Merle Norman
Wellness & Personal Care · Skincare & Cosmetics
- Active units
- 831
Franchised, year-end 2023
About Merle Norman
Merle Norman Cosmetics is a true American success story that began in 1931 in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Merle Nethercutt Norman, the brand has grown into an empire that offers a wide range of high-quality skincare and makeup products. Their skincare line includes body lotions, creams, and moisturizers, as well as sun protection products. They also offer a variety of cleansers and toners, eye and lip care products, and an array of moisturizers to suit different skin types. For specialized skincare needs, Merle Norman provides serums, masks, and at-home facial treatments. When it comes to makeup, Merle Norman caters to every need. Their eye makeup range includes brow makeup, eyeliners, eyeshadows, and mascaras. They also offer face products such as bronzers, blushes, foundations, concealers, and powders. To complete the look, their lip collection features moisturizing lip glosses, lip polishes, lip pencils, and lipsticks. With 90 beautiful years of experience, Merle Norman continues to inspire and provide top-notch products and services.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$0
- Studio Branch Bonus Program
Receive a $5,000 credit on your Studio account for every branch Studio that you open (new Studios only).
- Studio Referral Program
Receive a $5,000 credit to your Studio account for each applicant you refer who opens a Studio within one year (new Studios only).
- Brand fund
0.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
0.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
200 – 1,800 sq ft
- Veteran discount
Not offered
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations—
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings—
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate—
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR—
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio—
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$155k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open6 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate—
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
- Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 793 of 961 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.