Denny's Corporation Reports Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023
- Solid 1.3% increase in Denny's domestic same-restaurant sales for Q4 2023.
- Focus on strategic levers for growth: best-in-class breakfast, unbeatable value proposition, and off-premises options.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $18.6 million for Q4 and $81.5 million for full year 2023.
- Repurchased $16.2 million of common stock in Q4 and $52.1 million for the full year.
- Operating income decreased from $17.6 million to $7.7 million in Q4 2023.
- Net income decreased from $12.8 million to $2.9 million in Q4 2023.
- Company Restaurant Operating Margin decreased from 12.6% to 10.0% in Q4 2023.
Insights
The Denny's Corporation report highlights a modest increase in domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales at 1.3% for Q4 and 3.6% for the full year, indicating a stable consumer demand in the face of economic uncertainties. This performance, particularly the sequential improvement throughout the quarter, suggests a resilient business model and effective strategic initiatives, such as enhancing breakfast offerings and off-premises options. The growth in sales, however, must be juxtaposed with the decline in operating income and net income, which raises concerns about the company's cost management and potential margin pressures.
From a market perspective, the stock repurchase program, with $16.2 million in Q4 and $52.1 million for the full year, reflects a strong balance sheet and a commitment to returning value to shareholders. However, investors may question the sustainability of such buybacks if profitability continues to be squeezed. The planned openings of 40 to 50 new restaurants, amid a net decline, suggest a strategic shift in the company's portfolio, which might be a response to market saturation or a focus on profitability over expansion.
Analyzing the financial health of Denny's Corporation, the Adjusted EBITDA of $18.6 million for Q4 and $81.5 million for the year is a critical metric that investors use to gauge underlying business performance. While this figure provides a more normalized view of earnings by excluding one-time items and non-cash expenses, the reported decrease in operating income from $17.6 million to $7.7 million in Q4 indicates potential challenges in operational efficiency. The increase in general and administrative expenses, including corporate administration and performance-based incentive compensation, warrants a closer review to ensure these costs are aligned with the company's growth trajectory.
The effective tax rate of 36.9% is another focal point, as it impacts the net income available to shareholders. The reported net income dip from $12.8 million to $2.9 million in Q4, largely due to a $6.7 million impairment loss, may concern investors regarding asset valuation and future profitability. The forward-looking statements, such as anticipated commodity and labor inflation, offer a glimpse into the expected cost pressures that could further impact margins in 2024.
The reported figures from Denny's Corporation provide insights into broader economic trends, particularly in the restaurant industry. The commodity inflation projection of 0% to 2% and labor inflation estimate of 4% to 5% for 2024 reflect the current macroeconomic environment, where businesses are grappling with inflationary pressures. The company's ability to manage these costs will be pivotal in maintaining profitability. The emphasis on a best-in-class breakfast and value proposition aligns with consumer trends favoring value and convenience, especially during economic downturns.
The business outlook's anticipation of a net decline in restaurant count, despite new openings, could indicate a strategic consolidation to strengthen the brand's market position. This move might be a response to changing consumer preferences and the competitive landscape, as the industry adapts to post-pandemic behavior patterns and the ongoing economic uncertainty.
SPARTANBURG, S.C., Feb. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Denny’s Corporation (the "Company") (NASDAQ: DENN), owner and operator of Denny's Inc. ("Denny's") and Keke's Inc. ("Keke's") today reported results for its fourth quarter and full year ended December 27, 2023 and provided a business update on the Company’s operations.
Kelli Valade, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We were pleased to close out 2023 with solid Denny’s domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales** of
Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights
- Total operating revenue was
$115.4 million compared to$120.8 million in the prior year quarter. - Denny's domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales** were
1.3% compared to the equivalent fiscal period in 2022, including1.5% at domestic franchised restaurants and (1.2)% at company restaurants. - Opened nine franchised restaurants, including one international Denny's location and two Keke's locations.
- Completed five Denny's franchised restaurant remodels.
- Operating income was
$7.7 million compared to$17.6 million in the prior year quarter. - Franchise Operating Margin* was
$31.5 million , or51.4% of franchise and license revenue, and Company Restaurant Operating Margin* was$5.4 million , or10.0% of company restaurant sales. - Net income was
$2.9 million , or$0.05 per diluted share. - Adjusted Net Income* and Adjusted Net Income Per Share* were
$7.8 million and$0.14 , respectively. - Adjusted EBITDA* was
$18.6 million . - Cash provided by (used in) operating, investing, and financing activities was
$21.4 million , ($4.5) million , and ($12.9) million , respectively. - Adjusted Free Cash Flow* was
$7.4 million . - Repurchased
$16.2 million of common stock.
Full Year 2023 Highlights
- Total operating revenue was
$463.9 million compared to$456.4 million in the prior year. - Denny's domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales** were
3.6% compared to the equivalent fiscal period in 2022, including3.6% at domestic franchised restaurants and2.7% at company restaurants. - Opened 32 franchised restaurants, including 11 international Denny's locations and 4 Keke's locations.
- Completed 22 Denny's remodels including 21 franchised restaurants.
