SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · IOWA
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS franchise in Iowa: what the public record shows
Franchisees of MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS in Iowa have taken 6 SBA loans since 1991 (average $43,466)— too few resolved loans in-state to publish a local failure rate (we require a resolved cohort, never extrapolate), so the brand's national rate of 19.3% is the better guide. Its latest FDD Item 20 state table reports 13 franchised outlets in Iowa (fiscal 2025) — about 0.4 per 100k residents.
Loans in IA
6
Resolved
6
Local charge-off
thin
National charge-off
19.3%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = IA. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor of 30 loans.
| Fiscal year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 15 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 13 | 0 |
| System | Loans in IA | Local charge-off | Units in IA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | 85 | 11.8% | 242 |
| DAIRY QUEEN | 43 | 7.9% | — |
| Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop | 25 | 30.0% | — |
| HOTWORX | 17 | thin | 13 |
| Matco Tools | 16 | 26.7% | — |
| Ben Franklin Store | 12 | 30.0% | — |
| PITA PIT | 12 | 36.4% | 11 |
| Budget Blinds | 11 | thin | — |
| Radioshack | 11 | 27.3% | — |
| Firehouse Subs | 9 | thin | 5 |
| Home Instead | 9 | thin | 9 |
| Pickerman'S | 9 | thin | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS compares to the systems a buyer in Iowa would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →