Luby's Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2017 Results

HOUSTON, Jan. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Luby's, Inc. (NYSE: LUB) ("Luby's") today announced unaudited financial results for its sixteen-week first quarter fiscal 2017, which ended on December 21, 2016. Comparisons in this press release for the first quarter fiscal 2017 are referred to as "first quarter."

First Quarter Key Metrics

• Opened four Fuddruckers franchise locations: two domestic and two international
• Capital expenditures decreased $0.7 million in the first quarter compared to the first quarter fiscal 2016
• Same-store sales decreased 2.3%

Chris Pappas, President and CEO, commented, "We continue to execute our operational plans and initiatives to drive guest satisfaction. While we are not satisfied with our first quarter results, and despite the continued challenges that are pressuring sales throughout the restaurant industry, we remain optimistic in our ability to demonstrate improvement over the long term. Most importantly, our entire team remains focused on providing an enhanced guest experience at each of our brands to change the trajectory of our business and drive shareholder value."

• Restaurant sales in the first quarter decreased to $108.1 million, a decrease of 4.8% versus the first quarter fiscal 2016.
  • Luby's Cafeterias sales decreased $2.6 million versus the first quarter fiscal 2016, due to the closure of two locations and a 2.2% decrease in Luby's same-store sales. The 2.2% decrease was the result of a 1.4% decrease in guest traffic and a 0.8% decrease in average spend per guest.
  • Fuddruckers sales at company-owned restaurants decreased $2.1 million versus the first quarter fiscal 2016, due to six restaurant closings (five on a permanent basis and one on a temporary basis for remodeling) and a 1.6% decrease in same-store sales, offset by the opening of three Fuddruckers locations. The 1.6% decrease in same-store sales was the result of a 2.7% decrease in guest traffic offset by a 1.1% increase in average spend per guest.
  • Combo location sales decreased $0.4 million and represented 6.1% of total restaurant sales in the first quarter. Our sixth Combo location opened in the third quarter fiscal 2015 with a high volume of sales which was sustained through the first quarter fiscal 2016, creating a challenging comparison for first quarter fiscal 2017. The $0.4 million decrease in Combo location sales was due to that comparison and a 2.3% same-store sales decrease at the other five Combo locations.
  • Cheeseburger in Paradise sales decreased $0.4 million, or 7.8%, compared to a significant prior year same-store sales increase of 5.5%.
• Store level profit, defined as restaurant sales plus vending revenue less cost of food, payroll and related costs, other operating expenses, and occupancy costs, was $12.6 million, or 11.7% of restaurant sales, in the first quarter compared to $16.8 million, or 14.8% of restaurant sales, during the first quarter fiscal 2016. Lower sales volumes coupled with higher other operating expenses and higher average hourly wage rates as well as the fixed cost component of payroll and related costs (mainly management labor) led to this decrease in store level profitability. Store level profit is a non-GAAP measure, and reconciliation to income from continuing operations is presented after the financial statements.
• Culinary Contract Services revenues decreased to $4.3 million with 23 operating locations during the first quarter compared to $4.9 million with 28 operating locations during the first quarter fiscal 2016. Culinary Contract Services profit was 11.3% of Culinary Contract Services sales in the first quarter compared to 10.0% in the first quarter fiscal 2016.
• Franchise revenue decreased $254 thousand, or 12.0%, in the first quarter compared to first quarter fiscal 2016. The decrease included (1) a $151 thousand decrease in franchise royalties due in part to the closure of franchise locations, lower international royalty income, and same-store sales declines at franchise locations and (2) an approximate $103 thousand decrease in non-royalty related fee income due to fewer openings in the first quarter compared to the first quarter fiscal 2016. In the first quarter, franchisees opened two U.S. locations (in Pennsylvania and South Carolina) and two international locations (in Panama and the Dominican Republic). Four locations also closed during the first quarter.
• Income from continuing operations was a loss of $5.5 million, or a loss of $0.19 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $1.7 million, or a loss of $0.06 per diluted share, in the first quarter fiscal 2016. Excluding special items, loss from continuing operations was $5.3 million, or a loss of $0.18 per diluted share, in the first quarter compared to a loss of $1.9 million, or a loss of $0.07 per diluted share, in the first quarter fiscal 2016.

