sale (subject to LSLBC notification of ownership change). In an asset sale, the buyer’s entity must obtain its own LSLBC commercial contractor license with EL classification, which requires its own qualifying party who has passed the EL trade exam (administered by PSI as of August 2025) plus the business/law exam. If you’re the only qualifying party, the buyer must designate an existing employee, hire a qualifying party, or have you remain for 6-24 months. Address 18-24 months pre-sale.

What about parish-level master electrician licensure in New Orleans, Jefferson, and East Baton Rouge?

Several Louisiana parishes maintain master electrician licensure separate from LSLBC: Orleans Parish (City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits), Jefferson Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and Caddo Parish. Buyers diligence both LSLBC commercial contractor licensure AND parish-level master electrician licensure for the operating geography. Document parish-level licensure 12+ months pre-sale.

Why are Louisiana petrochemical and LNG electrical multiples so high?

The Mississippi River corridor (Baton Rouge to New Orleans) hosts more than 150 petrochemical and refining facilities, ExxonMobil, Shell, Marathon, Valero, Dow, Shintech, BASF, Methanex, Nucor. Lake Charles cluster: Sasol, LyondellBasell, Citgo, Phillips 66. Gulf Coast LNG export: Cheniere Sabine Pass, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines, Sempra Cameron LNG. The structural pipeline through 2030+ drives premium multiples (6.5-9.0x EBITDA) from public strategics, Bernhard Capital, and dedicated industrial-services PE platforms.

Who actually buys Louisiana electrical contractors in 2026?

Five archetypes: public strategic acquirers (IES Holdings NYSE: IESC, MYR Group NYSE: MYRG, EMCOR Group NYSE: EME, Comfort Systems USA NYSE: FIX, APi Group NYSE: APG); Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ, the most active Louisiana acquirer); PE-backed Gulf South consolidators (Wynnchurch, Incline Equity, Riverside, regional rollups); search funders pursuing $500K-$2.5M EBITDA NOLA/Baton Rouge commercial; SBA 7(a)-financed individuals (residential service). Of our 76+ buyers, 13 actively bid on Louisiana electrical contracting in 2024-2026.

What about IBEW Local 130 and Local 995 union dynamics in Louisiana?

Louisiana is right-to-work (LA R.S. 23:983). Most residential and commercial contractors are merit-shop. IBEW penetration is concentrated in industrial work: Local 130 (New Orleans, chartered 1900), Local 995 (Baton Rouge and Mississippi River chemical corridor, partners with Baton Rouge NECA), Local 861 (Lake Charles), Local 446 (Monroe). Industrial union shops face National Electrical Benefit Fund withdrawal liability under ERISA Section 4203 on sale, typically $500K-$8M+ for petrochemical/LNG specialists. Section 4204 sale-of-assets exception requires careful structuring with ERISA counsel.

How does hurricane restoration work into Louisiana electrical M&A?

Hurricane Katrina (2005), Gustav (2008), Isaac (2012), Laura (2020), Delta (2020), Ida (2021), and Francine (2024) have all driven multi-year electrical restoration work. Resilience hardening (above-ground to underground, generator and microgrid installation, hospital and critical-facility hardening) creates recurring contract opportunities through 2030. FEMA / Stafford Act / GOHSEP-funded project history with documented federal Davis-Bacon compliance is a real diligence positive.

What about Louisiana state tax on a business sale?

Louisiana’s post-2025 flat tax sets the top marginal rate at 4.25% (replacing prior tiered structure). On a $5M gain, Louisiana sellers keep $400K-$650K more than California sellers but $200K less than Texas/Florida/Tennessee sellers. Petrochemical/LNG specialty premiums typically offset the state-tax differential entirely. Louisiana’s corporate franchise tax is also being phased out effective 2026.

What’s the difference between residential, commercial, petrochemical, LNG, refinery, and T&D Louisiana electrical multiples?

Residential service: 3-4.5x SDE owner-op / 4.5-6x EBITDA platform. Commercial: 5.0-6.5x EBITDA. Petrochemical industrial: 6.5-8.5x EBITDA. LNG export terminal: 7.0-9.0x EBITDA (the highest). Refinery turnaround: 6.5-8.5x EBITDA. Hurricane restoration: 5.5-7.0x EBITDA. T&D / utility: 6.0-8.0x EBITDA. Petrochemical/LNG specialty positioning is the highest-leverage decision in Louisiana electrical M&A.

How long does it take to sell an electrical business in Louisiana?

Sub-$1M EBITDA: 8-12 months from launch to close. $1M+ EBITDA platform or strategic deals: 10-14 months. Louisiana timelines run 1 month longer than Texas or Tennessee because of regulatory diligence complexity (LSLBC + parish licensing, multiemployer pension for industrial union shops, FEMA-hurricane warranty exposure). Add 18-24 months on the front for proper preparation if your books, LSLBC licensing, and customer documentation aren’t already buyer-ready.

Should I sell my Louisiana electrical business to a public strategic, Bernhard Capital, or another PE rollup?

Public strategic acquirers (IES, MYR, EMCOR, Comfort Systems, APi) typically pay 6.0-8.5x EBITDA, mostly cash. Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ) pays 6.0-8.0x EBITDA with cash + 20-35% rollover + earnout, and has explicit petrochemical / LNG focus. Other PE rollups (Wynnchurch, Incline Equity, Riverside) pay 5.5-7.0x EBITDA with cash + 10-25% rollover + earnout. Right answer depends on whether you want clean exit, segment-aligned rollover with Bernhard’s petrochemical platform, or rollover upside with a different PE platform build.

What recurring revenue or service mix do Louisiana electrical buyers want?

30%+ recurring service revenue is the threshold where multiples step up by 0.5-1.0x EBITDA. Recurring revenue includes petrochemical facility MSAs (ExxonMobil, Shell, Marathon, Valero, Dow, Shintech), refinery turnaround retainer relationships, LNG terminal service contracts (Cheniere, Venture Global, Sempra), Entergy / Cleco T&D MSA work, hospital and critical-facility resilience-hardening contracts, and FEMA / GOHSEP hurricane-response retainer relationships. Project-only contractors trade 1-2x EBITDA below recurring-revenue contractors.

How is CT Acquisitions different from a Louisiana electrical broker or M&A advisor?

We’re a buy-side partner, not a sell-side broker. Sell-side brokers represent you and charge you 8-12% of the deal plus monthly retainers, run a 9-12 month auction, and require 12-month exclusivity. We work directly with 76+ buyers, including 13 with active Louisiana electrical mandates: IES Holdings (NYSE: IESC), MYR Group (NYSE: MYRG), EMCOR Group (NYSE: EME), Comfort Systems USA (NYSE: FIX), APi Group (NYSE: APG), Bernhard Capital Partners (Baton Rouge HQ), Wynnchurch Capital, Incline Equity Partners, Riverside Company, plus 4 regional Gulf South rollups, who pay us when a deal closes. You pay nothing. No retainer, no exclusivity, no contract until a buyer is at the closing table. We move faster (60-120 days from intro to close at the right tier) because we already know who the right buyer is.

Sources & References

All claims and figures in this analysis are sourced from the publicly available references below.

1. https://lslbc.louisiana.gov/
2. https://lslbc.gov/classifications_list/electrical/
3. https://revenue.louisiana.gov/
4. https://investors.ies-co.com/
5. https://investors.emcor.net/
6. https://www.bernhardcapital.com/
7. https://ibewlu130.com/
8. https://lu995.com/
9. https://www.pbgc.gov/prac/multiemployer
10. Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors
11. Louisiana Department of Revenue
12. Louisiana Census QuickFacts