Texas Roadhouse, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2018 Results

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (Nasdaq:TXRH), today announced financial results for the 13 week period ended March 27, 2018. 

Results for the first quarter included the following highlights:  

• Comparable restaurant sales increased 4.9% at company restaurants and 3.9% at domestic franchise restaurants;
• Diluted earnings per share increased 57.9% to $0.76 from $0.48 in the prior year primarily due to lower general and administrative expenses and the benefit of a lower income tax rate.  General and administrative expenses included a pre-tax charge recorded in the prior year period of $14.9 million ($9.2 million after-tax), or $0.13 per diluted share, related to the settlement of a legal matter;
• Restaurant margin dollars increased 6.3% to $119.4 million from $112.3 million in the prior year and restaurant margin, as a percentage of restaurant and other sales, decreased 75 basis points to 19.2%;
• Our income tax rate decreased to 13.0% from 26.5% in the prior year period primarily due to the impact of new tax legislation; and
• Seven company restaurants, including one Bubba’s 33 restaurant, and two international franchise restaurants were opened.

Kent Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Texas Roadhouse, Inc., commented, "We are pleased to report another solid quarter highlighted by double-digit revenue growth and comparable restaurant sales growth of 4.9%.  This sales growth was largely driven by traffic gains which have continued into the second quarter.  While restaurant margins remain challenged by ongoing labor inflation, our operators have remained focused on providing our guests with a legendary experience.  On the development front, our new restaurant pipeline is in good shape with 11 company restaurants and two international franchise restaurants, including our first in Mexico, open so far this year."

2018 Outlook

Comparable restaurant sales at company restaurants for the first four weeks of our second quarter of fiscal 2018 increased approximately 8.5% compared to the prior year period.

Management updated the following expectation for 2018:

• Commodity cost inflation of approximately 1.0% compared to previous guidance of relatively flat food costs.

Management reiterated the following expectations for 2018:

• Positive comparable restaurant sales growth;
• Approximately 30 company restaurant openings, including up to seven Bubba’s 33 restaurants;
• Mid-single digit growth in labor dollars per store week, excluding the impact of higher guest counts;
• An income tax rate of 15.0% to 16.0%; and
• Total capital expenditures of approximately $165.0 million to $175.0 million.

Non-GAAP Measures

We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).  Within our press release, we make reference to restaurant margin (in dollars and as a percentage of sales).  Restaurant margin represents restaurant and other sales less restaurant-level operating costs, including cost of sales, labor, rent and other operating costs.  Restaurant margin should not be considered in isolation, or as an alternative, to income from operations.  This non-GAAP measure is not indicative of overall company performance and profitability in that this measure does not accrue directly to the benefit of shareholders due to the nature of the costs excluded.  Restaurant margin is widely regarded as a useful metric by which to evaluate restaurant-level operating efficiency and performance.  In calculating restaurant margin, we exclude certain non-restaurant-level costs that support operations, including pre-opening and general and administrative expenses, but do not have a direct impact on restaurant-level operational efficiency and performance.  We also exclude depreciation and amortization expense, substantially all of which relates to restaurant-level assets, as it represents a non-cash charge for the investment in our restaurants.  We also exclude impairment and closure expense as we believe this provides a clearer perspective of ongoing operating performance and a more useful comparison to prior period results.  Restaurant margin as presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies in our industry.  A reconciliation of income from operations to restaurant margin is included in the accompanying financial tables.

Conference Call

Texas Roadhouse is hosting a conference call today, April 30, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results.  The dial-in number is (800) 281-7973 or (323) 794-2093 for international calls.  A replay of the call will be available for one week following the conference call.  To access the replay, please dial (844) 512-2921 or (412) 317-6671 for international calls, and use 4129643 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 has grown to over 560 restaurants system-wide in 49 states and eight 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 Texas Roadhouse.  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.

Contacts:

Investor Relations                                                                                          
Tonya Robinson
(502) 515-7269

Media
Travis Doster
(502) 638-5457