More Business Owners Eager to Become Business Sellers

With the record number of mergers and acquisitions, more entrepreneurs are eager to sell their businesses in hopes of reaping larger profits, according to a recent poll by Geneva Cos. the Irvine-based mergers and acquisitions firm.

Its annual survey of more than 4,500 private business owners found that, for Orange County businesses:

* Slightly more than half plan to begin selling their company within the next year, outpacing the national average of 40%.

* Nearly two-thirds were under age 50 and about 75% founded their own business, outranking the national average.

Low interest rates and a raging bull market have helped produce the best conditions for selling in at least 10 years, Geneva reported.

Companies whose owners are most interested in selling are in distribution, manufacturing, communications and retail services.

Daryl Strickland covers tourism and small and minority business issues for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5670 and at daryl.strickland@latimes.com