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The Chefs’ Warehouse Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results

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The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHEF) reported strong Q1 2022 results, with net sales soaring 82.8% to $512.1 million, compared to $280.2 million in Q1 2021. GAAP net income reached $1.4 million ($0.04/share), rebounding from a net loss of $17.9 million in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $21.5 million, reversing from a negative $9.5 million. Organic sales increased 62.9%, while gross profit surged 99.4% to $117.5 million. The company issued guidance for 2022 with estimated net sales of $2.13 to $2.23 billion, signaling continued growth.

Positive
  • Net sales increased 82.8% to $512.1 million in Q1 2022.
  • GAAP net income improved to $1.4 million, from a loss of $17.9 million in Q1 2021.
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $21.5 million, up from negative $9.5 million.
  • Organic sales rose by 62.9% year-over-year.
Negative
  • Selling, general and administrative expenses rose by 37.2% to $110.1 million.

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHEF) (the “Company” or “Chefs’”), a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States and Canada, today reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 25, 2022.

Financial highlights for the first quarter of 2022:

  • Net sales increased 82.8% to $512.1 million for the first quarter of 2022 from $280.2 million for the first quarter of 2021.
  • GAAP net income was $1.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2022 compared to net loss of $17.9 million, or $(0.49) per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2021.
  • Adjusted net income per share¹ was $0.10 for the first quarter of 2022 compared to $(0.50) for the first quarter of 2021.
  • Adjusted EBITDA¹ was $21.5 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared to negative adjusted EBITDA of $(9.5) million for the first quarter of 2021.

“As expected, 2022 started off with seasonally moderate business activity in January, which was also slightly impacted by the Omicron variant. Revenue trends grew steadily in February and March across our markets as consumer demand for dining out continued to show strength,” said Chris Pappas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “Moderate increases in labor markets facilitated new customer openings and growth in restaurant capacity, which contributed to sequential weekly sales improvement as the quarter progressed.”

First Quarter Fiscal 2022 Results

Net sales for the quarter ended March 25, 2022 increased 82.8% to $512.1 million from $280.2 million for the quarter ended March 26, 2021. Organic sales increased $176.3 million, or 62.9% versus the prior year quarter. Sales growth of $55.6 million, or 19.9%, resulted from acquisitions. Organic case count increased approximately 47.3% in the Company’s specialty category with unique customers and placements increases at 29.4% and 41.6%, respectively, compared to the prior year quarter. Organic pounds sold in the Company’s center-of-the-plate category increased approximately 26.0% compared to the prior year quarter. Estimated inflation was 14.9% in the Company’s specialty categories and 28.5% in the center-of-the-plate categories compared to the prior year quarter.

Gross profit increased approximately 99.4% to $117.5 million for the first quarter of 2022 from $58.9 million for the first quarter of 2021. Gross profit margin increased approximately 191 basis points to 22.9% from 21.0%. Gross margin in the Company’s specialty category increased 213 basis points and gross margin increased 111 basis points in the Company’s center-of-the-plate category compared to the prior year quarter.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by approximately 37.2% to $110.1 million for the first quarter of 2022 from $80.2 million for the first quarter of 2021. These increases were primarily volume-based increases to support our sales growth for the quarter ended March 25, 2022. As a percentage of net sales, operating expenses were 21.5% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 28.6% in the first quarter of 2021.

Other operating expense decreased by approximately $2.3 million primarily due to non-cash charges of $0.3 million for changes in the fair value of our contingent earn-out liabilities compared to non-cash credits of $1.3 million in the prior year period.

Operating income for the first quarter of 2022 was $6.3 million compared to operating loss of $20.1 million for the first quarter of 2021. The increase in operating income was driven primarily by higher gross profit, partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses, as discussed above. As a percentage of net sales, operating income was 1.2% in the first quarter of 2022 as compared to operating loss of 7.2% in the first quarter of 2021.

Total interest expense decreased to $4.4 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared to $4.8 million for the first quarter of 2021. The decrease in interest expense is the result of lower effective interest rates charged on the Company’s outstanding debt.

Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $1.4 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $17.9 million, or $(0.49) per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2021.

