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8-K - PRESS RELEASE 8-K FOR 2ND QTR FY11 - RUBY TUESDAY INCform8-k_2ndqtr11.htm


NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


RUBY TUESDAY REPORTS POSITIVE SAME-RESTAURANT SALES OF 4.2%, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN MARGINS AND PROFITABILITY FOR SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2011

MARYVILLE, TN – January 5, 2011 – Ruby Tuesday, Inc. (NYSE: RT) today reported financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2010.

Highlights for the second quarter of 2011 compared to the second quarter of 2010 include:
·  
Positive same-restaurant sales of 4.2% at Company-owned Ruby Tuesday restaurants
·  
Restaurant-level operating margin of 15.1%, compared to 13.7% for the prior year, an improvement of 140 basis points
·  
Net income of $4.6 million, compared to prior-year net income of $0.4 million
·  
Diluted earnings per share of $0.07, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.01 for the prior year
·  
Negotiated a new five-year, $320 million revolving credit facility with attractive pricing and flexibility, which closed on December 1st
·  
Book debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.03 represents an improvement over the prior-year ratio of 2.57

“We are pleased to report our third consecutive quarter of positive same-restaurant sales, and our strongest quarterly sales percentage in almost five years.  We believe these results are directly correlated to our repositioning efforts and strategic investments in our high-quality menu offerings, combined with an effective targeted marketing program.  We are excited about our Ruby Tuesday brand and believe the investments we continue to make are yielding positive results and momentum, even in this continued challenging economic environment,” said Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Sandy Beall.

 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 2 -


Other highlights from our second quarter results include:
·  
Same-restaurant sales sizably outperformed Knapp-TrackTM, the industry benchmark
·  
Same-restaurant sales for domestic franchised restaurants increased by 1.6%
·  
Total revenue increased 6.2% from the prior-year period
·  
Sales at domestic and international franchise Ruby Tuesday restaurants (which is the basis for determining royalty fees included in franchise revenue on the Company’s statement of operations) totaled $79.9 million and $88.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 and 2010, respectively
·  
First Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q conversion opened in Knoxville on September 21st
·  
The Company acquired three Ruby Tuesday restaurants from a traditional franchisee in Lexington, Kentucky
·  
The Company did not open any new Ruby Tuesday restaurants and closed one restaurant
·  
Domestic and international franchisees opened two new Ruby Tuesday restaurants and closed four
·  
Total capital expenditures were $6.7 million

Mr. Beall added, “Our sales and earnings growth and solid balance sheet are enabling us to execute on our three to five year strategies to further strengthen and grow our business in a low-risk, high-return manner.  These strategies include:
·  
Continue to Enhance Sales and Margins of Our Core Brand – Our number one focus continues to be the strength of the Ruby Tuesday brand, from both a sales and margin standpoint.  Our recent new offerings including our fall menu, Fit & Trim entrees, complimentary garlic cheese biscuits, additional side items, enhanced Garden Bar, and enhanced Sunday Brunch have been well received by our guests.  We believe continually introducing new key promotions and offerings, which we call “Game Changers,” coupled with our reinvestment in various service-related initiatives, will facilitate our longer-term goal of providing a $25 high-quality casual dining experience for $15.
·  
Increase Revenue and EBITDA Through New Concept Conversions and Franchise Partnership Acquisitions – Our second strategy is to get more from our existing assetswith a focus on converting certain underperforming Company-owned restaurants to other high-quality casual dining concepts. We have completed our first two restaurant

 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 3 -


 
conversions with Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, which opened in Knoxville in September, and Truffles, which recently opened on December 8th in the Buckhead (Atlanta) area.  We are in the process of finalizing site selection for additional conversions over the next 18 months and are excited about the potentially high cash-on-cash returns these concepts afford our shareholders.  Another part of our plan is focused on generating incremental revenue and EBITDA from our current franchise partners through either potential additional acquisitions or conversion to traditional franchisees over time.
·  
Focus on Low-Risk, Low Capital-Intensive, High-Return Growth – Our third strategy is focused on investing in low-risk, accretive growth.  We are excited about our previously-announced licensing agreement with Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, a Florida-based fast casual fresh-Mexican restaurant concept.  We are actively involved in site selection, with a primary focus on smaller, inline locations.  The ability to enter the high-growth fast casual segment with a strong brand such as Lime, which is in alignment with our focus on high-quality food and service, provides an attractive growth option with relatively low risk that should create long-term value for our shareholders.
·  
Allocate Capital to Enhance Shareholder Value – Our recent recapitalization of the Company with a new five-year revolving credit facility provides us with greater flexibility going forward.  Our primary areas of focus are to enhance our cash flow through the low-risk, high-return investment opportunities noted above; maintain prudent debt levels; and return any excess cash to our shareholders primarily through an opportunistic share repurchase program.”

