$7.71B
FY2025 7(a) acquisition approvals
Official Business Doctor research
SBA Business Acquisition Lending Report 2026
Official 7(a) and 504 change-of-ownership approval activity across six fiscal years, with the incomplete FY2026 period clearly separated from completed years.
Data through August 31, 2026. FY2026 is year-to-date.
6,627
FY2025 approvals
25.8%
FY2026 YTD share of 7(a) dollars
Executive finding
Acquisition lending is a measurable part of the 7(a) portfolio.
SBA's current activity workbook identifies $7.71B across 6,627 7(a) change-of-ownership approvals in FY2025. Through August 31, 2026, the segment accounted for $7.04B across 5,908 approvals.
FY2026 has one month remaining in the federal fiscal year. These totals cannot be compared with a completed year as if the periods were equal.
Program detail
7(a) change-of-ownership activity
| Period | Approval dollars | Approvals | Dollar share | Count share | Average approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY21 | $6.14B | 5,568 | 21% | 12.8% | $1,103,581 |
| FY22 | $5.08B | 4,466 | 22.2% | 10.4% | $1,136,366 |
| FY23 | $4.70B | 4,331 | 20% | 8.7% | $1,085,728 |
| FY24 | $5.87B | 5,348 | 21.4% | 8.5% | $1,097,303 |
| FY25 | $7.71B | 6,627 | 23.6% | 9.3% | $1,163,328 |
| FY26 YTD | $7.04B | 5,908 | 25.8% | 11.9% | $1,190,903 |
The average approval increased from $1,103,581 in FY2021 to $1,163,328 in FY2025. This arithmetic average is not a borrower's purchase price, valuation, or expected cost.
504 change-of-ownership activity
| Period | Approval dollars | Approvals | Dollar share | Count share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY21 | $150M | 164 | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| FY22 | $203M | 192 | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| FY23 | $235M | 221 | 4.1% | 4.1% |
| FY24 | $286M | 203 | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| FY25 | $364M | 227 | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| FY26 YTD | $281M | 155 | 4.3% | 2.8% |
The 504 segment is materially smaller in the reported change-of-ownership data. The programs have different structures and eligible uses, so the table does not establish that one program fits a particular acquisition.
Methodology
Reproducible from the SBA workbook
- Source row:
Business Age - Change of Ownership - Measures: approval dollars, counts, shares, and calculated average approval
- Periods: full FY2021 through FY2025; FY2026 YTD through August 31
- Dollar values are nominal and not adjusted for inflation
- The downloadable JSON and CSV preserve the source precision
Limits and governing version
Use the data without overstating it
SBA says this information is derived from participating-lender records and applicant-supplied information, including voluntary fields. SBA does not represent that it is complete or accurate. This report adds no estimate for missing records.
SBA lists SOP 50 10 version 8 as effective June 1, 2025 and version 8.1 as effective October 1, 2026. Confirm the governing requirements and the lender's own policy for a current application.
Review SBA's current SOP pageResults vary. Nothing here is financial, legal, or tax advice. Confirm current program requirements, lender policy, and transaction facts with qualified professionals.