MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 13, 2013 // GLOBE NEWSWIRE // -- Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and 2012 fiscal year end.
Highlights for the fourth quarter of 2012 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2011 include:
Highlights for the year ended December 30, 2012 as compared to the year ended January 1, 2012 include:
John Gilbert, CEO, commented, "Since becoming CEO of Famous Dave's in October, 2012, I have been working closely with the Board and the senior management team to implement new strategies for delivering reliable and sustainable revenue and earnings growth. And while our 2012 results fell short of expectations, I am confident in our ability to accelerate performance in the future through a more customer-centric organization.
The weak performance in 2012 was a reflection of a continued challenging economic environment, an increasingly competitive landscape and a difficult commodity environment. These challenges, coupled with my joining the Company as its new CEO, created an opportunity for us to review our infrastructure and practices in order to become more focused on the activities that generate the best value for our guests and investors.
Over the last quarter we began the process of realigning Dave's core operating infrastructure and reallocating capital to ensure we are delivering our award winning BBQ in a way that optimizes the guest experience at each point of interaction: dine-in, to-go, catering and retail. We further strengthened our leadership with seasoned management, realigned our organizational structure, introduced a Digital Services Group to support what we believe will become an industry-leading social architecture, and established key operating metrics to help us manage more effectively with individual accountability.
Despite the challenging consumer environment, we are confident that we have taken the right organizational steps and have made the appropriate investments to set us up well for the future. And as a result, Famous Dave's is positioned well for growth.
Yet, we know there is more work to be done, and the real work is in changing the results - regardless of the consumer environment.
Going forward, we will drive results through smarter pricing decisions, data-driven promotional tactics, and improved cost management, and we will drive sensible brand expansion through food excellence, a new restaurant prototype and prudent capital allocation."
The company did not repurchase any shares during the fourth quarter of 2012, as compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, in which it repurchased 304,036 shares of common stock at an average price of $8.68 per share, excluding commissions, for approximately $2.6 million. During fiscal 2012, the company used approximately $5.9 million to repurchase 539,596 shares at an average price of $10.68, excluding commissions, under its current share repurchase program and the recently completed previous share repurchase program. As of the end of fiscal 2012, the company had repurchased 323,862 shares under its current 1.0 million share authorization at an average price of $10.49 per share, excluding commissions, for a total of approximately $3.4 million. The company repurchased 610,166 shares of common stock during fiscal 2011 at an average price of $9.42 per share, excluding commissions, for a total of approximately $5.8 million.
The company was in compliance with its adjusted leverage ratio and cash flow covenants associated with its credit facility at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012. However, as a result of working collaboratively with a franchise partner on a payment plan on amounts owed, we were not in compliance with the royalty covenant at the end of the fourth quarter. The credit facility requires that the amount of franchise royalties aged past 30 days not exceed 25%, and at the end of the fourth quarter, our aging was at 26%. The company is currently in discussions with the bank regarding an amendment or a waiver with regard to this covenant.
Marketing and Development
Starting in mid-February and running through March, the company will be featuring the return of our popular Sweetwater Catfish, as both an entrée and an appetizer, which will remain on the menu as a regular menu item after this special re-introduction.
During the fourth quarter, Famous Dave's opened four new franchise-operated restaurants in South Coast Metro, California, Overland Park, Kansas, Ft. Myers, Florida and Casper, Wyoming and one company-owned restaurant as a fast casual format in Evergreen Park, Illinois. A company-owned restaurant closed in Lombard, Illinois at the end of its natural lease term, and three franchise-operated restaurants closed in Lahaina, Hawaii, Abilene, Texas, and Baxter, Minnesota during the quarter. Famous Dave's ended the quarter with 188 restaurants, including 53 company-owned restaurants and 135 franchise-operated restaurants, located in 34 states and 1 Canadian Province. Subsequent to year end, a franchise-operated restaurant in Burnsville, Minnesota closed and is expected to be relocated in early 2013.
"We are uniquely positioned to capitalize on what Famous Dave's has always been, the category defining leader in BBQ," said Gilbert. "Our growth will come through new locations, new franchise partners, new prototypical designs and new markets. We plan to open approximately 17 new locations in 2013, including our first location in Puerto Rico that will allow us to surpass 200 restaurants, and over a half billion in sales, system-wide. Additionally, we will grow in terms of profitability through sales leverage and through strategic investments, such as those that will help us optimize our menu through defined pricing strategies. We see an unprecedented amount of opportunity for 2013 and for the long term, and believe that the strategy that we have put in place and the investments we have made will soon translate into a stronger brand."
The company will host a conference call tomorrow, February 14, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full year financial results. There will be a live webcast of the discussion through the Investor Relations section of Famous Dave's web site at www.famousdaves.com.
Famous Dave's of America, Inc. develops, owns, operates and franchises barbeque restaurants. As of today, the company owns 53 locations and franchises 134 additional units in 34 states and 1 Canadian Province. Its menu features award-winning barbequed and grilled meats, an ample selection of salads, side items and sandwiches, and unique desserts.
The Famous Dave's of America, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7726
To supplement its financial statements, Famous Dave's of America, Inc. also provides investors with adjusted net income per share and adjusted EBITDA which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends relating to its financial condition and results of operations. Famous Dave's management uses these non-GAAP measures to compare the Company's performance to that of prior periods for trend analysis and planning purposes.
Adjusted net income per share consists of net income plus non-cash items, such as, asset impairment and estimated lease termination and other closing costs and net loss on disposal of equipment divided by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period presented. Famous Dave's of America, Inc. believes adjusted net income per share is useful to an investor because it is widely used to measure a company's operating performance.
EBITDA consists of income from operations plus depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA consists of EBITDA plus non-cash items, such as, asset impairment and estimated lease termination and other closing costs and net loss on disposal of equipment. Famous Dave's uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of operating performance because it assists the Company in comparing performance on a consistent basis, as it removes from operating results the impact of non-cash events. The Company believes Adjusted EBITDA is useful to an investor in evaluating the company's operating performance because it is widely used to measure a Company's operating performance without the impact of items such as depreciation and amortization, which can vary depending upon accounting methods and the book value of assets, and to present a meaningful measure of corporate performance exclusive of the impact of non-cash events and the method by which assets were acquired.
These non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in the company's financial statements and are subject to inherent limitations. Famous Dave's of America, Inc. urges investors to review the reconciliation of its non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures that are included in this press release. The tables appearing at the end of this release provide reconciliations of net income to adjusted net income per share and Adjusted EBITDA.
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Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical, including but not limited to statements regarding the timing of our restaurant openings and the timing or success of our expansion plans, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause the company's actual results to differ materially from expected results. Although Famous Dave's of America, Inc. believes the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectation will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Famous Dave's expectation include financial performance, restaurant industry conditions, execution of restaurant development and construction programs, franchisee performance, changes in local or national economic conditions, availability of financing, governmental approvals and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's SEC reports.
Gretchen Anthony
Director of Communication
952-294-1300
Famous Dave's of America, Inc. develops, owns, operates and franchises Bar B Que restaurants.