SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · LOUISIANA
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS franchise in Louisiana: what the public record shows
Franchisees of MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS in Louisiana have taken 10 SBA loans since 1991 (average $82,980)— 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 33 franchised outlets in Louisiana (fiscal 2025) — about 0.72 per 100k residents.
Loans in LA
10
Resolved
7
Local charge-off
thin
National charge-off
19.3%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = LA. 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 | 37 | 0 |
| 2024 | 37 | 0 |
| 2025 | 33 | 0 |
| System | Loans in LA | Local charge-off | Units in LA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | 97 | 7.5% | 378 |
| DAIRY QUEEN | 15 | 30.0% | — |
| Firehouse Subs | 13 | thin | 13 |
| Matco Tools | 13 | 38.5% | — |
| HOTWORX | 12 | thin | 25 |
| EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS | 8 | thin | 7 |
| MASSAGE ENVY | 7 | thin | 13 |
| PRECISION TUNE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT | 7 | thin | 5 |
| Budget Blinds | 6 | thin | — |
| Fastsigns | 6 | thin | — |
| JANI-KING | 6 | thin | 333 |
| Wyndham | 5 | thin | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS compares to the systems a buyer in Louisiana 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 →