FRANCHISE·WATCH·DESK

SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · TENNESSEE

PRIMROSE SCHOOLS franchise in Tennessee: what the public record shows

Franchisees of PRIMROSE SCHOOLS in Tennessee have taken 15 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $1,890,913). Fewer than 30 of them were approved through FY2020 and have resolved, so no local loss ratio is published. PRIMROSE SCHOOLS's national ratio is 0.1×. Its latest FDD Item 20 state table reports 19 franchised outlets in Tennessee (fiscal 2025) — about 0.26 per 100k residents.

SBA loan outcomes · Tennesseevs same-year franchise loans

Loans in TN

15

Charged off (all years)

0 of 9

Loss ratio in TN

—

Loss ratio nationally

0.1×

Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = TN. Loss ratio = charge-offs among loans approved through FY2020 ÷ the charge-offs expected if each had defaulted at the national rate for franchise loans approved the same year; 1.0× is the same. Only charged-off and paid-in-full loans count. A ratio is shown at 30+ such loans; “not clear” marks a ratio chance alone could produce. The all-years count mixes every era and is evidence, not a rate to compare. Borrowers are matched to the brand by name and SBA franchise code; some matches may be wrong or missing.

Market density · Tennessee vs nationalThin market

Businesses in this industry

1,320

statewide, all operators

Per 100k residents

18.3

national 26.5

Versus the country

-31%

thinner

Every business in PRIMROSE SCHOOLS's industry operating in Tennessee — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across the brand-state cells in the loan data, denser markets have historically charged off less often than the thinnest (see the research page). A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.

Labor cost · Tennessee vs nationalTypical wages

Avg weekly wage, this industry

$577

Tennessee, BLS QCEW 2025

National average

$645

same industry, all states

Versus the country

-11%

cheaper to staff

What PRIMROSE SCHOOLS's industry actually pays workers in Tennessee, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2025), employment-weighted across counties. This cost signal is independent of the FDD: a market can look demand-rich above and still carry a margin headwind here if local wages run hot for the sector.

Franchised outlets in Tennessee · FDD Item 20+3 over the disclosed window
Fiscal yearFranchisedCompany-owned
2023160
2024170
2025190
Same-sector systems with SBA loan history in Tennessee4 systems
SystemLoans in TNCharged off (all years)Loss ratio in TNUnits in TN
Kiddie Academy110 of 4——
The Goddard School80 of 5——
Huntington Learning Center50 of 5——
The Learning Experience50 of 3——

Other systems in PRIMROSE SCHOOLS's sector whose franchisees borrowed in Tennessee. A loss ratio appears only where at least 30 loans approved through FY2020 have resolved; “—” means too few.

Before you sign anythingfree · 30 min · no commission

A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing PRIMROSE SCHOOLS’ numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.

Don Drummond, CPA — Virginia #43775 · what I charge

Book a free 30-minute call →