Balance Sheet and Capital Expenditures

We ended the first quarter with a debt balance outstanding of $39.4 million, up from $37.0 million at the end of fiscal 2016. During the first quarter, our capital expenditures were $5.0 million, compared to $5.7 million in the first quarter fiscal 2016. At the end of the first quarter, we had $1.4 million in cash and $160.6 million in total shareholders' equity.

Conference Call

Luby's will host a conference call on January 26, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time to discuss further its first quarter fiscal 2017 results. To access the call live, dial (412) 902-0030 and use the access code 13652944# at least 10 minutes prior to the start time, or listen live over the Internet by visiting the events page in the investor relations section of www.lubysinc.com. For those who cannot listen to the live call, a telephonic replay will be available through February 2, 2017 and may be accessed by calling (201) 612-7415 and using the access code 13652944#. Also, an archive of the webcast will be available after the call for a period of 90 days on the "Investors" section of the Company's website.

About Luby's

Luby's, Inc. (NYSE: LUB) operates 173 restaurants nationally: 91 Luby's Cafeterias, 73 Fuddruckers, 8 Cheeseburger in Paradise and one Bob Luby's Seafood Grill. Luby's is the franchisor for 114 Fuddruckers franchise locations across the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, Mexico, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Colombia. Additionally, a licensee operates 34 restaurants with the exclusive right to use the Fuddruckers proprietary marks, trade dress, and system in certain countries in the Middle East. The Company does not receive revenue or royalties from these Middle East restaurants. Luby's Culinary Contract Services provides food service management to 23 sites consisting of healthcare and corporate dining locations.

This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of these provisions, including the statements under the caption "Outlook" and any other statements regarding scheduled openings of units, scheduled closures of units, sales of assets, expected proceeds from the sale of assets, expected levels of capital expenditures, effects of food commodity costs, anticipated financial results in future periods and expectations of industry conditions.

Luby's cautions readers that various factors could cause its actual financial and operational results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements made from time-to-time in news releases, reports, proxy statements, registration statements, and other written communications, as well as oral statements made from time to time by representatives of Luby's. The following factors, as well as any other cautionary language included in this press release, provide examples of risks, uncertainties and events that may cause Luby's actual results to differ materially from the expectations Luby's describes in such forward-looking statements: general business and economic conditions; the impact of competition; our operating initiatives; fluctuations in the costs of commodities, including beef, poultry, seafood, dairy, cheese and produce; increases in utility costs, including the costs of natural gas and other energy supplies; changes in the availability and cost of labor; the seasonality of Luby's business; changes in governmental regulations, including changes in minimum wages; the effects of inflation; the availability of credit; unfavorable publicity relating to operations, including publicity concerning food quality, illness or other health concerns or labor relations; the continued service of key management personnel; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in Luby's annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

For additional information contact:

Dennard-Lascar Associates
Rick Black / Ken Dennard
Investor Relations
713-529-6600

The following table contains information derived from the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations expressed as a percentage of sales. Percentages may not total due to rounding.

Although store level profit, defined as restaurant sales plus vending revenue, less cost of food, payroll and related costs, other operating expenses, and occupancy costs is a non-GAAP measure, we believe its presentation is useful because it explicitly shows the results of our most significant reportable segment.   The following table reconciles between store level profit, a non-GAAP measure to income (loss) from continuing operations, a GAAP measure:

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as income (loss) from continuing operations before interest, provision (benefit) for income taxes and depreciation and amortization and excluding net gain (loss) on disposing of property and equipment, provision for asset impairments, non-cash compensation expense, and other income (expense).

Adjusted EBITDA is intended as a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to management and investors in valuing the Company and evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our results to other competitors. Our management uses Adjusted EBITDA in evaluating management's performance when determining incentive compensation.

Adjusted EBITDA, as defined, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures as computed by other companies. These measures should be considered supplemental and not a substitute or superior to other GAAP performance measures.

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SOURCE Luby's, Inc.