Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $89K – $163K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Kennedy Transmission Brake & Auto Service is an automotive franchise offering transmission, brake, and general auto repair. Franchisees run the service centers, managing technicians, diagnostics, and customer service.
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]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored4 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing; the rest are marked “Not cited” beside the figure.
Overview
- Investment
- $89K – $163K
- 11th pct Automotive
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 15th pct Automotive
- Units
- 7
- 8th pct Automotive
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Automotive · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Automotive median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $89K – $163K including a $18K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 59/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (0 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Kennedy Franchising USA, Inc.
- Predecessor
- Kennedy Franchising, Inc. (formerly Hammond Consulting, Inc.)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- CEO
- Elizabeth A. Bidon
- 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
- CEO
- Elizabeth A. Bidon
- Headquarters
- MN
- Founded
- 1999
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 66% below the typical automotive franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 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 2025 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
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $25K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $18K – $18K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 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 |
| Training fee | $2K |
| Transfer fee | $8K |
| Renewal fee | $9K |
| Inventory (initial) | $10K – $15K |
| Total fee load | 12.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 12.0% — above the Automotive median of 8.0%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
Net unit growth roughly flat at 0.0%.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Automotive medians
How Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service Compares
Category median of published Automotive brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 7
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +0.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +0.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- 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)
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
7 current owners across 1 state.
- MN 7
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
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)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · JOD Ltd.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Figures from the audited financial statements of Kennedy Franchising USA, Inc. (KFUI), the franchisor entity Item 21 relies on, an S corporation. Most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (prior year December 31, 2023). Figures in whole US dollars, not scaled. Total revenue is composed entirely of continuing franchise fees ($339,096 in 2024); no other revenue line is reported. Balance sheet reconciles: total assets $332,510 = total liabilities $202,506 + stockholders' equity $130,004. Net income $91,982 includes a non-operating component (revenue $339,096 less operating expenses $247,114 = $91,982). Auditor: JOD Ltd., Certified Public Accountants, Faribault, MN.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 59 / 100 verdict
- 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
- 03MED6% royalty on undisclosed revenue baseline makes it impossible to calculate actual profitability or breakeven timeline
- 04MEDNo disclosed unit growth trajectory over historical period raises questions about market demand and franchisee retention
- 05MINOR15-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
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 12.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 15 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 15 years |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | No |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 1 year |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | State where the Store is located |
| 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
- KFUI headquarters in Long Lake, Minnesota and a Kennedy Transmission store in the Minneapolis area
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 9 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with KFUI consent; KFUI may provide site location assistance
- Franchisor financing
- Not 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
7 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
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 makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service?
Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service is franchised by Kennedy Franchising USA, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Kennedy Transmission® Brake & Auto Service FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
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 B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 59 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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.