SAN DIEGO - May 13, 2015 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK) today reported earnings from continuing operations of $23.4 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, for the second quarter ended April 12, 2015, compared with earnings from continuing operations of $18.3 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2014.
Operating earnings per share, a non-GAAP measure which the company defines as diluted earnings per share from continuing operations on a GAAP basis excluding restructuring charges and gains or losses from refranchising, were $0.69 in the second quarter of fiscal 2015 compared with $0.51 in the prior year quarter.
A reconciliation of non-GAAP measurements to GAAP results is provided below, with additional information included in the attachment to this release. Figures may not add due to rounding.
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Lenny Comma, chairman and chief executive officer, said, “We’re pleased with our second quarter performance, which culminated in a 35 percent increase in operating earnings per share resulting from strong same-store sales growth and margin expansion at both Jack in the Box® and Qdoba Mexican Grill®. We continued to use our growing free cash flow to return cash to shareholders, and today we announced a 50 percent increase in our quarterly dividend, demonstrating the confidence we have in our business model. We also essentially completed our refranchising strategy, with the sale of 20 company-operated restaurants in the Southeast.”
Increase in same-store sales:
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“Jack in the Box system same-store sales increased 8.9 percent for the quarter, our best performance since 1999, and company same-store sales increased 7.4 percent. Transactions drove approximately one-third of the company growth, and sales were strong across all dayparts, with breakfast and dinner the best performing,” Comma said.
Jack in the Box system same-store sales growth for the quarter of 8.9 percent exceeded that of the QSR sandwich segment by 7.6 percentage points for the comparable period, according to The NPD Group’s SalesTrack® Weekly for the 12-week time period ended April 12, 2015. Included in this segment are 16 of the top QSR sandwich and burger chains in the country.
“Qdoba same-store sales increased 8.3 percent system-wide and 7.0 percent for company restaurants in the second quarter, as the simplified menu pricing structure continued to drive average check growth. Our company performance also benefited from another quarter of double-digit growth in catering sales,” Comma said.
Consolidated restaurant operating margin increased by 210 basis points to 20.6 percent of sales in the second quarter of 2015, compared with 18.5 percent of sales in the year-ago quarter. Restaurant operating margin for Jack in the Box company restaurants increased 280 basis points to 21.4 percent of sales. The improvement was due primarily to sales leverage and the benefit of refranchising, which were partially offset by the impact of the increase in the California minimum wage in July 2014. Food and packaging costs as a percentage of sales decreased due to the benefit of price increases and favorable product mix changes, which were partially offset by commodity inflation of approximately 2.6 percent in the quarter. Restaurant operating margin for Qdoba company restaurants increased 50 basis points to 18.8 percent of sales, due primarily to sales leverage, including the benefit of the new menu pricing structure, which was partially offset by commodity inflation of approximately 2.0 percent, an increase in labor staffing and higher credit card fees.
Franchise costs for the second quarter decreased to 48.3 percent of franchise revenues from 50.5 percent in the prior year quarter. The decrease was due primarily to higher royalty revenue for both brands and higher rental income from Jack in the Box franchise restaurants resulting from increases in franchise average unit volumes and an increase in the number of franchise restaurants.
SG&A expense for the second quarter increased by $3.8 million and was 14.7 percent of revenues as compared to 14.3 percent in the prior year quarter. The increase reflects a $1.2 million increase in pension expense and a $3.4 million increase in incentive compensation relating to the company’s performance. Mark-to-market adjustments on investments supporting the company’s non-qualified retirement plans positively impacted SG&A by $1.6 million in the second quarter of 2015 as compared to $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2014, resulting in a year-over-year decrease in SG&A of $1.1 million.
Losses from refranchising were $5.0 million in the second quarter of 2015, or approximately $0.08 per diluted share, relating to the refranchising of 20 Jack in the Box restaurants in one market. This compares to gains of $1.8 million, or approximately $0.03 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter.
