Jack in the Box Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2023 Earnings

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK) announced financial results for the Jack in the Box and Del Taco segments in the third quarter, ended July 9, 2023.

"I am pleased to see strong results to begin the second half of 2023, highlighted by a record-breaking opening in Salt Lake City, as our strategic focus areas are beginning to take shape and sustain," said Darin Harris, chief executive officer. "Relentless focus on execution is supporting our momentum, which includes progress on gross openings and net unit growth, improving restaurant margins and franchise profitability, and outstanding sales performance led by late night. We are also making progress on the integration and refranchising of Del Taco, which is delivering incremental development commitments, as well as further progress toward net new unit growth and an asset-light company."

Jack in the Box Performance

Same-store sales increased 7.9% in the third quarter with franchise same-store sales up 8.0% and company-operated same-store sales up 6.9%. Company-operated restaurants experienced growth in both average check and traffic while franchise restaurants had growth in average check, partially offset by a decline in traffic. Systemwide sales for the third quarter increased 8.0%.

Restaurant-Level Margin⁽²⁾, a non-GAAP measure, was $21.1 million, or 21.8%, up from $15.9 million, or 15.8%, a year ago driven primarily by strong sales leverage and the sale of two evolving markets.

Franchise-Level Margin⁽²⁾, a non-GAAP measure, was $75.3 million, or 41.1%, up from $70.8 million, or 41.4%, a year ago, the increase in margin was mainly driven by the flow through of higher sales in the current year.

Jack in the Box net restaurant count was positive in the third quarter, with six new restaurant openings and two franchisee closures. As of Q3, and since the launch of the development program in mid-2021, the company currently has 77 signed agreements for a total of 340 restaurants. Under these agreements, 32 restaurants have opened, leaving 308 remaining for future development. Jack in the Box also opened its first location in Salt Lake City, its first new market in over a decade, with a record-breaking Average Weekly Sales during the first full month.

Jack in the Box Same-Store Sales:

Jack in the Box Restaurant Counts:

Del Taco Performance⁽¹⁾

Same-store sales increased 1.7% in the third quarter, comprised of franchise same-store sales growth of 1.8% and Company-operated same-store sales growth of 1.7%. Sales performance included the increases in menu pricing, partially offset by changes in menu mix and transaction declines. Systemwide sales for the fiscal third quarter increased 1.6% driven by positive results in both franchise and company-operated same-store sales.

Restaurant-Level Margin, a non-GAAP measure, was $17.7 million, or 17.4%, down from $20.1 million, or 17.6%, a year ago due to commodity, wage and utility inflation, partially offset by higher sales performance.

Franchise-Level Margin, a non-GAAP measure, was $5.5 million, or 36.7%, up from $5.1 million, or 42.7%, a year ago driven by franchise same-store sales growth, partially offset by higher franchise costs and the impact of refranchising transactions with pass through rent.

Del Taco recorded an impairment charge of $5.4 million in the third quarter, primarily related to underperforming restaurants in the Oklahoma and Atlanta markets.

Del Taco had a third quarter net decrease of one restaurant, comprised of two company-operated restaurant closings and one franchise-operated store closing. This was offset by two franchise openings, including a restaurant in Santa Rosa Beach, FL which experienced the highest average weekly sales in its first two weeks for the system in several years.

During the quarter, the Company refranchised 50 Del Taco restaurants, bringing the FY 2023 total to 66 refranchised restaurants through the end of the third quarter. The 50 units include:

• 17 previously-announced restaurants in Las Vegas, with development agreements for:
  • 4 Del Taco restaurants in Las Vegas
  • 6 Del Taco restaurants in Montana and Wyoming
  • 6 Jack in the Box restaurants in Montana and Wyoming

• 18 additional restaurants in Las Vegas, with development agreements for:
  • 14 Del Taco restaurants in Orlando, FL
  • 3 Del Taco restaurants in Las Vegas

• 15 restaurants in Los Angeles, with development agreements for:
  • 7 Del Taco restaurants in Orlando, FL
  • 8 Del Taco restaurants in Houston, TX

Subsequent to the third quarter, the company has refranchised 23 additional restaurants in Los Angeles, with development agreements for 10 Del Taco restaurants in Los Angeles, and 13 Del Taco restaurants in Fresno, CA.

Del Taco Same-Store Sales:

Del Taco Restaurant Counts:

Company-Wide Performance

Third quarter diluted earnings per share was $1.41. Operating Earnings Per Share⁽³⁾, a non-GAAP measure, was $1.45 in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared with $1.38 in the prior year quarter. Operating EPS for the third quarter includes a $0.19 negative impact related to the impairment on the Del Taco restaurants noted above.