Fiscal Year 2011 Guidance
·  
Same-Restaurant Sales  We estimate same-restaurant sales for Company-owned restaurants will be in the range of flat to positive 2% for the year
·  
Company-Owned and Licensed Restaurant Development – We expect to open one to two inline restaurants in 2011, expect to close seven to nine Company-owned restaurants, and convert five to seven Company-owned restaurants to other high-end casual dining concepts.  In addition to the 20 franchise restaurants acquired during our first fiscal quarter and three restaurants we acquired in the second quarter, we are evaluating the potential buy back of additional franchise restaurants over the remainder of the fiscal year.

 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 4 -

 
·  
Franchise Restaurant Development – We project our franchisees will open eight to 10 restaurants, up to five of which will be international
·  
Restaurant Operating Margins – Margins are anticipated to be relatively flat, primarily reflecting the impact of our continued investment in higher-quality menu items and new product offerings, as well as investments in service to enhance our guest experience and drive sales, offset by lower promotional levels.  Our food costs are expected to remain relatively stable compared to the prior year.
·  
Other Expenses – Depreciation is projected in the $60-$63 million range and selling, general, and administrative expenses are targeted to be up approximately 8%-10% from a year earlier, primarily reflecting higher marketing brand research and training expenses.  Interest expense is projected to be $10-$12 million and the effective tax rate is estimated to be 20%-25%.
·  
Diluted Earnings Per Share for the year are projected to be in the $0.76 -$0.86 range.  Fully-diluted weighted average shares outstanding are estimated to be approximately 64.5 million for the year.
·  
Capital Expenditures are estimated to be $29-$33 million

In closing, Mr. Beall said, “While we are pleased with the momentum of our business, our team is determined to work harder and smarter to strengthen our Ruby Tuesday brand as it is the key building block to our long-range plan.  We believe we have solid plans in place and are excited about our future.  We look forward to leveraging our various growth options, strong balance sheet, and talented team members to continue to rebuild shareholder value.”


A FRESH NEW RUBY TUESDAY

Ruby Tuesday, Inc. has Company-owned and/or franchise Ruby Tuesday brand restaurants in 46 states, the District of Columbia, 15 foreign countries, and Guam.  As of November 30, 2010, the Company owned and operated 676 Ruby Tuesday restaurants, while domestic and international franchisees (including Hawaii and Guam) operated 140 and 58 restaurants,
respectively. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (Symbol:  RT).
 
 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 5 -

 

For more information, contact:
Greg Ashley                                                                                                Phone:  865-379-5700

The Company will host a conference call, which will be a live web-cast, this afternoon at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.   The call will be available live at the following websites:

http://www.rubytuesday.com
http://www.earnings.com

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
 
This press release contains various forward-looking statements, which represent our expectations or beliefs concerning future events, including one or more of the following:  future financial performance and restaurant growth (both Company-owned and franchised), future capital expenditures, future borrowings and repayments of debt, availability of debt financing on terms attractive to the Company, payment of dividends, stock repurchases, and restaurant and franchise acquisitions and refranchises.  We caution the reader that a number of important factors and uncertainties could, individually or in the aggregate, cause our actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements (such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to cost savings that we estimate may result from any programs we implement, our estimates of future capital spending and free cash flow, and our targets for annual growth in same-restaurant sales and average annual sales per restaurant), including, without limitation, the following: general economic conditions; changes in promotional, couponing and advertising strategies; changes in our guests’ disposable income; consumer spending trends and habits; increased competition in the restaurant market; laws and regulations affecting labor and employee benefit costs, including further potential increases in state and federally mandated minimum wages; guests’ acceptance of changes in menu items; guests’ acceptance of our development prototypes, remodeled restaurants, and conversion strategy; mall-traffic trends; changes in the availability and cost of capital; weather conditions in the regions in which Company-owned and franchised restaurants are operated; costs and availability of food and beverage inventory; our ability to attract and retain qualified managers, franchisees and team members; impact of adoption of new accounting standards; impact of food-borne illnesses resulting from an outbreak at either Ruby Tuesday or other restaurant concepts; effects of actual or threatened future terrorist attacks in the United States; and significant fluctuations in energy prices.
 

 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 6-

RUBY TUESDAY, INC.
                             
