Primrose Schools® Secures 2026 FUND™ TopScore for Fourth Consecutive Year, Reinforcing Franchise Leadership and Financial Strength

National expansion, strong unit performance and lender confidence underscore system growth and momentum

ATLANTA, March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Primrose Schools®, The Leader in Early Education and Care®, was recognized with the 2026 FUND™ TopScore Award in the non‑food category by FRANdata, marking the fourth consecutive year the brand has received the honor. The recognition underscores strong franchise leadership, financial performance and continued momentum as the system expands nationwide.

The FUND™ TopScore Award honors franchise systems with leading FUND Scores, which is a proprietary credit risk assessment used by banks and lenders to evaluate franchise performance, default risk and long‑term financial stability. The award signals lender confidence and highlights brands that demonstrate exceptional operational strength and franchisee support.

Primrose earned an industry-leading FUND Score of 930, placing the brand among the lowest‑risk, highest‑performing franchise systems nationally. The score reflects strong unit economics, consistent historical performance, management stability, franchisor‑franchisee alignment and a support infrastructure designed to scale responsibly.

"Earning the FUND TopScore for the fourth consecutive year is a strong validation of the strength and stability of the Primrose Schools franchise system – purposefully designed to help Franchise Owners build thriving schools, supported by strong unit economics, operational excellence and a trusted national brand," said David Berg, CEO at Primrose Schools. "A best‑in‑class FUND Score reflects the confidence lenders have in our system and our long‑standing commitment to supporting owners at every stage of growth — earning trust from lenders, owners and families alike."

With more than 560 franchised schools across 36 states, Primrose Schools has built a franchise system designed for scalable growth, strong performance and long‑term value for Franchise Owners. A disciplined expansion strategy and focus on operational excellence continue to drive performance at both the unit and system levels.

"Primrose Schools distinguishes itself through a track record of strong unit-level performance paired with thoughtful, measured growth," said Darrell Johnson, CEO at FRANdata. "For lenders, that combination signals a brand built on financial durability and long-term viability. Earning the TopScore Award as a leading non-food brand underscores the strength of their system and their ability to support franchisees with reliable access to financing."

Learn more about franchise and real estate development opportunities with Primrose Schools.

About Primrose Schools®

Primrose Schools is the leader in providing premier early education and care to children and families in the United States. Founded in 1982, there are more than 560 Primrose schools in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Ranked as a top franchise for 19 consecutive years by Entrepreneur^® and awarded the 2026 FUND™ TopScore from FRANdata, Primrose offers Franchise Owners the opportunity to invest in a rewarding business that delivers an unparalleled early learning experience for children and families in their community. Each school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners who are provided a proven and time-tested business model and exclusive approach to early education, called Balanced Learning^®. Primrose has franchising opportunities available in markets throughout the U.S. and is seeking qualified potential Franchise Owners to join the brand's rapid expansion and mission to transform the future of early education. For more information, visit Franchise.PrimroseSchools.com, follow us on LinkedIn and explore our stories and resources. 

About FRANdata

FRANdata is the franchise industry's leading research and analytics firm, providing data-driven insights that power smarter decisions across the franchise ecosystem. For more than 30 years, FRANdata has served franchisors, lenders, investors, and suppliers with authoritative market intelligence, franchise performance benchmarking, and proven risk analysis tools. At the heart of FRANdata's financing solutions is the FUND score—a franchise-specific credit scoring system embraced by banks collectively representing over a trillion dollars in assets—which evaluates franchise brands on stability, transparency, and franchisee performance. The annual FRANdata TOP$CORE FUND Award, presented each year at the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, recognizes the food and non-food franchise brands that lead the industry in lender friendliness and operational excellence, helping franchisees access lower capital costs and stronger financing terms. Learn more at www.frandata.com. 

SOURCE Primrose Schools(R)