Pink Zebra Moving Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Pink Zebra Moving is a moving franchise providing residential and commercial local moving services. Franchisees run local operations, managing crews, trucks, scheduling, and customer service.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Pink Zebra Moving franchise requires a total initial investment of $131K – $249K, including a $30K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $845K[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 0.0% charge-off rate across 13 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $131K – $249K
- 45th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- $845K
- Outlet subset11th pct Business Serv…
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 16th pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 14
- 20th pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- 0.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business Services avg · 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 $131K – $249K including a $30K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSAverage unit revenue of $845K/year (median $941K) (reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system), with an estimated 18% cash-on-cash return (based on Net Operating Income).
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 59/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 0.0% across 13 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Pink Zebra Moving, LLC
- CEO title
- Founder/Chief Executive Officer
- Ron Holt
- Incorporated in
- AL
- HQ
- 505 20th Street North, Suite 1010, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Auditor
- Warren Averett, LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.8M
- vs $876K prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Ron Holt
- Headquarters
- AL
- Founded
- 2020
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 12
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 32% below the typical business services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $30K | $30K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $12K | $35K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $90K | $184K |
| Total initial investment | $131K | $249K |
Source: Pink Zebra Moving 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
- $131K – $249K
- Middle of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $12K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- tiered · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
- Payback period
- 5.6 yrs
- From FDD / Item 19
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $175 |
| Training fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $12K |
| Renewal fee | $2K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales run 43% below the business services norm.
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$127K
15.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
59%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
20 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FDD-reported earnings vs. model
The FDD reports $62K as Net Operating Income. Our model estimates $127K SLEBITDA from the same revenue using category-average cost assumptions. These numbers differ because Net Operating Income deducts different expense categories than our model.
What one unit earns on your invested capital
Model A · Single-Unit Return
Computes unlevered return on invested capital (ROIC) for a single franchise unit. The target band for an attractive franchise is 30–60% ROIC. Below that and a passive index fund likely outperforms; above that and the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses. It's the top line only. Operating costs below are category estimates. Override them to match your real lease quote, labor market, and build-out budget.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Pink Zebra Moving unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
59%
Within the 30–60% "attractive franchise" band
What 25 units return when you use SBA financing
Model B · Return on Equity: Debt-Financed Acquisition
Models a 25-unit portfolio acquisition financed with an SBA 7(a) loan. Shows equity IRR (your return on cash invested), DSCR (how safely the cash flow covers debt service), and the capital stack (SBA + seller + equity breakdown).
This is the “search fund” or “entrepreneurship through acquisition” scenario: you buy an existing multi-unit operator, use leverage to amplify returns, and either operate or hire management. The 25-unit size is the typical minimum for an SBA-backed franchise portfolio acquisition to pencil as a full-time income.
What “return on equity” means here: if you put in $500K of your own cash and the business generates enough EBITDA to pay down debt and grow, your equity IRR is the annual return on that $500K, including the value created when you eventually sell. Target IRR for a search fund is typically 25–35%.
Levered LBO scenario · Yale Crease Capital framing
What would 25 Pink Zebra Moving units return on equity?
Equity IRR · 5-yr
49.9%
7.57× MOIC
Year-1 DSCR
1.88×
EBITDA ÷ debt service
Equity required
$1.4M
on $6.8M purchase
Total debt
$5.4M
SBA $3.4M + senior + seller note
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
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
- Avg gross sales
- $845K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $941K
- Avg net operating income
- $62K
- Reported as Net Operating Income in FDD Item 19
- Cash-on-cash
- 17.8%
- Based on Net Operating Income / investment midpoint
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Item 19 type
- booked revenue and income
- Sample size
- 3
- vs category median 35 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $527K→$1.1M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2025
- Disclosed in the 2025 filing, covering 2024
- Transparency
- 8 / 10
- vs category median 3 / 10 · above
Compared against 296 Business Services brands
Revenue is 4.4x the investment midpoint. At typical franchise margins, this suggests a payback under 3 years.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Unit economics
Average unit generates $845K/year in gross sales. Median ($941K) exceeds the average — distribution is bottom-heavy but most units perform well. Revenue-to-investment ratio: 4.4x. Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% — below the Business Services average of 11.9%.
