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Acquisition Calculator

Deal Viability Calculator

Will the cash flow cover the debt? Slide the inputs to model an SBA-financed acquisition over its 10-year amortization. The chart shows cash flow after debt service per year; the verdict pill calls out whether a lender will approve and whether you'll have buffer for surprises.

Deal Viability Calculator · RestaurantDefaults from Restaurant typicals ·

Will the cash flow cover the debt?

$350,000
$100,000$1,500,000
2.80× SDE
1.50× SDE5.00× SDE
20%
10%30%
11.5%
9.0%14.0%
$90,000
$70,000$150,000
Annual cash flow after debt service
$127,728 / yr
Purchase: $980K · SBA loan: $784K · Annual debt service: $132K
StrongYear-1 DSCR is 1.97× — comfortable buffer for surprises and reinvestment.

How this works

The math is standard SBA 7(a) acquisition modeling. We compute the purchase price as SDE × multiple, the loan amount as purchase price minus down payment, and the level-payment monthly amortization at the chosen rate over a 10-year term — the SBA's standard term for goodwill-heavy acquisitions where no real estate is included.

The verdict pill is driven by the year-1 DSCR (the ratio of cash available for debt service to the actual annual debt service). The thresholds match SBA convention: 1.15× is the floor most SBA-preferred lenders enforce, 1.25× is what conservative banks want to see, and 1.50× and up is comfortable buffer territory. The shaded bands on the chart correspond to those thresholds.

Down payment is bounded at 10% — the minimum equity injection required by SOP 50 10 8 (effective June 1, 2025). Rates are bounded at the realistic 2026 range; the SBA caps variable-rate 7(a) loans at Prime + 3.0%.

What this calculator doesn't model

  • SBA guarantee fee. Typically 2–3.5% on the guaranteed portion of loans over $500K, financed into the loan. Materially affects total cost but not first-year DSCR.
  • Working capital. A real deal needs cash at close for working capital, deal costs, and a runway buffer beyond the down payment.
  • Variable rates. Most 7(a) loans float with Prime. We treat the slider rate as fixed for projection purposes — slide up to model what happens if rates rise.
  • Seller note effects. Seller financing on full standby can count toward up to half the equity injection. Model it separately with the Seller Note Builder.
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