Capital continues to fuel green industry growth

By The Coffee Shops™. 

Even with ongoing economic and regulatory pressures, outdoor professionals continue to push forward and grow. 

When the green industry entered 2026, investors, strategic buyers and private equity firms were all moving forward and active in mergers and acquisitions, despite outside pressures. To learn how this has helped businesses thrive and reach their goals, Jeffrey Harkness of 3PG Advisors shared his thoughts with Lawn and Landscape. 

He opened the conversation by discussing the trend of investors moving “downstream” (pursuing companies that historically may have been considered too small for institutional capital). Another key thing he highlighted was the growth in both the residential and commercial sectors. In his words:  

The industry continues to demonstrate stability and growth despite pressure on compliant labor practices, public-driven comps and organic growth requirements. Demand remains strong for residential, “technician-driven” service businesses including turf care, tree care, irrigation, lighting and pest control. The commercial landscape sector has attracted significant new platform investments across broad geographies. 

Jeffery's report also pointed to several trends shaping deal activity: 

1. Investors are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their analysis of potential acquisitions, placing greater emphasis on proven value-creation strategies and operational excellence.  
2. Geographic factors continue to influence acquisitions, with coastal regions, the South, the Southwest and growing urban corridors drawing significant attention, while activity remains strong across the Midwest, Northeast, West Coast and Pacific Northwest. 
3. Economic and regulatory considerations remain important. Labor compliance, immigration enforcement, energy prices and broader political uncertainty are among the factors investors are closely monitoring. 
4. Predictable revenue streams and recurring customer relationships common throughout the green industry continue to make the sector an appealing destination for investment capital. 

Based on these trends, Jeffery concluded that companies focused on leadership development, organic growth, retention and acquisition strategies will be best positioned to create long-term enterprise value as the industry moves through another active year of consolidation and growth. 

Check out Lawn & Landscape's full  2026 Top 100 list to see how companies are using Jeffery's insights to build success.