Sector IntelligenceBern

VALUATION DIAGNOSTIC
Printing & Graphic Arts

Specific market analysis for Printing & Graphic Arts companies based in Bern.

Pro-Forma Valuation

Market demand in Bern for Printing & Graphic Arts assets remains strong.

KEY DRIVER

"Digital displacement, packaging/label pivot opportunity, many owners seeking exit valuations."

Local Multiples (Est.)

2.5 - 3.5x Statutory

Valuation Impact by Size (DACH 2025)

Size BucketMultiple RangeImpact
Micro (< CHF 1M EBITDA)1.5x - 2.0x-33.3%
Small (CHF 1M - 2M EBITDA)2.1x - 2.8x-6.7%
Transition (CHF 2M - 5M EBITDA)2.5x - 3.4x+11.1%
Lower Mid-Market (CHF 5M - 10M EBITDA)3.5x - 4.7x+33.3%
Mid-Market (> CHF 10M EBITDA)4.4x - 6.0x+66.7%

Source: NIMBO, Dealsuite, KPMG, SECA, Practitioner Interviews // Niche Baseline: 3x

Printing & Graphic Arts Market in Bern

Bern — known for a strong industrial base, leading MedTech infrastructure — represents a significant market for Printing & Graphic Arts companies in Switzerland. The local business environment is shaped by the canton's economic profile, offering distinct opportunities for both buyers and sellers in this niche.

Current EBITDA multiples for Printing & Graphic Arts businesses range from 2.5 - 3.5x (statutory) to 3.0 - 5.0x (deal), reflecting a limited arbitrage opportunity. The sector trend is Declining, driven by: Digital displacement, packaging/label pivot opportunity, many owners seeking exit valuations. This positions Bern as a notable market within the broader Industrial & Manufacturing sector.

BernEconomy Snapshot

Corporate Tax 2026
20.54%
Rank 26/26
Enterprises 2024
70,948
99.7% SMEs
Unemployment
2.2%
SECO, Aug. 2026
Median Wage
CHF 6,964
/month, Espace Mittelland 2024
Board Paralysis Risk
14.0%
of audited companies

Why Printing & Graphic Arts in Bern?

In Bern, the Textiles, wood, paper & printing sector had 1,580 workplaces and 9,639 jobs in 2024, 1.4% of all jobs in the canton (1.1× its share in Switzerland). Source: BFS STATENT.

  • Seat of the federal government: public administration provides 6.9% of jobs, the highest share of any canton
  • Headquarters of SBB, Swiss Post and Swisscom, and of the Insel Gruppe university hospital group
  • Life-science and food manufacturing with CSL Behring in Bern, Ypsomed in Burgdorf and Wander in Neuenegg

Tax Impact on Valuation

Bern's maximum effective corporate tax rate is 20.54% in 2026 (KPMG), rank 26 of 26 cantons, where 1 is the lowest. A company there keeps CHF 79.46 of every CHF 100 of pre-tax profit, which feeds directly into the after-tax cash flows a Printing & Graphic Arts buyer pays for.

FAQ: Printing & Graphic Arts in Bern

How many Printing & Graphic Arts companies are in Bern?

According to BFS STATENT 2024, Bern had 1,580 workplaces in the Textiles, wood, paper & printing sector, employing 9,639 people (1.4% of all jobs in the canton).

What is the corporate tax rate in Bern?

KPMG's Clarity on Swiss Taxes 2026 puts the maximum effective corporate income tax rate in Bern (federal, cantonal and communal taxes combined) at 20.54% (2025: 20.54%): the highest of the 26 cantons (Swiss average: 14.43%). The maximum income tax rate for a single person, including federal tax, is 40.85%: rank 23 of 26, counting from the lowest rate (average: 33.04%). Bern applies a three-tier rate, with lower rates on profits up to at least CHF 66,800.

What are Printing & Graphic Arts valuation multiples in Bern?

Current statutory EBITDA multiples for Printing & Graphic Arts range from 2.5 - 3.5x. Deal-based multiples are 3.0 - 5.0x. These are influenced by Bern's tax environment and local market conditions.

What is the business succession outlook in Bern?

ValIndex's national board-paralysis study (June 2026) covers 1,819 audited companies registered in Bern. For 255 of them (14.0%), no one would be left able to sign for the company if the principal signatory died: the 7th-lowest share of the 26 cantons (Switzerland: 32%). Of 1,637 substantive GmbHs with a registered seat in Bern, 55.6% belong to a single person (the 8th-lowest share of the 26 cantons; Switzerland: 55.5%), according to ValIndex's July 2026 ownership study.

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