Adjusted EBITDA¹ was $21.5 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared to negative adjusted EBITDA of $(9.5) million for the first quarter of 2021. For the first quarter of 2022, adjusted net income¹ was $3.6 million, or $0.10 per diluted share compared to adjusted net loss of $18.3 million, or $(0.50) per diluted share for the first quarter of 2021.

Full Year 2022 Guidance

Based on current trends in the business, we are providing financial guidance to be as follows:

  • Estimated Net Sales for the full year of 2022 will be in the range of $2.13 billion to $2.23 billion;
  • Estimated Gross profit between $500.0 million and $524.0 million and
  • Estimated Adjusted EBITDA between $103.0 million and $112.0 million

First Quarter 2022 Earnings Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call to discuss first quarter 2022 financial results today at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Hosting the call will be Chris Pappas, chairman and chief executive officer, and Jim Leddy, chief financial officer. The conference call will be webcast live from the Company’s investor relations website at http://investors.chefswarehouse.com. An online archive of the webcast will be available on the Company’s investor relations website.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release regarding the Company’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and management estimates; actual results may differ materially. The risks and uncertainties which could impact these statements include, but are not limited to the following: our sensitivity to general economic conditions, including disposable income levels and changes in consumer discretionary spending; our ability to expand our operations in our existing markets and to penetrate new markets through acquisitions; we may not achieve the benefits expected from our acquisitions, which could adversely impact our business and operating results; we may have difficulty managing and facilitating our future growth; conditions beyond our control could materially affect the cost and/or availability of our specialty food products or center-of-the-plate products and/or interrupt our distribution network; our distribution of center-of-the-plate products, like meat, poultry and seafood, involves exposure to price volatility experienced by those products; our business is a low-margin business and our profit margins may be sensitive to inflationary and deflationary pressures; because our foodservice distribution operations are concentrated in certain culinary markets, we are susceptible to economic and other developments, including adverse weather conditions, in these areas; fuel cost volatility may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations; our ability to raise capital in the future may be limited; we may be unable to obtain debt or other financing, including financing necessary to execute on our acquisition strategy, on favorable terms or at all; interest charged on our outstanding debt may be adversely affected by changes in the method of determining London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), or the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative rate; our business operations and future development could be significantly disrupted if we lose key members of our management team; and significant public health epidemics or pandemics, including COVID-19, may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. A more detailed description of these and other risk factors is contained in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 22, 2022 and other reports filed by the Company with the SEC since that date. The Company is not undertaking to update any information until required by applicable laws. Any projections of future results of operations are based on a number of assumptions, many of which are outside the Company’s control and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur. These projections are subject to change and could differ materially from final reported results. The Company may from time to time update these publicly announced projections, but it is not obligated to do so.

About The Chefs’ Warehouse

The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (http://www.chefswarehouse.com) is a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States and Canada focused on serving the specific needs of chefs who own and/or operate some of the nation’s leading menu-driven independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools, bakeries, patisseries, chocolateries, cruise lines, casinos and specialty food stores. The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. carries and distributes more than 50,000 products to more than 35,000 customer locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Contact:
Investor Relations
Jim Leddy, CFO, (718) 684-8415

¹EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted EPS are non-GAAP measures. Please see the schedules accompanying this earnings release for a reconciliation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted EPS to these measures’ most directly comparable GAAP measure.

 
THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited, in thousands except share amounts and per share data)
 
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Net sales $512,103  $280,217 
Cost of sales  394,590   221,270 
Gross profit  117,513   58,947 
     
Selling, general and administrative expenses  110,086   80,245 
Other operating expenses (income), net  1,163   (1,170)
Operating income (loss)  6,264   (20,128)
     
Interest expense  4,365   4,763 
Income (loss) before income taxes  1,899   (24,891)
     
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)  514   (6,970)
     
Net income (loss) $1,385  $(17,921)
     
     
Net income (loss) per share:    
Basic $0.04  $(0.49)
Diluted $0.04  $(0.49)
     
Weighted average common shares outstanding:    
Basic  36,935,717   36,401,748 
Diluted  37,307,478   36,401,748 


THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF MARCH 25, 2022 AND DECEMBER 24, 2021
(in thousands)
 