- Operating income was
$52.8 million compared to$60.6 million in the prior year. - Franchise Operating Margin* was
$125.9 million , or50.7% of franchise and license revenue, and Company Restaurant Operating Margin* was$27.9 million , or13.0% of company restaurant sales. - Net income was
$19.9 million , or$0.35 per diluted share. - Adjusted Net Income* and Adjusted Net Income Per Share* were
$32.9 million and$0.59 , respectively. - Adjusted EBITDA* was
$81.5 million . - Cash provided by (used in) operating, investing, and financing activities was
$72.1 million , ($7.6) million , and ($63.2) million , respectively. - Adjusted Free Cash Flow* was
$44.7 million . - Repurchased
$52.1 million of common stock.
Fourth Quarter 2023 Results
Total operating revenue was
Franchise and license revenue was
Company restaurant sales were
Franchise Operating Margin* was
Company Restaurant Operating Margin* was
Total general and administrative expenses were
The provision for income taxes was
Net income was
The Company ended the quarter with
Adjusted Free Cash Flow* and Capital Allocation
Adjusted Free Cash Flow* in the quarter was
During the quarter, the Company allocated
Business Outlook
The following full year 2024 expectations reflect management's expectations that the current consumer and economic environment will not change materially.
- Denny's domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales** between
0% and3% - Consolidated restaurant openings of 40 to 50, including 12 to 16 new Keke's restaurants , with a consolidated net decline of 10 to 20.
- Commodity inflation between
0% and2% . - Labor inflation between
4% and5% . - Total general and administrative expenses between
$83 million and$86 million , including approximately$12 million related to share-based compensation expense which does not impact Adjusted EBITDA*. - Adjusted EBITDA* between
$85 million and$89 million .
* Please refer to the Reconciliation of Net Income and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Non-GAAP Financial Measures, as well as the Reconciliation of Operating Income to Non-GAAP Financial Measures included in the tables below. The Company is not able to reconcile the forward-looking non-GAAP estimate set forth above to its most directly comparable U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) estimates without unreasonable efforts because it is unable to predict, forecast or determine the probable significance of the items impacting these estimates, including gains, losses and other charges, with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Accordingly, the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP estimate is not provided.
** Same-restaurant sales include sales at company restaurants and non-consolidated franchised and licensed restaurants that were open during the comparable periods noted. Total operating revenue is limited to company restaurant sales and royalties, advertising revenue, initial and other fees and occupancy revenue from non-consolidated franchised and licensed restaurants. Accordingly, domestic franchise same-restaurant sales and domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, the Company's results as reported under GAAP.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
The Company will provide further commentary on the results for the fourth quarter ended December 27, 2023 on its quarterly investor conference call today, Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties are invited to listen to a live broadcast of the conference call accessible through the Company's investor relations website at investor.dennys.com.
About Denny's Corporation
Denny’s Corporation is one of America’s largest full-service restaurant chains based on number of restaurants. As of December 27, 2023, the Company consisted of 1,631 restaurants, 1,558 of which were franchised and licensed restaurants and 73 of which were company operated. Denny's Corporation consists of the Denny’s brand and the Keke’s brand. As of December 27, 2023, the Denny's brand consisted of 1,573 global restaurants, 1,508 of which were franchised and licensed restaurants and 65 of which were company operated. As of December 27, 2023, the Keke's brand consisted of 58 restaurants, 50 of which were franchised restaurants and 8 of which were company operated.
For further information on Denny's Corporation, including news releases, links to SEC filings, and other financial information, please visit investor.dennys.com.
Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The Company urges caution in considering its current trends and any outlook on earnings disclosed in this press release. In addition, certain matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which reflect management's best judgment based on factors currently known, are intended to speak only as of the date such statements are made and involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual performance of Denny’s Corporation, its subsidiaries, and underlying restaurants to be materially different from the performance indicated or implied by such statements. Words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, “hope”, "will", and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Factors that could cause actual performance to differ materially from the performance indicated by these forward-looking statements include, among others: economic, public health and political conditions that impact consumer confidence and spending, commodity and labor inflation; the ability to effectively staff restaurants and support personnel; the Company's ability to maintain adequate levels of liquidity for its cash needs, including debt obligations, payment of dividends, planned share repurchases and capital expenditures as well as the ability of its customers, suppliers, franchisees and lenders to access sources of liquidity to provide for their own cash needs; competitive pressures from within the restaurant industry; the Company's ability to integrate and derive the expected benefits from its acquisition of Keke's Breakfast Cafe; the level of success of the Company’s operating initiatives and advertising and promotional efforts; adverse publicity; health concerns arising from food-related pandemics, outbreaks of flu viruses or other diseases; changes in business strategy or development plans; terms and availability of capital; regional weather conditions; overall changes in the general economy (including with regard to energy costs), particularly at the retail level; political environment and geopolitical events (including acts of war and terrorism); and other factors from time to time set forth in the Company’s SEC reports and other filings, including but not limited to the discussion in Management’s Discussion and Analysis and the risks identified in Item 1A. Risk Factors contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2022 (and in the Company’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K).
