AB
SBA 7(a) franchise lending portfolio
Ameris Bank
AVERAGE risk
- Total loans
- 612
- Loan volume
- $438.0M
- Avg loan size
- $716K
- Charge-off rate
- 10.9%
- vs 15.4% national avg
Defaults
54
Avg interest
6.20%
Franchises funded
317
Risk rating
AVERAGE
Top franchise exposures
| Franchise | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marco's Pizza | 23 | $8.0M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Smoothie King | 21 | $5.3M | 16.7% (high risk) |
| Jimmy John's | 18 | $7.2M | 11.8% (elevated risk) |
| Dunkin Donuts | 10 | $5.0M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Firehouse Subs | 9 | $2.0M | 12.5% (elevated risk) |
| The UPS Store (f/k/a Mail Box | 8 | $2.2M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| The UPS Store | 8 | $2.3M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Smash My Trash | 8 | $3.9M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Jake's Wayback Burgers | 7 | $2.4M | 16.7% (high risk) |
| School of Rock | 7 | $3.5M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Camp Bow Wow | 6 | $3.2M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Menchie's | 6 | $1.5M | 33.3% (very high risk) |
| CycleBar | 6 | $3.9M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| D1T raining | 6 | $4.3M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Subway Sandwich Shop | 5 | $691K | 40.0% (very high risk) |
| Tropical Smoothie | 5 | $1.4M | 40.0% (very high risk) |
| Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint | 5 | $2.1M | 50.0% (very high risk) |
| Comfort/ Comfort Inn & Suites/ | 5 | $12.1M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Jersey Mike's | 5 | $2.1M | 0.0% (low risk) |
| Quality Inn/Quality Suites, Ho | 5 | $12.6M | 0.0% (low risk) |
Lending volume by year
2'92
4
7
4
4
1'97
1
1
2
5
3'03
11
9
10
7
15'08
3
2
12
26
29'13
67
80
43
31
56'18
53
34
48
17
17'23
6
2'25
Ameris Bank charge-off rate by loan vintage
BrandNational avg
Shaded area: recent vintages with few resolved loans; rates may change as loans mature.
Geographic exposure
1887.1% (moderate risk)
14815.8% (high risk)
5428.2% (very high risk)
3811.4% (elevated risk)
300.0% (low risk)
2214.3% (elevated risk)
2111.1% (elevated risk)
120.0% (low risk)
120.0% (low risk)
90.0% (low risk)
Portfolio summary
Total funded$438.0M
Defaults54 of 612
Risk tierAVERAGE
Avg rate6.20%
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level data, aggregated by FranchiseVerdict
Charge-off rate = charge-offs / (charge-offs + paid-in-full). Active, exempt, and cancelled loans are excluded. Risk ratings: Excellent (<5%), Good (5-10%), Average (10-15%), Elevated (15-20%), High Risk (>20%).
Frequently asked questions
- How many SBA 7(a) franchise loans has Ameris Bank originated?
- 612 loans totaling $438.0M. The portfolio carries a 10.9% charge-off rate, earning a “AVERAGE” risk rating.
- What is the charge-off rate and why does it matter?
- Charge-off rate = charge-offs / (charge-offs + paid-in-full). For SBA 7(a) franchise lending, the national average runs 5–8%. Portfolios materially above that signal either riskier franchise selection or weaker underwriting.
- Where does this lending data come from?
- SBA 7(a) loan records released under the Freedom of Information Act. Each record carries approval date, amount, lender, business type, NAICS code, location, and outcome. See methodology.
- Which franchise brands does Ameris Bank fund the most?
- The “Top franchise exposures” table above lists the brands Ameris Bank has the largest concentration in. Click any brand to see its full FDD-disclosed financials, growth trajectory, and SBA loan performance across all lenders.