                               
Financial Results For the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2011
                         
(Amounts in thousands except per share amounts)
                             
(Unaudited)
                             
   
13 Weeks
   
13 Weeks
       
26 Weeks
   
26 Weeks
   
   
Ended
   
Ended
       
Ended
   
Ended
   
   
November 30,
Percent
 
December 1,
Percent
 
Percent
November 30,
Percent
 
December 1,
Percent
Percent
   
 2010
of Revenue
 2009
of Revenue
Change
 
 2010
of Revenue
 2009
of Revenue
Change
                               
Revenue:
                             
Restaurant sales and operating revenue
 
 $        288,955
99.5
 
 $        271,882
99.4
     
 $        589,587
99.4
 
 $        571,183
99.5
 
Franchise revenue
 
1,496
0.5
 
1,582
0.6
     
3,550
0.6
 
2,893
0.5
 
Total revenue
 
290,451
100.0
 
273,464
100.0
 
6.2
 
593,137
100.0
 
574,076
100.0
3.3
                               
Operating Costs and Expenses:
                             
(as a percent of Restaurant sales and operating revenue)
                             
Cost of merchandise
 
84,537
29.3
 
78,555
28.9
     
169,630
28.8
 
168,882
29.6
 
Payroll and related costs
 
99,756
34.5
 
95,784
35.2
     
199,965
33.9
 
196,243
34.4
 
Other restaurant operating costs
 
61,157
21.2
 
60,323
22.2
     
120,800
20.5
 
121,200
21.2
 
Depreciation and amortization
 
15,619
5.4
 
16,285
6.0
     
30,741
5.2
 
32,566
5.7
 
(as a percent of Total revenue)
                             
Selling, general and administrative, net
 
21,237
7.3
 
16,388
6.0
     
43,780
7.4
 
35,408
6.2
 
Closures and impairments
 
348
0.1
 
(52)
0.0
     
2,087
0.4
 
538
0.1
 
Equity in (earnings)/losses of unconsolidated franchises
 
(27)
0.0
 
760
0.3
     
(230)
0.0
 
988
0.2
 
Total operating costs and expenses
 
            282,627
   
           268,043
       
           566,773
   
           555,825
   
                               
Earnings before Interest and Taxes
 
         7,824
2.7
   
        5,421
2.0
 
44.3
 
      26,364
4.4
   
      18,251
3.2
44.5
                               
Interest expense, net
 
2,556
0.9
 
4,601
1.7
     
5,019
0.8
 
9,989
1.7
 
 
                             
Pre-tax profit
 
                 5,268
1.8
 
                    820
0.3
 
542.4
 
              21,345
3.6
 
                8,262
1.4
158.4
                               
Provision for income taxes
 
703
0.2
 
389
0.1
     
4,383
0.7
 
1,687
0.3
 
                               
Net Income
 
 $      4,565
1.6
 
 $        431
0.2
 
959.2
 
 $   16,962
2.9
 
 $     6,575
1.1
158.0
                               
Earnings Per Share:
                             
Basic
 
 $        0.07
   
 $       0.01
   
600.0
 
 $       0.27
   
 $       0.11
 
145.5
Diluted
 
 $        0.07
   
 $       0.01
   
600.0
 
 $       0.26
   
 $       0.11
 
136.4
                               
Shares:
                             
Basic
 
64,011
   
63,319
       
63,846
   
59,723
   
Diluted
 
64,898
   
63,482
       
64,655
   
59,889
   
 
 

 
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.
News Release
January 5, 2011
Page           - 7-



         
         
RUBY TUESDAY, INC.
       
         
Financial Results For the Second Quarter
       
of Fiscal Year 2011
       
(Amounts in thousands)
       
(Unaudited)
       
   
November 30,
 
June 1,
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
 
2010
 
2010
Assets
       
   Cash and Short-Term Investments
 
$8,198
 
$9,569
   Accounts and Notes Receivable
 
8,636
 
9,746
   Inventories
 
42,705
 
28,813
   Income Tax Receivable
 
                    2,707
   
   Deferred Income Taxes
 
10,952
 
13,794
   Assets Held for Sale
 
4,381
 
3,234
   Prepaid Rent and Other Expenses
 
11,458
 
11,154
         
     Total Current Assets
 
89,037
 
76,310
         
   Property and Equipment, Net
 
947,456
 
943,486
   Unamortized Goodwill, Net
 
1,495
   
   Notes Receivable, Net
 
278
 
269
   Other Assets
 
47,152
 
43,964
         
     Total Assets
 
$1,085,418
 
$1,064,029
         
Liabilities
       
   Current Portion of Long Term Debt, including
       
      Capital Leases
 
$7,639
 
$12,776
   Income Tax Payable
     
                  1,049
   Other Current Liabilities
 
93,570
 
100,956
   Long-Term Debt, including Capital Leases
 
283,255
 
276,490
   Deferred Income Taxes
 
40,591
 
40,010
   Deferred Escalating Minimum Rents
 
43,110
 
42,305
   Other Deferred Liabilities
 
54,590
 
52,343
         
     Total Liabilities
 
522,755
 
525,929
         
Shareholders' Equity
 
562,663
 
538,100
         
     Total Liabilities and
       
     Shareholders' Equity
 
$1,085,418
 
$1,064,029