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | ||||||||||
| Consolidated Balance Sheets | ||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | ||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | ||||||||
| Assets | ||||||||||
| Current assets | ||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 4,893 | $ | 3,523 | ||||||
| Investments | 1,281 | 1,746 | ||||||||
| Receivables, net | 21,391 | 25,576 | ||||||||
| Inventories | 2,175 | 5,538 | ||||||||
| Assets held for sale | 1,455 | 1,403 | ||||||||
| Prepaid and other current assets | 12,855 | 12,529 | ||||||||
| Total current assets | 44,050 | 50,315 | ||||||||
| Property, net | 93,494 | 94,469 | ||||||||
| Finance lease right-of-use assets, net | 6,098 | 6,499 | ||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets, net | 116,795 | 126,065 | ||||||||
| Goodwill | 65,908 | 72,740 | ||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 93,428 | 95,034 | ||||||||
| Deferred financing costs, net | 1,702 | 2,337 | ||||||||
| Other noncurrent assets | 43,343 | 50,876 | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 464,818 | $ | 498,335 | ||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||||
| Current liabilities | ||||||||||
| Current finance lease liabilities | $ | 1,383 | $ | 1,683 | ||||||
| Current operating lease liabilities | 14,779 | 15,310 | ||||||||
| Accounts payable | 24,070 | 19,896 | ||||||||
| Other current liabilities | 63,068 | 56,762 | ||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 103,300 | 93,651 | ||||||||
| Long-term liabilities | ||||||||||
| Long-term debt | 255,500 | 261,500 | ||||||||
| Noncurrent finance lease liabilities | 9,150 | 9,555 | ||||||||
| Noncurrent operating lease liabilities | 114,451 | 123,404 | ||||||||
| Liability for insurance claims, less current portion | 6,929 | 7,324 | ||||||||
| Deferred income taxes, net | 6,582 | 7,419 | ||||||||
| Other noncurrent liabilities | 31,592 | 32,598 | ||||||||
| Total long-term liabilities | 424,204 | 441,800 | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | 527,504 | 535,451 | ||||||||
| Shareholders' deficit | ||||||||||
| Common stock | 529 | 650 | ||||||||
| Paid-in capital | 6,688 | 142,136 | ||||||||
| Deficit | (21,784 | ) | (41,729 | ) | ||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net | (41,659 | ) | (42,697 | ) | ||||||
| Treasury stock | (6,460 | ) | (95,476 | ) | ||||||
| Total shareholders' deficit | (62,686 | ) | (37,116 | ) | ||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders' deficit | $ | 464,818 | $ | 498,335 | ||||||
| Debt Balances | ||||||||||
| Credit facility revolver due 2026 | $ | 255,500 | $ | 261,500 | ||||||
| Finance lease liabilities | 10,533 | 11,238 | ||||||||
| Total debt | $ | 266,033 | $ | 272,738 | ||||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | |||||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income | |||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||
| Quarter Ended | |||||||||
| ($ in thousands, except per share amounts) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||
| Revenue: | |||||||||
| Company restaurant sales | $ | 54,046 | $ | 54,399 | |||||
| Franchise and license revenue | 61,307 | 66,450 | |||||||
| Total operating revenue | 115,353 | 120,849 | |||||||
| Costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization | 48,646 | 47,554 | |||||||
| Costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization | 29,795 | 34,814 | |||||||
| General and administrative expenses | 19,255 | 16,985 | |||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 3,507 | 3,810 | |||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | — | |||||||
| Operating (gains), losses and other charges, net | 63 | 46 | |||||||
| Total operating costs and expenses, net | 107,629 | 103,209 | |||||||
| Operating income | 7,724 | 17,640 | |||||||
| Interest expense, net | 4,309 | 4,240 | |||||||
| Other nonoperating income, net | (1,182 | ) | (2,714 | ) | |||||
| Income before income taxes | 4,597 | 16,114 | |||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 1,695 | 3,343 | |||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,902 | $ | 12,771 | |||||
| Net income per share - basic | $ | 0.05 | $ | 0.22 | |||||
| Net income per share - diluted | $ | 0.05 | $ | 0.22 | |||||
| Basic weighted average shares outstanding | 53,648 | 58,406 | |||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 53,893 | 58,480 | |||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | (10,997 | ) | $ | 13,377 | ||||
| General and Administrative Expenses | |||||||||
| Corporate administrative expenses | $ | 16,420 | $ | 13,812 | |||||
| Share-based compensation | 403 | 1,933 | |||||||
| Incentive compensation | 1,305 | 866 | |||||||
| Deferred compensation valuation adjustments | 1,127 | 374 | |||||||
| Total general and administrative expenses | $ | 19,255 | $ | 16,985 | |||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | ||||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income | ||||||||
| (Unaudited) | ||||||||
| Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||
| ($ in thousands, except per share amounts) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | ||||||
| Revenue: | ||||||||
| Company restaurant sales | $ | 215,532 | $ | 199,753 | ||||
| Franchise and license revenue | 248,390 | 256,676 | ||||||
| Total operating revenue | 463,922 | 456,429 | ||||||
| Costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization | 187,599 | 179,458 | ||||||
| Costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization | 122,452 | 135,327 | ||||||