Total revenues decreased 0.3% to $396.9 million, compared to $398.3 million in the prior year quarter. Net earnings increased to $29.2 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023, compared with $22.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2022. Adjusted EBITDA⁽⁴⁾, a non-GAAP measure, was $79.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared with $73.2 million for the prior year quarter.

Company-wide SG&A expense for the third quarter was $39.6 million, a decrease of $0.4 million compared to the prior year quarter, due to lower advertising costs, as well as changes in the cash surrender value of company owned life insurance ("COLI") policies, net of changes in our deferred compensation obligation supported by these policies. These decreases were partially offset by higher incentive compensation. When excluding net COLI gains, our G&A was 2.4% of systemwide sales.

The effective tax rate for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 was 32.6% compared to 28.8% in the third quarter of fiscal year 2022. The major components of the increase in tax rate were the annual impact of both actual and estimated disposals of non-deductible goodwill attributable to refranchising transactions, partially offset by non-taxable COLI gains in the current year as opposed to non-deductible COLI losses in the prior year and non-deductible transaction costs resulting from the Del Taco acquisition recorded in the prior year. The Non-GAAP Operating EPS tax rate for the third quarter of 2023 was 26.8%.

(1) Del Taco same-store sales on a three-year basis and all prior year comparisons are pro forma and based on the time period of Jack in the Box’s full year fiscal calendar, with the exception of Del Taco's prior year Restaurant-Level Margin and Franchise-Level Margin which are based on a partial quarter time period, March 8 through July 10, 2022.
(2) Restaurant-Level Margin and Franchise-Level Margin are non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures are reconciled to earnings from operations, the most comparable GAAP measure, in the attachment to this release. See "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results."
(3) Operating Earnings Per Share for the second quarter of 2023 represents the diluted earnings per share on a GAAP basis, excluding acquisition, integration, and restructuring costs, COLI (gains) losses, net, pension and post-retirement benefit costs, refranchising gains and the tax impacts of the related adjustments. See "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results." Operating earnings per share may not add due to rounding.
(4) Adjusted EBITDA represents net earnings on a GAAP basis excluding income taxes, interest expense, net, gains or losses on the sale of company-operated restaurants, other operating expenses (income), net, depreciation and amortization, the amortization of favorable and unfavorable leases and subleases, net and the amortization of franchise tenant improvement allowances and incentives. See "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measurements to GAAP Results."

Capital Allocation

The company repurchased 0.3 million shares of our common stock for an aggregate cost of $26.9 million, including the applicable excise tax, in the third quarter. As of August 9, 2023, there was $115.0 million remaining under the Board-authorized stock buyback program. The company is now committed to executing at least $80 million in share repurchases in FY 2023.

On August 4, 2023, the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.44 per share, to be paid on September 18, 2023, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 6, 2023. Future dividends will be subject to approval by our Board of Directors.

Guidance & Outlook Updates

All guidance and outlook provided on May 17, 2023 for the fiscal year ending October 1, 2023 remain the same, with the exception of two items:

• The company now plans to refranchise 90-120 Del Taco restaurants in FY 2023, up from previous guidance of 65-85 restaurants. This will not impact our Operating EPS guidance of $5.90- $6.10 for FY 2023, which remains the same as previously stated.
• The company now plans to execute at least $80 million in share repurchases in FY 2023 (previously $70 million)

Conference Call

The company will host a conference call for analysts and investors on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, beginning at 8:00 a.m. PT (11:00 a.m. ET). The call will be webcast live via the Investors section of the Jack in the Box company website at http://investors.jackinthebox.com. A replay of the call will be available through the Jack in the Box Inc. corporate website for 21 days. The call can be accessed via phone by dialing (888) 330-2508 and using ID 4115265.

About Jack in the Box Inc.

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), founded and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Jack in the Box^®, one of the nation's largest hamburger chains with approximately 2,200 restaurants across 21 states, and Del Taco^®, the second largest Mexican-American QSR chain by units in the U.S. with approximately 600 restaurants across 16 states. For more information on both brands, including franchising opportunities, visit www.jackinthebox.com and www.deltaco.com.

Category: Earnings

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goals,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate. These estimates and assumptions involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are in some cases beyond our control. Factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the success of new products, marketing initiatives and restaurant remodels and drive-thru enhancements; 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, risks relating to expansion into new markets and successful franchise development; the ability to attract, train and retain top-performing personnel, litigation risks; risks associated with disagreements with franchisees; supply chain disruption; food-safety incidents or negative publicity impacting the reputation of the company's brand; increased regulatory and legal complexities, risks associated with the amount and terms of the securitized debt issued by certain of our wholly owned subsidiaries; 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.