Hair Care Services Industry Profile

Companies in this industry operate hair salons and barber shops. Major companies include Regis Corporation and Sport Clips (both based in the US), as well as Klier (Germany) and Stefan Hair Fashions (Australia).

Key sources of growth for the global hair care industry include expanding middle classes in developing nations. Shifting cultural norms also drive demand.

The US hair care services industry includes about 84,000 establishments (almost 80,000 beauty salons; over 5,000 barber shops) with combined annual revenue of about $25 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by demographics, population growth, and personal income. The profitability of individual companies depends on effective marketing and maintaining repeat business. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing and marketing. Small companies can compete successfully by offering superior service or securing favorable locations. The barber shop segment of the industry is fragmented: the 50 largest operators generate less than 30% of US industry revenue; while the beauty salon segment is highly fragmented: the 50 largest beauty salon operators generate about 15% of revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major sources of revenue come from haircut and styling services, accounting for about 95%. Hair coloring and tinting account for about 2%, and retail sales of personal hygiene supplies.

Salons commonly employ hairstylists who do the actual haircutting, colorists who specialize in hair coloring, and various assistants who wash and dry hair. In most independently owned salons, the owner or owners are part of the ...