| General and administrative expenses | 77,770 | 67,173 | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 14,385 | 14,862 | ||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | — | ||||||
| Operating (gains), losses and other charges, net | 2,530 | (1,005 | ) | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses, net | 411,099 | 395,815 | ||||||
| Operating income | 52,823 | 60,614 | ||||||
| Interest expense, net | 17,597 | 13,769 | ||||||
| Other nonoperating expense (income), net | 8,288 | (52,585 | ) | |||||
| Income before income taxes | 26,938 | 99,430 | ||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 6,993 | 24,718 | ||||||
| Net income | $ | 19,945 | $ | 74,712 | ||||
| Net income per share - basic | $ | 0.36 | $ | 1.23 | ||||
| Net income per share - diluted | $ | 0.35 | $ | 1.23 | ||||
| Basic weighted average shares outstanding | 55,984 | 60,771 | ||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 56,196 | 60,879 | ||||||
| Comprehensive income | $ | 20,983 | $ | 86,485 | ||||
| General and Administrative Expenses | ||||||||
| Corporate administrative expenses | $ | 60,339 | $ | 52,115 | ||||
| Share-based compensation | 8,880 | 11,400 | ||||||
| Incentive compensation | 6,640 | 5,811 | ||||||
| Deferred compensation valuation adjustments | 1,911 | (2,153 | ) | |||||
| Total general and administrative expenses | $ | 77,770 | $ | 67,173 | ||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION |
| Reconciliation of Net Income and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Non-GAAP Financial Measures |
| (Unaudited) |
The Company believes that, in addition to GAAP measures, certain non-GAAP financial measures are appropriate indicators to assist in the evaluation of operating performance and liquidity on a period-to-period basis. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income Per Share internally as performance measures for planning purposes, including the preparation of annual operating budgets, and for compensation purposes, including incentive compensation for certain employees. Adjusted EBITDA is also used in the calculation of financial covenant ratios in accordance with the Company’s credit facility. Adjusted Free Cash Flow is also used as a non-GAAP liquidity measure by Management to assess the Company’s ability to generate cash and plan for future operating and capital actions. Management believes that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Net Income Per Share and Adjusted Free Cash Flow provide useful information to investors and analysts about the Company’s operating results, financial condition or cash flows. However, each of these non-GAAP financial measures should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, operating income, net income, net income per share, net cash provided by operating activities, or other financial performance and liquidity measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.
| Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,902 | $ | 12,771 | $ | 19,945 | $ | 74,712 | |||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 1,695 | 3,343 | 6,993 | 24,718 | |||||||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | — | 6,363 | — | |||||||||||
| Operating (gains), losses and other charges, net | 63 | 46 | 2,530 | (1,005 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other nonoperating (income) expense, net | (1,182 | ) | (2,714 | ) | 8,288 | (52,585 | ) | ||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 403 | 1,933 | 8,880 | 11,400 | |||||||||||
| Deferred compensation plan valuation adjustments | 1,127 | 374 | 1,911 | (2,153 | ) | ||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 4,309 | 4,240 | 17,597 | 13,769 | |||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 3,507 | 3,810 | 14,385 | 14,862 | |||||||||||
| Cash payments for restructuring charges and exit costs | (626 | ) | (402 | ) | (2,291 | ) | (1,067 | ) | |||||||
| Cash payments for share-based compensation | — | — | (3,131 | ) | (5,147 | ) | |||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 18,561 | $ | 23,401 | $ | 81,470 | $ | 77,504 | |||||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | |||||||||||||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Continued) | |||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
| Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 21,357 | $ | 14,502 | $ | 72,125 | $ | 39,452 | |||||||
| Capital expenditures | (4,479 | ) | (1,698 | ) | (9,978 | ) | (11,844 | ) | |||||||
| Acquisition of real estate and restaurant(1) | — | — | (1,227 | ) | (750 | ) | |||||||||
| Cash payments for restructuring charges and exit costs | (626 | ) | (402 | ) | (2,291 | ) | (1,067 | ) | |||||||
| Cash payments for share-based compensation | — | — | (3,131 | ) | (5,147 | ) | |||||||||
| Deferred compensation plan valuation adjustments | 1,127 | 374 | 1,911 | (2,153 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other nonoperating expense (income), net | (1,182 | ) | (2,714 | ) | 8,288 | (52,585 | ) | ||||||||
| Gains (losses) on investments | 26 | (16 | ) | 85 | (305 | ) | |||||||||
| Gains (losses) on early termination of debt and leases | (17 | ) | 8 | (17 | ) | 37 | |||||||||
| Amortization of deferred financing costs | (159 | ) | (159 | ) | (635 | ) | (634 | ) | |||||||
| Gains (losses) and amortization on interest rate swap derivatives, net | (121 | ) | 2,311 | (10,959 | ) | 54,989 | |||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 4,309 | 4,240 | 17,597 | 13,769 | |||||||||||
| Cash interest expense, net (2) | (4,028 | ) | (3,925 | ) | (16,420 | ) | (14,923 | ) | |||||||
| Deferred income tax benefit (expense) | 2,072 | 937 | 1,703 | (14,732 | ) | ||||||||||
