Caliber Collision is owned by private equity: Hellman & Friedman holds the majority stake, and Leonard Green & Partners and the Canadian pension fund OMERS are minority owners. The parent company, Caliber Holdings, confidentially filed for an IPO in July 2025, but as of August 2026 that offering still hadn't priced, so Caliber remains privately held. It's a corporate-owned chain of more than 1,800 centers, not a franchise.
Key Takeaways
- Hellman & Friedman became Caliber's majority owner through the Caliber and ABRA merger announced in December 2018; OMERS and Leonard Green stayed on as significant minority shareholders.
- Caliber Holdings confidentially submitted a draft IPO registration to the SEC in July 2025. A September 2026 Matthews report said it was still confidential and had not priced as of August 2026.
- Caliber says it runs more than 1,800 centers in 44 states with 31,000+ employees, under the Caliber Collision, Caliber Auto Glass and Caliber Fleet names.
- Caliber is not a franchise. It owns and operates its shops, and it sold off the ABRA franchise system to Driven Brands in 2019.
- Caliber's collision warranty is a limited lifetime warranty that lasts as long as you own the car and isn't transferable to a new owner.
Who Owns Caliber Collision Today?
Three investors own Caliber. Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) is the majority owner. Buyout firm Leonard Green & Partners and OMERS, a Canadian pension plan whose private equity arm bought Caliber in 2013, hold minority stakes. That split dates to the Caliber and ABRA merger. When it was announced on December 5, 2018, H&F said it would become the majority shareholder of the combined company, with OMERS and Leonard Green remaining "significant minority shareholders."
The stake percentages aren't disclosed in any source we found. Commercial real estate firm Matthews, in its H1 2026 collision repair net lease report (September 16, 2026), still describes Caliber as majority owned by H&F with Leonard Green and OMERS as minority holders. So as of fall 2026, the ownership hasn't changed.
Is Caliber going public?
Possibly, but not yet. On July 28, 2025, Caliber Holdings announced it had confidentially submitted a draft Form S-1 to the SEC for a proposed IPO. Proceeds would go to general corporate purposes, "which may include the repayment of indebtedness" (Repairer Driven News, July 30, 2025). Autobody News reported in September 2025 that Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase were leading the deal and that a listing could come in early 2026.
That early-2026 window passed. Matthews' September 2026 report says the filing was still confidential and the offering hadn't priced as of August 2026, more than a year after submission. The same report notes Caliber named Jason Monaco permanent CFO effective May 4, 2026, and that the debt-issuing entity carries a single-B-tier rating from S&P. A completed IPO would add public shareholders and force Caliber to publish its financials.
Caliber Collision Ownership History
Caliber has been owned by private equity since at least 2008. Here's the timeline:
| Year | What happened | Size at the time |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Caliber founded (now headquartered in Lewisville, Texas) | n/a |
| Oct 2008 | Toronto PE firm ONCAP buys a majority stake alongside management | 129 centers in 6 states |
| Nov 2013 | OMERS Private Equity buys Caliber from ONCAP | 157 centers in 6 states |
| Feb 2017 | Leonard Green buys a minority stake from OMERS | 467 locations (end of 2016) |
| Dec 2018 to Feb 2019 | Merger with H&F-owned ABRA; H&F becomes majority owner | 1,000+ locations in 37 states plus D.C. |
| Oct 2019 | ABRA's franchise arm (55 shops) sold to Driven Brands | n/a |
| Jul 2025 | Confidential IPO filing | About 1,800 centers in 41 states |
A couple of these details matter for customers. When ONCAP invested in 2008, it described Caliber as the largest non-franchised collision repair operator in the US and said about 90% of its revenue came through insurer direct repair programs. And when Leonard Green bought in, Repairer Driven News noted the firm also co-owned CCC, the estimating software insurers and shops use, though both companies said they operate independently.
Caliber's leadership has changed too. Mark Sanders retired as president and CEO in February 2023 after 26 years with the company, and David Simmons, a former CEO of pharmaceutical research company PPD, took over. Caliber's own site still lists Simmons as CEO.
What Is Caliber Collision, and How Big Is It?
Caliber is the largest collision repair chain in the US by location count. Its website says it operates more than 1,800 centers across 44 states and employs more than 31,000 people. Trade press and Matthews use 41 states, so the figure depends on the source and date. Either way, it's bigger than any of the other Big Four chains you'll see in our guide to the best auto body shop chains.
Caliber also runs more than body shops:
- Caliber Collision: dent, frame and paint repair, mostly insurance work.
- Caliber Auto Glass: windshield repair and replacement, in-shop or mobile.
- Caliber Fleet: repair and maintenance for business vehicle fleets.
It's still buying. In September 2025 Autobody News reported Caliber had acquired Car Body Lab, a mobile repair business for scratches, bumpers and glass that operates in seven states. Matthews says Caliber closed on the five-location Barnett's Body Shops in Mississippi on July 9, 2026. That's a different posture from Crash Champions, which stopped acquiring in 2025 under heavy debt, as we covered in our look at Crash Champions' financial trouble. If you're weighing the other two big players, see Gerber vs Crash Champions.