  March 25, 2022 December 24, 2021
  (unaudited)  
Cash and cash equivalents $79,439  $115,155 
Accounts receivable, net  169,792   172,540 
Inventories, net  152,443   144,491 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  37,002   37,774 
Total current assets  438,676   469,960 
     
Equipment, leasehold improvements and software, net  151,751   133,622 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  148,381   130,701 
Goodwill  230,988   221,775 
Intangible assets, net  108,832   104,743 
Deferred taxes, net  8,876   9,380 
Other assets  4,065   3,614 
Total assets $1,091,569  $1,073,795 
     
     
Accounts payable $121,444  $118,284 
Accrued liabilities  34,852   35,390 
Short-term operating lease liabilities  17,835   15,882 
Accrued compensation  15,069   22,321 
Current portion of long-term debt  4,971   5,141 
Total current liabilities  194,171   197,018 
     
Long-term debt, net of current portion  393,565   394,160 
Operating lease liabilities  143,827   127,296 
Other liabilities  5,581   5,110 
Total liabilities  737,144   723,584 
     
Preferred stock      
Common stock  383   380 
Additional paid in capital  316,943   314,242 
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment  (1,897)  (2,022)
Retained earnings  38,996   37,611 
Stockholders’ equity  354,425   350,211 
     
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $1,091,569  $1,073,795 


THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE THIRTEEN WEEKS ENDED MARCH 25, 2022 AND MARCH 26, 2021
(unaudited, in thousands)
 
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net income (loss) $1,385  $(17,921)
     
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization  5,889   5,107 
Amortization of intangible assets  3,356   3,539 
Benefit for allowance for doubtful accounts  (178)  (451)
Non-cash operating lease expense  802   109 
Benefit for deferred income taxes  504   (5,025)
Amortization of deferred financing fees  539   864 
Stock compensation  3,043   2,458 
Change in fair value of contingent earn-out liabilities  299   (1,308)
Loss on asset disposal  17   5 
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:    
Accounts receivable  10,084   (2,585)
Inventories  (4,391)  (9,357)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  (1,080)  850 
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and accrued compensation  (9,830)  12,026 
Other assets and liabilities  (156)  26 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities  10,283   (11,663)
     
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures  (14,206)  (2,896)
Cash paid for acquisitions  (28,000)   
Net cash used in investing activities  (42,206)  (2,896)
     
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Payment of debt, finance lease and other financing obligations  (1,405)  (32,834)
Proceeds from debt issuance     51,750 
Payment of deferred financing fees  (406)  (1,450)
Surrender of shares to pay withholding taxes  (2,040)  (1,192)
Payments under asset based loan facility     (20,000)
Net cash used in financing activities  (3,851)  (3,726)
     
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents  58   4 
     
Net change in cash and cash equivalents  (35,716)  (18,281)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period  115,155   193,281 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $79,439  $175,000 


THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE
(unaudited; in thousands except share amounts and per share data)
 
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Numerator:    
Net income (loss) $1,385  $(17,921)
Denominator:    
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding  36,935,717   36,401,748 
Dilutive effect of unvested common shares  330,415    
Dilutive effect of options and warrants  41,346    
Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding  37,307,478   36,401,748 
     
Net income (loss) per share:    
Basic $0.04  $(0.49)
Diluted $0.04  $(0.49)


THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA TO NET INCOME (LOSS)
(unaudited; in thousands)
 
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Net income (loss) $1,385  $(17,921)
Interest expense  4,365   4,763 
Depreciation  5,889   5,107 
Amortization  3,356   3,539 
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)  514   (6,970)
EBITDA (1)  15,509   (11,482)
     
Adjustments:    
Stock compensation (2)  3,043   2,458 
Other operating expenses (income), net (3)  1,163   (1,170)
Duplicate rent (4)  1,736   695 
     