| Increase in tax valuation allowance | (205 | ) | (546 | ) | (205 | ) | (546 | ) | |||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 1,695 | 3,343 | 6,993 | 24,718 | |||||||||||
| Income taxes paid, net | (2,664 | ) | (3,135 | ) | (9,195 | ) | (9,296 | ) | |||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities, excluding acquisitions and dispositions | |||||||||||||||
| Receivables | 4,331 | 1,104 | (3,904 | ) | 5,892 | ||||||||||
| Inventories | (178 | ) | (3,406 | ) | (3,362 | ) | 460 | ||||||||
| Other current assets | 1,037 | 2,821 | 325 | 1,138 | |||||||||||
| Other noncurrent assets | 1,607 | 5,318 | 2,509 | 2,129 | |||||||||||
| Operating lease assets and liabilities | 149 | 136 | 628 | 696 | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable | (11,111 | ) | (7,033 | ) | (4,032 | ) | (3,918 | ) | |||||||
| Other accrued liabilities | (4,675 | ) | 5,315 | (3,356 | ) | 8,798 | |||||||||
| Other noncurrent liabilities | (875 | ) | (2,732 | ) | 1,198 | 6,513 | |||||||||
| Adjusted Free Cash Flow | $ | 7,390 | $ | 14,643 | $ | 44,650 | $ | 40,691 | |||||||
| (1 | ) | For the year-to-date period ended December 27, 2023, amount includes cash paid for the acquisition of a piece of real estate. For the year-to-date period ended December 28, 2022, amount includes cash paid for the acquisition of a Denny's franchise restaurant and excludes cash paid for the acquisition of Keke's. |
| (2 | ) | Includes cash interest income, net for the quarter and year-to-date period ended December 27, 2023, and cash receipts of |
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | |||||||||||||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Continued) | |||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||
| Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands, except per share amounts) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 18,561 | $ | 23,401 | $ | 81,470 | $ | 77,504 | |||||||
| Cash interest expense, net (1) | (4,028 | ) | (3,925 | ) | (16,420 | ) | (14,923 | ) | |||||||
| Cash paid for income taxes, net | (2,664 | ) | (3,135 | ) | (9,195 | ) | (9,296 | ) | |||||||
| Cash paid for capital expenditures (2) | (4,479 | ) | (1,698 | ) | (11,205 | ) | (12,594 | ) | |||||||
| Adjusted Free Cash Flow | $ | 7,390 | $ | 14,643 | $ | 44,650 | $ | 40,691 | |||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,902 | $ | 12,771 | $ | 19,945 | $ | 74,712 | |||||||
| (Gains) losses and amortization on interest rate swap derivatives, net | 121 | (2,311 | ) | 10,959 | (54,989 | ) | |||||||||
| Gains on sales of assets and other charges, net | (88 | ) | (67 | ) | (2,220 | ) | (3,378 | ) | |||||||
| Impairment charges (3) | 6,737 | — | 8,577 | 963 | |||||||||||
| Tax effect (4) | (1,872 | ) | 152 | (4,329 | ) | 14,294 | |||||||||
| Adjusted Net Income | $ | 7,800 | $ | 10,545 | $ | 32,932 | $ | 31,602 | |||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 53,893 | 58,480 | 56,196 | 60,879 | |||||||||||
| Net Income Per Share - Diluted | $ | 0.05 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.35 | $ | 1.23 | |||||||
| Adjustments Per Share | 0.09 | (0.04 | ) | 0.24 | (0.71 | ) | |||||||||
| Adjusted Net Income Per Share | $ | 0.14 | $ | 0.18 | $ | 0.59 | $ | 0.52 | |||||||
| (1 | ) | Includes cash interest income, net for the quarter and year-to-date period ended December 27, 2023, and cash receipts of |
| (2 | ) | For the year-to-date period ended December 27, 2023, amount includes cash paid for capital expenditures and the acquisition of a piece of real estate. For the year-to-date period ended December 28, 2022, amount includes cash paid for capital expenditures and the acquisition of a Denny's franchise restaurant, and excludes cash paid for the acquisition of Keke's. |
| (3 | ) | Impairment charges include goodwill impairment charges of |
| (4 | ) | Tax adjustments for the quarter and year-to-date period ended December 27, 2023 reflect effective tax rates of |
| DENNY’S CORPORATION |
| Reconciliation of Operating Income to Non-GAAP Financial Measures |
| (Unaudited) |
The Company believes that, in addition to GAAP measures, certain other non-GAAP financial measures are appropriate indicators to assist in the evaluation of restaurant-level operating efficiency and performance of ongoing restaurant-level operations. The Company uses Restaurant-level Operating Margin, Company Restaurant Operating Margin and Franchise Operating Margin internally as performance measures for planning purposes, including the preparation of annual operating budgets, and these three non-GAAP measures are used to evaluate operating effectiveness.
The Company defines Restaurant-level Operating Margin as operating income excluding the following three items: general and administrative expenses, depreciation and amortization, and operating (gains), losses and other charges, net. Restaurant-level Operating Margin is presented as a percent of total operating revenue. The Company excludes general and administrative expenses, which include primarily non-restaurant-level costs associated with support of company and franchised restaurants and other activities at their corporate office. The Company excludes depreciation and amortization expense, substantially all of which is related to company restaurant-level assets, because such expenses represent historical sunk costs which do not reflect current cash outlays for the restaurants. The Company excludes special items, included within operating (gains), losses and other charges, net, to provide investors with a clearer perspective of its ongoing operating performance and a more relevant comparison to prior period results.
