Texas Roadhouse, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2017 Results

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (Nasdaq:TXRH), today announced financial results for the 13-week period ended March 28, 2017. 

		First Quarter
($000's)		2017			2016			% Change
Total revenue		$	567,686		$	515,559		10%
Income from operations		49,022		52,811				(7%)
Net income		34,313		35,593				(4%)
Diluted EPS		$	0.48		$	0.50		(4%)

Results for the first quarter included the following highlights:  

• Comparable restaurant sales increased 3.1% at company restaurants and 3.8% at domestic franchise restaurants;
• Restaurant margin, as a percentage of restaurant sales, decreased 21 basis points to 19.9%, primarily driven by wage rate inflation, partially offset by the benefit of lower food costs;
• Results for the quarter included a pre-tax charge of $14.9 million ($9.2 million after-tax), or $0.13 per diluted share, related to a previously disclosed legal matter which was settled during March 2017.  The impact of the legal charge was partially offset by a pre-tax charge recorded in the first quarter of 2016 of $5.5 million ($3.4 million after-tax) related to a separate legal matter which had an impact of $0.05 on diluted earnings per share in that quarter;
• Diluted earnings per share decreased 4.4% to $0.48 from $0.50 in the prior year; and,
• Six company-owned restaurants and two franchise restaurants were opened.

Kent Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Texas Roadhouse, Inc., commented, "We are pleased with our top-line momentum and operating performance in the first quarter of 2017 with positive comparable restaurant sales and traffic growth, which continued through the first four weeks of the second quarter.  We credit our success to our operators’ ability to execute on our mission of Legendary Food and Legendary Service every single shift.  In addition, we remain committed to investing in new restaurant growth that generates solid returns and allows us to maintain a conservative capital structure."

Franchise Acquisition

Effective December 28, 2016, we acquired four franchise restaurants in Florida and Georgia for an aggregate purchase price of $16.5 million.  The purchase price was paid in cash.  Going forward, two of the restaurants are wholly-owned, while two are majority-owned.  The acquisitions are expected to have an accretive impact in 2017.

2017 Outlook

Comparable restaurant sales at company restaurants for the first four weeks of our second quarter of fiscal 2017 increased approximately 2.6% compared to the prior year period.

Management reiterated the following expectations for 2017:

• Positive comparable restaurant sales growth;
• Approximately 30 company restaurant openings, including approximately six Bubba’s 33 restaurants;
• Food cost deflation of approximately 1.0% to 2.0%;
• Mid-single digit labor inflation;
• An income tax rate of 29.0% to 30.0%; and
• Total capital expenditures of approximately $170.0 million, excluding any cash used for franchise acquisitions.

Conference Call

The Company is hosting a conference call today, May 1, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results.  The dial-in number is [phone] or [phone] for international calls.  A replay of the call will be available for one week following the conference call.  To access the replay, please dial [phone] or [phone] for international calls, and use 8307466 as the pass code.  There will be a simultaneous Web cast conducted at www.texasroadhouse.com.

About the Company

Texas Roadhouse is a casual dining concept that first opened in 1993 and today operates over 525 restaurants system-wide in 49 states and six foreign countries.  For more information, please visit the Company’s Web site at www.texasroadhouse.com.

Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this release that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, those relating to our anticipated financial performance, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.  Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of the Company.  Actual results may vary materially from those contained in forward-looking statements based on a number of factors including, without limitation, the actual number of restaurants opening; the sales at these and our other company and franchise restaurants; changes in restaurant development or operating costs, such as food and labor; our ability to acquire franchise restaurants; our ability to integrate the franchise restaurants we acquire or other concepts we develop; our ability to continue to generate the necessary cash flows to fund our new restaurant growth, continue our share repurchase program and pay a quarterly cash dividend; strength of consumer spending; pending or future legal claims; breaches of security; conditions beyond our control such as weather, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics impacting our customers or food supplies; food safety and food borne illness concerns; acts of war or terrorism and other factors disclosed from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Investors should take such risks into account when making investment decisions.  Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.  We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. 

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
			13 Weeks Ended
			March 28, 2017				March 29, 2016
Revenue:
	Restaurant sales		$	563,320			$	511,284
	Franchise royalties and fees		4,366				4,275
Total revenue			567,686				515,559
Costs and expenses:
	Restaurant operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
		Cost of sales	184,193				173,128
		Labor	170,347				147,546
		Rent	10,869				10,027
		Other operating	85,660				77,612
	Pre-opening		4,740				4,825
	Depreciation and amortization		22,596				19,539
	Impairment and closure		11				11
	General and administrative		40,248				30,060
Total costs and expenses			518,664				462,748
Income from operations			49,022				52,811
Interest expense, net			332				305
Equity income from investments in
unconsolidated affiliates			320				352
Income before taxes			49,010				52,858
Provision for income taxes			12,987				15,857
Net income including noncontrolling interests			36,023				37,001
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests			1,710				1,408
Net income attributable to Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and subsidiaries			$	34,313			$	35,593
Net income per common share attributable to Texas Roadhouse, Inc.
and subsidiaries:
	Basic		$	0.48			$	0.51
	Diluted		$	0.48			$	0.50
Weighted average shares outstanding:
	Basic		70,779				70,169
	Diluted		71,334				70,764
Cash dividends declared per share			$	0.21			$	0.19

