Ace Hardware franchise: AI Adoption Score 57/100
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Ace Hardware (Retail / Hardware, headquartered in USA) operates 5,250 (US) units with +2.1% (US) year-over-year unit growth, and scores 57/100 on the FranchisePulse AI Adoption Score for Q3 2026 — ranking #40 of 58 tracked franchise systems.
Retailer-owned cooperative. Ace stopped publishing a worldwide Ace-branded store count in 2026, so the figures here are the U.S. ones it still gives: 5,250 Ace stores at the end of fiscal 2025, up 2.1%. Across all of its brands Ace reports more than 8,800 stores worldwide, down from more than 8,900, after its international arm lost its largest customer. Its AI is one live tool: Hey ARMA, an in-store assistant for staff in more than 2,300 U.S. stores since April 2026, with AI for inventory management described as a pilot.
Ace's FY2025 earnings-release boilerplate (fiscal year ended Jan 3, 2026, released Feb 18, 2026) states its total worldwide network as 'more than 8,800 locally owned and operated stores around the globe' -- covering Ace's full family of brands (Ace Hardware, Emery Jensen Distribution, and independent retailers), not exclusively Ace-branded stores. The release no longer gives a global Ace-branded-only count or a country count (see corrections).
Ace Hardware -- Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results (PR Newswire, Feb 18, 2026) ↗Officialreviewed 2026-09-16Current (FY2025) systemwide global network count, per Ace's own earnings-release boilerplate.
Ace Hardware -- Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results (PR Newswire, Feb 18, 2026) ↗Officialreviewed 2026-09-16Ace's all-brand worldwide network: more than 8,900 stores (fiscal 2024) → more than 8,800 (fiscal 2025)
Ace Hardware -- Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results (PR Newswire, Feb 13, 2025) ↗Officialreviewed 2026-09-16Ace's last published exact worldwide Ace-branded count: 5,966 at the end of fiscal 2024
Ace Hardware -- Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results (PR Newswire, Feb 13, 2025) ↗Officialreviewed 2026-09-16| Sector | Retail / Hardware |
| Headquarters | USA |
| Units (approx.) | 5,250 (US) |
| Unit growth YoY | +2.1% (US) |
| Region | North America |
| Founded | 1924 |
| AI Adoption Score | 57/100 · rank #40/58 |
| Figures last reviewed | 2026-09-16 |
AI Adoption Score breakdown
EDITORIAL METRIC · METHODOLOGY: franpulse.ai/data/franchise-ai-adoption-rate
How to read Ace Hardware’s score
At 57/100, Ace Hardware sits 9 points below the Retail / Hardware average of 66 and 6 below the 58-system index average of 63. It ranks #8 of 8 in its sector on AI, and #7 by unit count, behind on AI for its size.
Data infrastructure leads at 62 and training & support AI trails at 50, a 12-point spread. Data infrastructure is 2 ahead of operations AI. Unit growth of +2.1% (US) is 0.5 points below the sector median of 2.6%.
| Pillar | Ace Hardware | Retail / Hardware avg | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations AI | 60 | 69 | -9 |
| Marketing AI | 54 | 65 | -11 |
| Training & Support AI | 50 | 56 | -6 |
| Data infrastructure | 62 | 72 | -10 |
RETAIL / HARDWARE AVERAGES · 8 SYSTEMS · INDEX SUB-SCORES ONLY
Where Ace Hardware uses AI today
- —In-house-built AI store assistant 'Hey ARMA' launched April 2026, live in 2,300+ of Ace's ~5,200 U.S. stores, giving associates real-time product comparisons, project advice, and promotion lookups.
- —Piloting AI for inventory management across its stores/distribution network, per SVP Andy Enright (disclosed May 2026 to trade press; not yet detailed or completed).