Restaurant-level Operating Margin is the total of Company Restaurant Operating Margin and Franchise Operating Margin. The Company defines Company Restaurant Operating Margin as company restaurant sales less costs of company restaurant sales (which include product costs, company restaurant level payroll and benefits, occupancy costs, and other operating costs including utilities, repairs and maintenance, marketing and other expenses) and presents it as a percent of company restaurant sales. The Company defines Franchise Operating Margin as franchise and license revenue (which includes franchise royalties and other non-food and beverage revenue streams such as initial franchise and other fees, advertising revenue and occupancy revenue) less costs of franchise and license revenue and presents it as a percent of franchise and license revenue.
These non-GAAP financial measures provide a meaningful comparison between periods and enable investors to focus on the performance of restaurant-level operations by excluding revenues and costs unrelated to food and beverage sales in addition to corporate general and administrative expense, depreciation and amortization, and operating (gains), losses and other charges, net. However, each of these non-GAAP financial measures should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, operating income, net income or other financial performance measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Restaurant-level Operating Margin, Company Restaurant Operating Margin and Franchise Operating Margin do not accrue directly to the benefit of shareholders because of the aforementioned excluded items and are not indicative of the overall results for the Company.
| Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | ||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 7,724 | $ | 17,640 | $ | 52,823 | $ | 60,614 | ||||
| General and administrative expenses | 19,255 | 16,985 | 77,770 | 67,173 | ||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 3,507 | 3,810 | 14,385 | 14,862 | ||||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | — | 6,363 | — | ||||||||
| Operating (gains), losses and other charges, net | 63 | 46 | 2,530 | (1,005 | ) | |||||||
| Restaurant-level Operating Margin | $ | 36,912 | $ | 38,481 | $ | 153,871 | $ | 141,644 | ||||
| Restaurant-level Operating Margin consists of: | ||||||||||||
| Company Restaurant Operating Margin (1) | $ | 5,400 | $ | 6,845 | $ | 27,933 | $ | 20,295 | ||||
| Franchise Operating Margin (2) | 31,512 | 31,636 | 125,938 | 121,349 | ||||||||
| Restaurant-level Operating Margin | $ | 36,912 | $ | 38,481 | $ | 153,871 | $ | 141,644 | ||||
| (1 | ) | Company Restaurant Operating Margin is calculated as operating income plus general and administrative expenses; depreciation and amortization; operating (gains), losses and other charges, net; and costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization; less franchise and license revenue. |
| (2 | ) | Franchise Operating Margin is calculated as operating income plus general and administrative expenses; depreciation and amortization; operating (gains), losses and other charges, net; and costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization; less company restaurant sales. |
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | |||||||||||||
| Operating Margins | |||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||
| Quarter Ended | |||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||||||
| Company restaurant operations: (1) | |||||||||||||
| Company restaurant sales | $ | 54,046 | 100.0 | % | $ | 54,399 | 100.0 | % | |||||
| Costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization: | |||||||||||||
| Product costs | 13,993 | 25.9 | % | 14,743 | 27.1 | % | |||||||
| Payroll and benefits | 20,184 | 37.3 | % | 20,814 | 38.3 | % | |||||||
| Occupancy | 4,699 | 8.7 | % | 3,838 | 7.1 | % | |||||||
| Other operating costs: | |||||||||||||
| Utilities | 1,811 | 3.4 | % | 2,062 | 3.8 | % | |||||||
| Repairs and maintenance | 994 | 1.8 | % | 1,071 | 2.0 | % | |||||||
| Marketing | 1,396 | 2.6 | % | 1,417 | 2.6 | % | |||||||
| Legal settlements | 1,827 | 3.4 | % | 1 | 0.0 | % | |||||||
| Other direct costs | 3,742 | 6.9 | % | 3,608 | 6.6 | % | |||||||
| Total costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization | $ | 48,646 | 90.0 | % | $ | 47,554 | 87.4 | % | |||||
| Company restaurant operating margin (non-GAAP) (2) | $ | 5,400 | 10.0 | % | $ | 6,845 | 12.6 | % | |||||
| Franchise operations: (3) | |||||||||||||
| Franchise and license revenue: | |||||||||||||
| Royalties | $ | 30,025 | 49.0 | % | $ | 29,615 | 44.6 | % | |||||
| Advertising revenue | 19,676 | 32.1 | % | 19,284 | 29.0 | % | |||||||
| Initial and other fees | 2,888 | 4.7 | % | 8,227 | 12.4 | % | |||||||
| Occupancy revenue | 8,718 | 14.2 | % | 9,324 | 14.0 | % | |||||||
| Total franchise and license revenue | $ | 61,307 | 100.0 | % | $ | 66,450 | 100.0 | % | |||||
| Costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization: | |||||||||||||
| Advertising costs | $ | 19,676 | 32.1 | % | $ | 19,284 | 29.0 | % | |||||
| Occupancy costs | 5,307 | 8.7 | % | 5,739 | 8.6 | % | |||||||
| Other direct costs | 4,812 | 7.8 | % | 9,791 | 14.7 | % | |||||||
| Total costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization | $ | 29,795 | 48.6 | % | $ | 34,814 | 52.4 | % | |||||
| Franchise operating margin (non-GAAP) (2) | $ | 31,512 | 51.4 | % | $ | 31,636 | 47.6 | % | |||||
| Total operating revenue (4) | $ | 115,353 | 100.0 | % | $ | 120,849 | 100.0 | % | |||||
| Total costs of operating revenue (4) | 78,441 | 68.0 | % | 82,368 | 68.2 | % | |||||||
| Restaurant-level operating margin (non-GAAP) (4)(2) | $ | 36,912 | 32.0 | % | $ | 38,481 | 31.8 | % | |||||
| Other operating expenses: (4)(2) | |||||||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | $ | 19,255 | 16.7 | % | $ | 16,985 | 14.1 | % | |||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 3,507 | 3.0 | % | 3,810 | 3.2 | % | |||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | 5.5 | % | — | — | % | |||||||
| Operating losses and other charges, net | 63 | 0.1 | % | 46 | 0.0 | % | |||||||
| Total other operating expenses | $ | 29,188 | 25.3 | % | $ | 20,841 | 17.2 | % | |||||
| Operating income (4) | $ | 7,724 | 6.7 | % | $ | 17,640 | 14.6 | % | |||||
| (1 | ) | As a percentage of company restaurant sales. | |||||||||||
| (2 | ) | Other operating expenses such as general and administrative expenses and depreciation and amortization relate to both company and franchise operations and are not allocated to costs of company restaurant sales and costs of franchise and license revenue. As such, operating margin is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. Operating margins should be considered as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, operating income, net income or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. | |||||||||||
| (3 | ) | As a percentage of franchise and license revenue. | |||||||||||
| (4 | ) | As a percentage of total operating revenue. | |||||||||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | ||||||||||||||
| Operating Margins | ||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | ||||||||||||||
| Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | ||||||||||||
| Company restaurant operations: (1) | ||||||||||||||
| Company restaurant sales | $ | 215,532 | 100.0 | % | $ | 199,753 | 100.0 | % | ||||||
| Costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization: | ||||||||||||||
| Product costs | 55,789 | 25.9 | % | 53,617 | 26.8 | % | ||||||||
| Payroll and benefits | 80,666 | 37.4 | % | 76,412 | 38.3 | % | ||||||||
| Occupancy | 17,080 | 7.9 | % | 15,154 | 7.6 | % | ||||||||
| Other operating costs: | ||||||||||||||
| Utilities | 7,848 | 3.6 | % | 7,273 | 3.6 | % | ||||||||
| Repairs and maintenance | 3,661 | 1.7 | % | 3,874 | 1.9 | % | ||||||||
| Marketing | 5,603 | 2.6 | % | 5,294 | 2.7 | % | ||||||||
| Legal settlements | 2,302 | 1.1 | % | 4,224 | 2.1 | % | ||||||||
| Other direct costs | 14,650 | 6.8 | % | 13,610 | 6.8 | % | ||||||||
| Total costs of company restaurant sales, excluding depreciation and amortization | $ | 187,599 | 87.0 | % | $ | 179,458 | 89.8 | % | ||||||
| Company restaurant operating margin (non-GAAP) (2) | $ | 27,933 | 13.0 | % | $ | 20,295 | 10.2 | % | ||||||
| Franchise operations: (3) | ||||||||||||||
| Franchise and license revenue: | ||||||||||||||
| Royalties | $ | 120,131 | 48.4 | % | $ | 113,891 | 44.4 | % | ||||||
| Advertising revenue | 78,494 | 31.6 | % | 75,926 | 29.6 | % | ||||||||
| Initial and other fees | 13,882 | 5.6 | % | 28,262 | 11.0 | % | ||||||||
| Occupancy revenue | 35,883 | 14.4 | % | 38,597 | 15.0 | % | ||||||||
| Total franchise and license revenue | $ | 248,390 | 100.0 | % | $ | 256,676 | 100.0 | % | ||||||
| Costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization: | ||||||||||||||
| Advertising costs | $ | 78,494 | 31.6 | % | $ | 75,926 | 29.6 | % | ||||||
| Occupancy costs | 22,160 | 8.9 | % | 24,090 | 9.4 | % | ||||||||
| Other direct costs | 21,798 | 8.8 | % | 35,311 | 13.8 | % | ||||||||
| Total costs of franchise and license revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization | $ | 122,452 | 49.3 | % | $ | 135,327 | 52.7 | % | ||||||
| Franchise operating margin (non-GAAP) (2) | $ | 125,938 | 50.7 | % | $ | 121,349 | 47.3 | % | ||||||
| Total operating revenue (4) | $ | 463,922 | 100.0 | % | $ | 456,429 | 100.0 | % | ||||||
| Total costs of operating revenue (4) | 310,051 | 66.8 | % | 314,785 | 69.0 | % | ||||||||
| Restaurant-level operating margin (non-GAAP) (4)(2) | $ | 153,871 | 33.2 | % | $ | 141,644 | 31.0 | % | ||||||
| Other operating expenses: (4)(2) | ||||||||||||||
| General and administrative expenses | $ | 77,770 | 16.8 | % | $ | 67,173 | 14.7 | % | ||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 14,385 | 3.1 | % | 14,862 | 3.3 | % | ||||||||
