Jamba Loss Narrower Than Estimates; Stock Up 5%

(RTTNews) - Juice stores operator Jamba Inc (JMBA) on Thursday reported fourth-quarter net loss of $8 million or $0.47 per share compared with a loss of $5.7 million or $0.33 per share last year.

Excluding transitional costs, adjusted loss for the quarter was $0.27 per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters estimated a loss of $0.34 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Revenues for the quarter were lower at $43.9 million compared with $44.1 million in the prior year. Analysts estimated revenues of $44.9 million for the quarter.

Jamba said system-wide comparable store sales increased 4.9% in the quarter, and sales on this basis at company-owned stores were up 4.2%, and franchise-operated stores rose 5.4%.

The company said its total expenses for the quarter rose to $51.8 million from $50.4 million last year.

For the full year 2015, Jamba expects company-owned comparable store sales growth of 3% to 5%.

Jamba said it looks to 2015 as a year of earnings growth, cost reduction and value creation in which it will continue with its stock repurchase program.

The company said it is committed to an asset-light strategy and would refranchise about 114 company-owned stores by mid-2015 as part of efforts to cut costs.