FRANCHISE·WATCH·DESK

FDD ITEM 20 · FISCAL 2020–2025

Ace Hardware Item 20: outlets, closures & growth

In its latest FDD Item 20 (fiscal 2025), Ace Hardware reported 4,982 franchised outlets at year end. 71 of 4,885 franchised outlets open at the start of the year left the system — an annualized exit rate of 1.5%— while 173 new outlets opened. Systemwide units moved +524900.0% over 2020–2025.

Item 20 · outlet status by yearas filed
Status (FTC)202020212022202320242025
Outlets at start1114,8674,9945,144
Opened000190210173
Transfers000105112105
Terminations000756571
Non-renewals000000
Reacquired by franchisor0001195
Ceased — other reasons000000
Outlets at end1114,9945,1445,250
Net change000+127+150+106
How the exit count is computedfiscal 2025

71 terminations + 0 non-renewals + 0 ceased (other) = 71 exits ÷ 4,885 at start = 1.5%

These are the three FTC Item 20 statuses in which a franchisee involuntarily or terminally leaves the system. Transfers (105) are resales, not exits; reacquisitions by the franchisor (5) are tracked separately. There is no official “failure rate” — this annualized exit rate is the disclosed, measurable floor.

The Ace Hardware validation checklist

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