Disclosure
Transparency score 8/10 — this franchisor discloses detailed breakdowns (quartiles, segments, or cohort data). Buyers can model unit economics with higher confidence. Sample size of 3 units — treat as directional only.
Operator retention
System expanding at 550.0% CAGR over 3 years across 14 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
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 Business Services averages
How Pink Zebra Moving Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 14
- Opened
- 9
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 4
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 30.8%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 93%
- vs corporate-owned
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 9
- Closed (3yr)
- 4
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 1
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 10 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 13
- Loan volume
- $2.2M
- Median loan
- $203K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 5
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 10.3%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 12.5%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 83
- 3.9 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 67%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 100% went to startups / new businesses, 0% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in used household and office goods moving, franchised businesses charge off at 12.5% vs 17.7% for independents — franchising is associated with 29% lower SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Pink Zebra Moving franchisees
Showing 3 of 5 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Pink Zebra Moving's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 5 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 4 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 3-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
With a 0.0% charge-off rate across 13 loans, banks have historically viewed this brand favorably for lending.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 0.0% — 100% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Early-stage franchise system with litigation history, weak unit economics, and opacity around franchisee profitability—suitable only for well-capitalized operators who can survive extended breakeven periods.
Litigation (Item 3)
1) Franchisor filed mediation against Carolina Mover Solutions LLC and Ron Butler (franchisee/guarantor); settled March 2025 via AAA with confidential mutual settlement. 2) Franchisor filed mediation against Two to Ten LLC/Rex Varner and LMP Enterprises LLC/Rex Varner/Thomas O'Connor; franchisee parties failed to attend mediation.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Warren Averett, LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 59 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHRecent litigation history: Two franchisor-initiated mediations in 2024-2025 suggest operational or compliance disputes
- 02MINORWeak unit growth trajectory: 44.4% YoY growth from only 14 units indicates small absolute base and potential volatility
- 03MINORLow average net income: $61,711 on $844,608 revenue = 7.3% net margin, leaving minimal cushion after 7% royalty
- 04MINORHigh investment-to-net-income ratio: $131k-$249k startup costs vs. $61k average annual net income = 2.1-4.0 year payback minimum
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% 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 | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 3 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 300,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | No |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 15 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 60 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Jefferson County, Alabama |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | AL |
| Litigation count | 2 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
1) Franchisor filed mediation against Carolina Mover Solutions LLC and Ron Butler (franchisee/guarantor); settled March 2025 via AAA with confidential mutual settlement. 2) Franchisor filed mediation against Two to Ten LLC/Rex Varner and LMP Enterprises LLC/Rex Varner/Thomas O'Connor; franchisee parties failed to attend mediation.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 33 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 40 hrs
- Training location
- Jefferson County (Birmingham), Alabama or as designated
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- Franchisor must approve; franchisee selects
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- SmartMoving
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: SmartMoving
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
16 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Pink Zebra Moving · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Pink Zebra Moving franchise?
The total investment to open a Pink Zebra Moving franchise ranges from $131K – $249K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Pink Zebra Moving franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Pink Zebra Moving FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $845K. The median is $941K. Important context: Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Item 19 in the Pink Zebra Moving 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 Pink Zebra Moving FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Pink Zebra Moving's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Pink Zebra Moving has a charge-off rate of 0.0% across 13 loans, meaning 0.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Pink Zebra Moving franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Pink Zebra Moving has 14 total units in the United States, including 13 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 9 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Pink Zebra Moving a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Pink Zebra Moving as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 59 out of 100 (higher is better), 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.