Adjusted EBITDA (1) $21,451  $(9,499)
  1. We are presenting EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are not measurements determined in accordance with the U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, because we believe these measures provide additional metrics to evaluate our operations and which we believe, when considered with both our GAAP results and the reconciliation to net income, provide a more complete understanding of our business than could be obtained absent this disclosure. We use EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, together with financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as revenue and cash flows from operations, to assess our historical and prospective operating performance and to enhance our understanding of our core operating performance. The use of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as performance measures permits a comparative assessment of our operating performance relative to our performance based upon GAAP results while isolating the effects of some items that vary from period to period without any correlation to core operating performance or that vary widely among similar companies.
  2. Represents non-cash stock compensation expense associated with awards of restricted shares of our common stock and stock options to our key employees and our independent directors.
  3. Represents non-cash changes in the fair value of contingent earn-out liabilities related to our acquisitions, non-cash charges related to asset disposals and certain third-party deal costs incurred in connection with our acquisitions or financing arrangements.
  4. Represents duplicate rent and occupancy costs for our Los Angeles, CA, Richmond, CA, and Miami, FL facilities.
 
THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED NET INCOME (LOSS) TO NET INCOME (LOSS)
(unaudited; in thousands except share amounts and per share data)
 
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Net income (loss) $1,385  $(17,921)
     
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to adjusted net income (loss) (1):    
Other operating expenses (income), net (2)  1,163   (1,170)
Duplicate rent (3)  1,736   695 
Write-off of unamortized deferred financing fees (4)  69    
Tax effect of adjustments (5)  (801)  131 
     
Total adjustments  2,167   (344)
     
Adjusted net income (loss) $3,552  $(18,265)
     
Diluted adjusted net income (loss) per common share $0.10  $(0.50)
     
Diluted shares outstanding - adjusted  37,307,478   36,401,748 
  1. We are presenting adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share, which are not measurements determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, because we believe these measures provide additional metrics to evaluate our operations and which we believe, when considered with both our GAAP results and the reconciliation to net income available to common stockholders, provide a more complete understanding of our business than could be obtained absent this disclosure. We use adjusted net income available to common stockholders and adjusted net income per share, together with financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as revenue and cash flows from operations, to assess our historical and prospective operating performance and to enhance our understanding of our core operating performance. The use of adjusted net income available to common stockholders and adjusted net income per share as performance measures permits a comparative assessment of our operating performance relative to our performance based upon our GAAP results while isolating the effects of some items that vary from period to period without any correlation to core operating performance or that vary widely among similar companies.
  2. Represents non-cash changes in the fair value of contingent earn-out liabilities related to our acquisitions, non-cash charges related to asset disposals and certain third-party deal costs incurred in connection with our acquisitions or financing arrangements.
  3. Represents duplicate rent and occupancy costs for our Los Angeles, CA, Richmond, CA, and Miami, FL facilities.
  4. Represents interest expense related to write-off of certain deferred financing fees in connection with the third amendment to our asset-based loan facility which increased the aggregate commitments from $150.0 million to $200.0 million.
  5. Represents the tax effect of items 2 through 4 above.
 
THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE
(unaudited; in thousands except share amounts and per share data)
 
  Thirteen Weeks Ended
  March 25, 2022 March 26, 2021
Numerator:    
Adjusted net income (loss) $3,552  $(18,265)
Denominator:    
Weighted average basic common shares outstanding  36,935,717   36,401,748 
Dilutive effect of unvested common shares  330,415    
Dilutive effect of options and warrants  41,346    
Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding  37,307,478   36,401,748 
     
Adjusted net income (loss) per share:    
Diluted $0.10  $(0.50)
         

FAQ

What were the earnings results for CHEF in Q1 2022?

CHEF reported net sales of $512.1 million, GAAP net income of $1.4 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $21.5 million in Q1 2022.

What is the revenue guidance for The Chefs’ Warehouse in 2022?

The company estimates net sales for 2022 to be between $2.13 billion and $2.23 billion.

How did CHEF's sales perform compared to the previous year?

Net sales increased by 82.8% from $280.2 million in Q1 2021 to $512.1 million in Q1 2022.

What was the adjusted net income for CHEF in Q1 2022?

CHEF's adjusted net income for Q1 2022 was $3.6 million, or $0.10 per diluted share.

The Chef's Warehouse Inc

NASDAQ:CHEF

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1.91B
34.25M
12.51%
90.03%
6.85%
Food Distribution
Wholesale-groceries, General Line
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United States of America
RIDGEFIELD