Queensland’s mid-market dealmaking is defying broader headwinds, with new data showing a record $11.1 billion in disclosed transaction value during the first half of 2026 — and one regional brokerage says the competition for quality assets has never been fiercer.
Buyers remain active for well-run Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses, especially in construction, manufacturing, industrial and infrastructure sectors.
BRISBANE, NSW, AUSTRALIA, October 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The appetite for well-run enterprises on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane shows no sign of cooling, according to mid-market business brokerage Morgan Business Sales. The firm reports that construction, manufacturing, industrial and infrastructure-linked businesses are drawing the heaviest interest across South East Queensland.
This local trend mirrors what’s happening at the broader state level. Pitcher Partners’ Deal Pulse: Queensland M&A 2026 mid-year update recorded 120 announced transactions in Queensland during the first half of 2026 — outpacing the region’s two-year average — alongside a record $11.1 billion in disclosed deal value. Industrials and chemicals posted their strongest opening six months in seven years, buoyed by demand for scaled industrial capability, while consumer deal activity hit its highest first-half mark since 2022, led by automotive retail and food-related businesses. The report characterised mid-market activity as resilient and broad-based, with capital flowing into infrastructure, resources and industrials as the year progresses.
Recent transactions closed by Morgan Business Sales in South East Queensland echo those findings. The firm’s completed deals include a construction services business and a precast concrete manufacturer on the Gold Coast, a commercial flooring business, a security services provider and a long-established powder and industrial coating business in Brisbane, plus manufacturing, cabinet making, building repairs, plumbing supply, freight and logistics, and wholesale and distribution businesses scattered across the region.
“What buyers want is scale, a loyal customer base, and a management team capable of running the operation beyond the founder,” said Dru Morgan, Director of Morgan Business Sales. “South East Queensland’s infrastructure, construction and population growth gives buyers confidence in businesses that service those markets, and well-prepared Gold Coast and Brisbane businesses are attracting strong competition from buyers.”
Overseas interest is also intensifying. Pitcher Partners’ Deal Pulse report for 2025 showed international acquirers completed 67 Queensland acquisitions during that year — the highest tally in the report’s 12-year history.
Still, the market isn’t without friction. Deloitte’s Queensland Index for the June 2026 quarter flagged inflation, interest rates and new ACCC merger reforms as pressures on deal activity, and buyers remain selective when it comes to price and quality.
“Quality is what sells,” Dru Morgan said. “Businesses with clean financials, documented systems and recurring or contracted revenue are the ones achieving the strongest outcomes. Gold Coast and Brisbane owners thinking about a sale in the next few years benefit from understanding what buyers value well before going to market, so there is time to strengthen the business and the sale price.”
The firm currently has several South East Queensland businesses on the market, including an industrial electrical and water infrastructure services business, a technology-enabled building certification firm, a powder coating business and a Gold Coast food manufacturer.
Morgan Business Sales also celebrated internal achievements at its 2026 national conference, held in August at Twin Towns, Tweed Heads. Brendan Morgan was named the firm’s 2026 National Broker of the Year and Queensland Broker of the Year. Belinda Packer received the Networker of the Year award and was jointly named Team Player of the Year, Mick Hase was recognised as Breakthrough Performer, and Steve Blaby received the Innovation Award. Blaby was previously named the Australian Institute of Business Brokers’ National Rising Star Business Broker of the Year in 2020.
The firm maintains offices in Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast and Milton in Brisbane, with additional Queensland locations on the Sunshine Coast and in Rockhampton, Mackay and Hervey Bay.
Gold Coast and Brisbane business owners can find more information at https://morganbusinesssales.com/business-brokers-gold-coast/ and https://morganbusinesssales.com/business-brokers-brisbane/
About Morgan Business Sales
Morgan Business Sales specialises in the confidential sale of mid-market businesses valued between two million and fifty million dollars, and has facilitated more than 1,000 business sales nationwide. The firm provides services spanning business valuation, prospectus preparation, buyer engagement, negotiation, due diligence and settlement, with offices across Australia.
Why it matters: With record deal values and surging international interest, Queensland’s mid-market M&A scene is becoming a key barometer for the broader Australian economy. For business owners considering an exit, the current window — marked by strong buyer competition and premium prices for well-prepared firms — may not stay open indefinitely, especially with regulatory reforms and interest rate pressures looming.
Dru Morgan
Morgan Business Sales
+61 1300 577 297
support@morganbusinesssales.com
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