Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto ServiceFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service franchise requires a total initial investment of $89K – $163K, including a $18K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: C. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 21, 2026 · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $89K – $163K
- 10th pct Automotive
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 24th pct Automotive
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 8th pct Automotive
- Units
- 7
- 8th pct Automotive
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Automotive · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Automotive avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchising since 1990. Systems this mature have refined operations and brand recognition.
Bottom line
- Total investment $89K – $163K including a $18K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict C (Average) with a risk score of 65/100.
- No Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Kennedy Franchising USA, Inc.
- Predecessor
- is Hammond Consulting
- Prior franchisor entity
- Incorporated in
- MN
- HQ
- 2225 Daniels Street, Long Lake, Minnesota 55356
- Auditor
- JOD LTD.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $339K
- vs $306K prior year
Overview
About
Kennedy Transmission franchisees operate auto service centers providing transmission repair, brake service, and general automotive maintenance. Day-to-day operations include customer vehicle diagnostics, repair execution, parts inventory management, and service scheduling in a protected territory.
- CEO
- Elizabeth A. Bidon
- Headquarters
- MN
- Founded
- 1989
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 1
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $18K | $18K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $25K | $35K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $46K | $110K |
| Total initial investment | $89K | $163K |
Source: Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service 2024 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $89K – $163K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $35K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $10K – $18K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 6.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 12.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $8K |
| Renewal fee | $9K |
| Inventory (initial) | $10K – $15K |
| Total fee load | 12.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Automotive averages
How Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 7
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +0.0%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +0.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Continuity rate
- 100.0%
- Units that stayed open
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 9 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 9
- Loan volume
- N/A
- Amount data pending
- Median loan
- N/A
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 0
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Micro-franchise system with severe lack of transparency, no financial performance data, questionable corporate stability, and no proven unit growth despite 15-year commitment structure.
Litigation (Item 3)
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Largest disclosed settlement: $17,500
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · JOD LTD.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 65 / 100 rating
- 01MEDOnly 7 units systemwide indicates extremely limited franchise network with minimal brand recognition and support infrastructure
- 02MINORNo Item 19 financial disclosures (average revenue/net income) prevents validation of $88.5K-$162.5K investment ROI claims
- 03HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE, suggesting potential financial instability or undisclosed operational challenges at corporate level
- 04MED6% royalty on undisclosed revenue baseline makes it impossible to calculate actual profitability or breakeven timeline
- 05MEDNo disclosed unit growth trajectory over historical period raises questions about market demand and franchisee retention
- 06MINOR15-year term length locks franchisees into commitment with minimal transparency on performance metrics or exit opportunities
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 15 years |
| Territory type | Radius |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 61 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 43 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Master Repair 8000 Kennedy Version
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Master Repair 8000 Kennedy Version
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service franchise?
The total investment to open a Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service franchise ranges from $89K – $163K, with an initial franchise fee of $18K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service franchise owners earn?
Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service has 7 total units in the United States, including 7 franchised units and 0 company-owned units.
Is Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service as a C-grade franchise with a risk score of 65 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.