Pink Zebra Moving Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $131K – $249K
- Disclosed sales
- $845K
- gross sales, not profit
- SBA charge-off
- Limited · 13 loans
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]. 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 scored8 of 8 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $131K – $249K
- 45th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- $845K
- Outlet subset11th pct Business Serv…
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 21st pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 14
- 20th pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business Services 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 $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 B (Above average), verdict score 49/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +4 franchised outlets in the latest year (9 opened, 5 closed); 2 signed but not yet open (Item 20).
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 43% above 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 by sales volume · 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 23% above the business services norm.
Reported for a subset of outlets rather than the whole system
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
Single-unit · not modelled
Returns at a glance
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit, and the operating costs that turn one into the other are in no filing. We publish no modelled return for Pink Zebra Moving until someone supplies them — yours, in the models below.
—
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for 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.
Total invested capital · disclosed
$213K
Item 7 initial investment plus working capital, as filed — the one figure here that needs no assumption.
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FDD-reported earnings
The FDD reports $62K as Net Operating Income. This is a disclosed figure, not our estimate — we publish no modelled profit for Pink Zebra Moving.
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, read against the 30–60% reference band · Yale SOM, Post-MBA Path Exhibit 2 (2023). Below that band a passive index fund likely outperforms; above it the franchisor has pricing power you're subsidizing.
Note: Item 19 revenue is what the franchisor discloses, and it is the top line only — gross sales are not profit. No FDD discloses the operating costs that turn one into the other, so those fields start empty and nothing is modelled until you supply them from your own 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?
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 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.
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%.
Not modelled yet
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for 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.
A 25-unit return is built on a per-unit EBITDA. Fill in the operating costs in Model A above and this model runs on that figure, or take the whole scenario to the full ROI workbench, where the portfolio and LBO models accept your own per-unit economics directly.
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
- gross sales
- Sample size
- 3 outlets
- vs category median 37 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $527K→$1.1MCited, not corroborated — printed on page 71 of the 2025 FDD. Nothing else in our record independently restates or re-derives it.
- 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% (near the Business Services median).
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 outlets — 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 medians
How Pink Zebra Moving Compares
Category median of published Business Services 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
- 14
- Opened
- 9
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 5
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 35.7%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 93%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 1
- Reacquired
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 2
- 0.14 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 5
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
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.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
16 current owners across 10 states.
- AL 3
- GA 3
- NC 3
- CO 1
- MI 1
- MO 1
- NJ 1
- OH 1
- TN 1
- TX 1
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.
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
- Limited · 13 loans
- Limited SBA coverage: 13 loans, rate hidden until 10 have resolved and loans reach 2% of franchised units
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- Limited · 13 loans
- 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%
- n=275 loans
- 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.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for Pink Zebra Moving from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 0.0%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 70%
- Avg interest rate
- 10.25%
- Lender concentration
- 66.7%
- Job velocity
- 3.9 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 5.0%
- NAICS 484210
- Jobs supported
- 83
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 67% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National Bank | 8 | $1.2M | 0.0% |
| 2 | Bank Five Nine | 1 | $150K | N/A |
| 3 | Magnifi Financial CU | 1 | $210K | N/A |
| 4 | First Bank of the Lake | 1 | $241K | N/A |
| 5 | Citizens Bank | 1 | $333K | N/A |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXTexas | 5 | 0 | -- |
| ALAlabama | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| MIMichigan | 2 | 0 | -- |
| MOMissouri | 2 | 0 | -- |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
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
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)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (plaintiff).
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)
Item 21 audited statements of Pink Zebra Moving, LLC (Alabama LLC, the franchisor) for FY ended Dec 31, 2024 and 2023, prepared by Warren Averett, LLC. Figures in whole US dollars (statements NOT in thousands). 2024 total revenues $1,795,540 = moving revenue $94,941 + franchise fees $1,700,599; net loss $(337,878); other income $6,528 reported below operating loss. Balance sheet reconciles: total assets $1,053,528 = total liabilities $1,960,036 + members' deficit $(906,508). No parent/affiliate; franchisor balance sheet is the only one. Going-concern language present (members' deficit).
ⓘ 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 49 / 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 territory |
| 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
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.
Who owns Pink Zebra Moving?
Pink Zebra Moving is franchised by Pink Zebra Moving, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
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?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Pink Zebra Moving (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 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 B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 49 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.