Is Caliber Collision a Chain or a Franchise?
Caliber is a chain, and it's corporate-owned, not franchised. The company owns and runs its centers directly, so the people at your local Caliber are Caliber employees working under company-wide processes, pricing systems and insurer agreements.
The confusion probably comes from ABRA. Before the merger, ABRA ran a mix of company-owned shops and franchises. Caliber took on 59 ABRA franchisees in 2019 and said at the time that no decisions had been made about franchising. Then in October 2019, H&F sold ABRA's franchise business, 55 shops, to Driven Brands, the parent of CARSTAR (Repairer Driven News, October 2, 2019). Those shops kept the ABRA name. So an ABRA shop you see today belongs to Driven Brands' franchise network, not to Caliber.
Why does that matter? A franchise owner is a local business owner using a national brand. A corporate store is run by the company itself. Each has trade-offs on pricing, accountability and how complaints get handled, which we break down in franchise vs corporate body shops.
What Caliber's Ownership Means for You
For most drivers, who owns Caliber won't change how your bumper gets fixed. But a few things follow from being a large, PE-owned, insurer-focused chain.
Insurers steer a lot of work there
Caliber has built its business on direct repair programs (DRPs), where an insurer recommends the shop and the shop agrees to the insurer's processes and rates. That can mean a faster claim with less back-and-forth. It also means the shop has two clients: you and your insurer. Your insurer may recommend a DRP shop, but before you pick a different one, check your policy and your state insurance department's guidance for any notice, estimate or payment rules. Then compare the referral with independents near you using our collision repair near me directory.
The warranty follows you, not the car
Caliber's collision warranty covers repairs for as long as you own the vehicle (and never less than 60 days), with parts and labor at no charge. It isn't transferable, so it ends when you sell. It excludes later accidents, repairs by another shop, and environmental damage like hail or sun. Warranty work happens at Caliber locations, or at a Caliber-approved shop if you've moved outside its area. With 1,800+ centers, that network reach is a real advantage over a single independent.
Debt and an IPO are corporate matters
Caliber carries debt like most PE-owned chains, and a single-B rating is below investment grade. But it's still acquiring, which isn't what a chain under Crash Champions-style stress does. Judge your local shop on its reviews, certifications and estimate. Our Caliber Collision review covers what customers report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the owner of Caliber Collision?
Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is the majority owner of Caliber Collision. Leonard Green & Partners and OMERS, a Canadian pension plan, hold minority stakes. That structure dates to the 2019 ABRA merger and was still in place per a September 2026 Matthews report.
Is Caliber Collision a publicly traded company?
No. As of October 2026, Nasdaq Private Market still lists Caliber as a private company that hasn't had an IPO. Caliber Holdings confidentially filed for one in July 2025, and Matthews reported the offering still hadn't priced as of August 2026.
Is Caliber Collision a franchise?
No. Caliber owns and operates its own centers. The franchised ABRA shops it picked up in the 2019 merger were sold to Driven Brands, the parent of CARSTAR, in October 2019 and still operate as ABRA franchises.
How many locations does Caliber Collision have?
Caliber says it has more than 1,800 centers in 44 states. Trade press reporting from 2025 and 2026 uses about 1,800 centers in 41 states.
Does Caliber's ownership affect my insurance claim?
Not directly. Caliber works with many insurers through direct repair programs, which can speed up a claim. Your insurer may recommend a direct-repair shop, but check your policy and your state's rules before choosing a different one. Caliber's limited lifetime warranty applies for as long as you own the car regardless of who owns Caliber.
Sources
- Matthews: Collision Repair Net Lease Report H1 2026 (Sept 16, 2026) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Hellman & Friedman: Caliber Collision and ABRA Auto Body Repair of America to Merge (Dec 5, 2018) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Repairer Driven News: Caliber submits proposal for public offering of common stock with SEC (July 30, 2025) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Nasdaq Private Market: Caliber Collision Centers (accessed Oct 2026)
- Autobody News: Caliber Collision Files Confidentially for IPO (July 28, 2025) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Autobody News: Caliber Collision Faces Lawsuit While Prepping for Potential IPO, Acquiring Mobile Car Care Business (Sept 23, 2025) (accessed Oct 2026)
- ONCAP: Caliber Collision (investment Oct 2008, exit Nov 2013) (accessed Oct 2026)
- PE Professional: OMERS Acquires Caliber Collision Centers (Nov 22, 2013) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Repairer Driven News: CCC co-owner Leonard Green now owns a piece of Caliber Collision (Feb 22, 2017) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Repairer Driven News: CARSTAR parent Driven Brands buys ABRA franchise brand, 55 shops (Oct 2, 2019) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Caliber: President and CEO Mark Sanders retiring (Feb 2023) (accessed Oct 2026)
- Caliber: About Us (accessed Oct 2026)
- Caliber: Collision Limited Lifetime Warranty (accessed Oct 2026)