In the third quarter of 2013, following the completion of the company’s previously disclosed review of market performance for its Qdoba brand, 62 company-operated Qdoba restaurants were closed, and the results of operations, impairment charges, lease obligations and other exit costs for these restaurants are included in discontinued operations in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings for all periods presented. Discontinued operations for the second quarter of fiscal 2015 include after-tax charges related to the Qdoba restaurant closures of approximately $0.01 per diluted share, as compared to $0.06 for the second quarter of fiscal 2014.
The company repurchased approximately 777,000 shares of its common stock in the second quarter of 2015 at an average price of $96.53 per share for an aggregate cost of $75.0 million. Year-to-date through the second quarter, the company has repurchased approximately 2,084,000 shares at an average price of $84.72 per share, for an aggregate cost of $176.6 million. This leaves $40.5 million remaining under a $100 million stock-buyback program authorized by the company’s Board of Directors, which expires in November 2016. In May 2015, the company’s Board of Directors authorized an additional $100 million stock buyback program that also expires in November 2016.
The company also announced today that on May 7, 2015, its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share on the company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on June 12, 2015, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 1, 2015.
The following guidance and underlying assumptions reflect the company’s current expectations for the third quarter ending July 5, 2015, and the fiscal year ending September 27, 2015. Fiscal 2015 is a 52-week year, with 16 weeks in the first quarter, and 12 weeks in each of the second, third and fourth quarters.
The company will host a conference call for financial analysts and investors on Thursday, May 14, 2015, beginning at 8:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. ET). The conference call will be webcast live over the Internet via the Jack in the Box Inc. corporate website. To access the live call through the Internet, log onto the Investors section of the Jack in the Box Inc. website at http://investors.jackinthebox.com at least 15 minutes prior to the event in order to download and install any necessary audio software. A replay of the call will be available through the Jack in the Box Inc. corporate website for 21 days, beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. PT on May 14.
Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), based in San Diego, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box® restaurants, one of the nation’s largest hamburger chains, with more than 2,200 restaurants in 21 states and Guam. Additionally, through a wholly owned subsidiary, the company operates and franchises Qdoba Mexican Grill®, a leader in fast-casual dining, with more than 600 restaurants in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. For more information on Jack in the Box and Qdoba, including franchising opportunities, visit www.jackinthebox.com or www.qdoba.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Such statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. A variety of factors could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including the following: the success of new products and marketing initiatives; the impact of competition, unemployment, trends in consumer spending patterns and commodity costs; the company’s ability to achieve and manage its planned growth, which is affected by the availability of a sufficient number of suitable new restaurant sites, the performance of new restaurants, and risks relating to expansion into new markets; and stock market volatility. These and other factors are discussed in the company’s annual report on Form 10-K and its periodic reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission which are available online at http://investors.jackinthebox.com or in hard copy upon request. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as the result of new information or otherwise.
JACK IN THE BOX INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASUREMENTS TO GAAP RESULTS
(Unaudited)
Operating earnings per share, a non-GAAP measure, is defined by the company as diluted earnings per share from continuing operations on a GAAP basis excluding restructuring charges and gains or losses from refranchising. Management believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides important supplemental information to assist investors in analyzing the performance of the company’s core business. In addition, the company uses operating earnings per share in establishing performance goals for purposes of executive compensation. The company encourages investors to rely upon its GAAP numbers but includes this non-GAAP financial measure as a supplemental metric to assist investors. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, this non-GAAP financial measure used by the company may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies.
Below is a reconciliation of non-GAAP operating earnings per share to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, diluted earnings per share from continuing operations. Figures may not add due to rounding.
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JACK IN THE BOX INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
(Unaudited)
The following table presents certain income and expense items included in our condensed consolidated statements of earnings as a percentage of total revenues, unless otherwise indicated. Percentages may not add due to rounding.
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JACK IN THE BOX INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
(Unaudited)
The following table presents Jack in the Box and Qdoba company restaurant sales, costs and costs as a percentage of the related sales. Percentages may not add due to rounding.
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SOURCE Jack in the Box Inc.
Carol DiRaimo
Jack in the Box Inc.
Investor Relations
(858) 571-2407
Brian Luscomb
Jack in the Box Inc.
Media Relations
(858) 571-2291
Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), based in San Diego, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box® restaurants.