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
				March 28, 2017				December 27, 2016
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	137,512			$	112,944
	Other current assets			49,192				87,315
	Property and equipment, net			855,027				830,054
	Goodwill			121,040				116,571
	Intangible assets, net			3,392				3,622
	Other assets			31,725				29,465
	Total assets			$	1,197,888			$	1,179,971
	Current maturities of long-term debt and obligation under capital lease			172				167
	Other current liabilities			276,986				279,360
	Long-term debt and obligation under capital lease, excluding current maturities			52,336				52,381
	Other liabilities			86,772				89,821
	Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and subsidiaries stockholders' equity			769,463				750,226
	Noncontrolling interests			12,159				8,016
	Total liabilities and equity			$	1,197,888			$	1,179,971

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
				13 Weeks Ended
				March 28, 2017				March 29, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income including noncontrolling interests				$	36,023			$	37,001
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
	Depreciation and amortization			22,596				19,539
	Share-based compensation expense			6,218				5,788
	Other noncash adjustments			(3,973)				802
Change in working capital				33,473				1,758
		Net cash provided by operating activities		94,337				64,888
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures - property and equipment				(36,063)				(34,179)
Acquisition of franchise restaurants, net of cash acquired				(16,528)				-
		Net cash used in investing activities		(52,591)				(34,179)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from revolving credit facility, net				-				25,000
Repurchase shares of common stock				-				(4,110)
Dividends paid				(13,418)				(11,919)
Other financing activities				(3,760)				(3,022)
		Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities		(17,178)				5,949
		Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		24,568				36,658
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period				112,944				59,334
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period				$	137,512			$	95,992

   

 

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Supplemental Financial and Operating Information
($ amounts in thousands, except weekly sales by group)
(unaudited)
			First Quarter						Change
			2017			2016			vs LY
Restaurant openings
	Company - Texas Roadhouse		6			5			1
	Company - Bubba's 33		0			2			(2)
	Company - Other		0			0			0
	Franchise - Texas Roadhouse - U.S.		1			0			1
	Franchise - Texas Roadhouse - International		1			1			0
	Total		8			8			0
Restaurant acquisitions/dispositions
	Company - Texas Roadhouse		4			0			4
	Company - Bubba's 33		0			0			0
	Company - Other		0			0			0
	Franchise - Texas Roadhouse		(4)			0			(4)
	Total		0			0			0
Restaurants open at the end of the quarter
	Company - Texas Roadhouse		423			397			26
	Company - Bubba's 33		16			9			7
	Company - Other		2			2			0
	Franchise - Texas Roadhouse - U.S.		70			72			(2)
	Franchise - Texas Roadhouse - International		14			11			3
	Total		525			491			34
Company-owned restaurants
	Restaurant sales		$	563,320		$	511,284		10.2	%
	Store weeks		5,681			5,262			8.0	%
	Comparable restaurant sales growth (1)		3.1		%	4.6		%
	Texas Roadhouse restaurants only:
		Comparable restaurant sales growth (1)	3.2		%	4.6		%
		Average unit volume (2)	$	1,299		$	1,271		2.3	%
		Weekly sales by group:
		Comparable restaurants (380 units)	$	100,840
		Average unit volume restaurants (27 units) (3)	$	87,331
		Restaurants less than 6 months old (16 units)	$	103,316
Restaurant operating costs (as a % of restaurant sales)
Cost of sales			32.7		%	33.9		%	(116)	bps
Labor			30.2		%	28.9		%	138	bps
Rent			1.9		%	2.0		%	(3)	bps
Other operating			15.2		%	15.2		%	3	bps
Total			80.1		%	79.9		%	21	bps
	Restaurant margin (4)		19.9		%	20.1		%	(21)	bps
	Restaurant margin $  ($ in thousands) (4)		$	112,251		$	102,970		9.0	%
	Restaurant margin $ (4)/Store week		$	19,760		$	19,569		1.0	%
Franchise-owned restaurants
	Franchise royalties and fees		$	4,366		$	4,275		2.1	%
	Store weeks		1,080			1,070			0.9	%
	Comparable restaurant sales growth (1)		3.0		%	3.1		%
	U.S. franchise restaurants only:
		Comparable restaurant sales growth (1)	3.8		%	4.1		%
		Average unit volume (2)	$	1,333		$	1,287		3.6	%
Pre-opening expense			$	4,740		$	4,825		(1.8)	%
Depreciation and amortization			$	22,596		$	19,539		15.6	%
	As a % of revenue		4.0		%	3.8		%	19	bps
General and administrative expenses			$	40,248		$	30,060		33.9	%
	As a % of revenue		7.1		%	5.8		%	126	bps
(1)  Comparable restaurant sales growth reflects the change in year-over-year sales for restaurants open a full 18 months before the beginning of the period measured, excluding sales from restaurants closed during the period.(2)  Average unit volume includes sales from Texas Roadhouse restaurants open for a full six months before the beginning of the period measured, excluding any sales at restaurants closed during the period.
(3)  Average unit volume restaurants include restaurants open a full six to 18 months before the beginning of the period measured.
(4)  Restaurant margin (in dollars and as a percentage of restaurant sales) represents restaurant sales less restaurant operating costs, including cost of sales, labor, rent and other operating costs.  Depreciation and amortization expense, substantially all of which relates to restaurant-level assets, is excluded from restaurant operating costs.  Restaurant margin is widely regarded in the restaurant industry as a useful metric by which to evaluate restaurant-level operating efficiency and performance.  Restaurant margin is not a measurement determined in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative, to income from operations or other similarly titled measures of other companies.Amounts may not foot due to rounding.

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