THE SHORT ANSWER
Value a contracted-delivery business using supported continuing earnings, actual provider rights, fleet ownership/condition and permanent staffing costs. Separate achieved settlements from future volumes and proposed approvals. No universal FedEx or Amazon DSP multiple is substantiated here. A route count, branded fleet and weekly/monthly payment history do not independently establish transferable income or company price.
Match actual program, earnings and assets
FedEx’s FAQ distinguishes pickup/delivery from linehaul service-provider operations.
(FedEx BuildAGroundBiz: service-provider relationship and responsibilities)Amazon’s June 2026 DSP overview describes a full-time owner-operator managing delivery and employees.
(Amazon Business: DSP owner-operator overview (June 2026))These are separate program descriptions, not comparable sale data or proposed ownership approvals. Establish actual contract/entity scope, provider conditions, fleet rights and owner responsibilities. Do not apply a generic courier, trucking or one-program multiple to another without matched evidence.
SBA describes income, market and asset valuation approaches.
(SBA: closing or selling a business)Seek actual completed comparable evidence matched for work type, earnings definition, contract rights, fleet ownership/leases, permanent management and included obligations. Define whether price includes equipment and working capital. Missing matched sale evidence is separate from a substantiated sector average.
Test a defined completed-service group
Reconcile actual earned settlements, adjustments, deductions, credits, service records and collections with the accountant. This hypothetical example assumes one defined completed-service group after credits and three distinct costs not already deducted.
| Hypothetical completed delivery services | Assumed amount | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Collected completed-service fees after credits | 40,000 dollars | Defined group only |
| Driver labor | 20,000 dollars | Distinct stated cost |
| Fuel | 5,000 dollars | Separate stated amount |
| Maintenance services | 3,000 dollars | Not included in fuel or labor |
| After specified costs | 40,000 − 20,000 − 5,000 − 3,000 = 12,000 dollars | Before other operating costs |
The 12,000-dollar remainder follows 28,000 dollars of specified costs. Benefits/payroll burden, relief/overtime, dispatch, management, insurance, vehicle leases/replacement, premises, administration, other expenses, financing and taxes are excluded. It is not SDE, annual profit, an industry margin, company value or a client result.
Include permanent coverage and real fleet costs
Use the earnings reconciliation for full continuing driver, relief, dispatch, management, recruiting, fuel, insurance, maintenance, equipment lease, premises and administration costs. Map actual seller responsibilities and qualified permanent replacement through the coverage worksheet. Required labor, fleet spending and recurring insurance are separate from unsupported owner or one-time add-backs.
Have qualified professionals assess fleet condition, maintenance backlog, lease/title/lien conditions and necessary replacement investment. Current maintenance expense is separate from all future capital needs. Reconcile actual permanent service capacity and seasonal/peak workload; a strong short period does not establish a cost-free sustainable annual run rate.
Keep rights and funded duties in the price scope
Review actual provider agreement, term, compensation, termination, assignment/change-of-control and proposed-operator conditions through the consent register. Obtain direct responsible-provider confirmation rather than capitalizing assumed future assignments or guaranteed volumes. Equipment ownership and contract rights need separate evidence.
Allocate earned unsettled amounts, adjustments, claims, payroll, fuel/vendor bills, equipment leases and remaining services through the delivery guide. Compare supported continuing earnings, actual included assets, required fleet/operating investment and funded duties. Avoid adding equipment, debt or working-capital items twice in inconsistent price bridges. Historical settlements and a signed offer are separate from accepted provider conditions.
Owner questions
Which route multiple is verified here?
No universal FedEx/Amazon DSP range is substantiated; obtain actual matched completed evidence with defined program, earnings, fleet and rights scope.
Is the 12,000-dollar example annual profit?
It is only the balance after three assumed costs, before payroll burden, dispatch, insurance, vehicle costs and other expenses.
Can all fleet value be added to an earnings price?
Define actual included assets, leases/liens and comparable price scope; avoid double counting equipment or obligations.
Sources and review scope
Source review completed . The sources below support the identified concepts or rules; they do not validate hypothetical amounts or a valuation of your business.
- FedEx BuildAGroundBiz: service-provider relationship and responsibilities
Actual complete operative11–82 read October10,2026. Independent service-provider businesses and separate pickup/delivery versus linehaul duties, employer/equipment responsibilities, and provider not party to business-sale discussions. Brief role/context only. No proposed acquisition/assignment approval, guaranteed service area, current individual contract, operational compliance or financing eligibility inferred; linked standards and agreements not read.
- Amazon Business: DSP owner-operator overview (June 2026)
Actual complete operative browserAX29–149 read October10,2026 after automated403. June15,2026 startup overview; used only for full-time owner-operator/day-to-day operations/employee-management role. Not FedEx equivalent, franchise, passive-income guarantee or acquisition/ownership-transfer approval. Marketing revenue/profit potential, payment descriptions, minimum startup assets, partner counts and application timing not used. Linked financialnotes/fullFAQ not read.
- SBA: closing or selling a business
Valuation approaches, sale agreements, assets and ownership transfer.
Confirm tax, legal, accounting and lending applications with the relevant professionals. Historical market observations describe the stated period and reported sample.
This is educational material. Industry figures and program rules can change; check the original sources and your advisors before applying them to a transaction. Calculator scenarios are not appraisals, lending decisions, or offers.
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