| Goodwill impairment charges | 6,363 | 1.4 | % | — | — | % | ||||||||
| Operating (gains), losses and other charges, net | 2,530 | 0.5 | % | (1,005 | ) | (0.2) % | ||||||||
| Total other operating expenses | $ | 101,048 | 21.8 | % | $ | 81,030 | 17.8 | % | ||||||
| Operating income (4) | $ | 52,823 | 11.4 | % | $ | 60,614 | 13.3 | % | ||||||
| (1 | ) | As a percentage of company restaurant sales. | ||||||||||||
| (2 | ) | Other operating expenses such as general and administrative expenses and depreciation and amortization relate to both company and franchise operations and are not allocated to costs of company restaurant sales and costs of franchise and license revenue. As such, operating margin is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. Operating margin should be considered as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, operating income, net income or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. | ||||||||||||
| (3 | ) | As a percentage of franchise and license revenue. | ||||||||||||
| (4 | ) | As a percentage of total operating revenue. | ||||||||||||
| DENNY’S CORPORATION | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistical Data | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Denny's | Keke's (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Changes in Same-Restaurant Sales (1) | Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | Quarter Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Increase vs. prior year) | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | 12/27/23 | 12/28/22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Company Restaurants | (1.2 | )% | 6.0 | % | 2.7 | % | 10.4 | % | 0.7 | % | N/A | (1.1 | )% | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic Franchise Restaurants | 1.5 | % | 1.7 | % | 3.6 | % | 6.0 | % | (3.8 | )% | N/A | (4.4 | )% | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic System-wide Restaurants | 1.3 | % | 2.0 | % | 3.6 | % | 6.3 | % | (3.1 | )% | N/A | (3.9 | )% | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Unit Sales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ($ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Company Restaurants | $ | 770 | $ | 776 | $ | 3,073 | $ | 2,985 | $ | 429 | $ | 438 | $ | 1,796 | $ | 772 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Franchised Restaurants | $ | 467 | $ | 448 | $ | 1,843 | $ | 1,729 | $ | 432 | $ | 453 | $ | 1,828 | $ | 802 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1 | ) | Same-restaurant sales include sales at company restaurants and non-consolidated franchised and licensed restaurants that were open during the comparable periods noted. Total operating revenue is limited to company restaurant sales and royalties, advertising revenue, initial and other fees and occupancy revenue from non-consolidated franchised and licensed restaurants. Accordingly, domestic franchise same-restaurant sales and domestic system-wide same-restaurant sales should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, the Company's results as reported under GAAP. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2 | ) | Effective July 20, 2022, the Company acquired Keke's, as such data for the quarter and year-to-date period ended December 28, 2022 only represent post-acquisition results. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Restaurant Unit Activity | Denny's | Keke's | ||||||||||||||
| Franchised | Franchised | |||||||||||||||
| Company | & Licensed | Total | Company | & Licensed | Total | |||||||||||
| Ending Units September 27, 2023 | 66 | 1,522 | 1,588 | 8 | 48 | 56 | ||||||||||
| Units Opened | — | 7 | 7 | — | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Units Closed | (1 | ) | (21 | ) | (22 | ) | — | — | — | |||||||
| Net Change | (1 | ) | (14 | ) | (15 | ) | — | 2 | 2 | |||||||
| Ending Units December 27, 2023 | 65 | 1,508 | 1,573 | 8 | 50 | 58 | ||||||||||
| Equivalent Units | ||||||||||||||||
| Fourth Quarter 2023 | 65 | 1,512 | 1,577 | 8 | 50 | 58 | ||||||||||
| Fourth Quarter 2022 | 65 | 1,543 | 1,608 | 8 | 46 | 54 | ||||||||||
| Net Change | — | (31 | ) | (31 | ) | — | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| Ending Units December 28, 2022 | 66 | 1,536 | 1,602 | 8 | 46 | 54 | ||||||||||
| Units Opened | — | 28 | 28 | — | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Units Closed | (1 | ) | (56 | ) | (57 | ) | — | — | — | |||||||
| Net Change | (1 | ) | (28 | ) | (29 | ) | — | 4 | 4 | |||||||
| Ending Units December 27, 2023 | 65 | 1,508 | 1,573 | 8 | 50 | 58 | ||||||||||
| Equivalent Units | ||||||||||||||||
| Year-to-Date 2023 | 65 | 1,522 | 1,587 | 8 | 48 | 56 | ||||||||||
| Year-to-Date 2022 | 65 | 1,561 | 1,626 | 4 | 20 | 24 | ||||||||||
| Net Change | — | (39 | ) | (39 | ) | 4 | 28 | 32 | ||||||||
FAQ
What was Denny's domestic same-restaurant sales growth in Q4 2023?
What was the Adjusted EBITDA for Denny's in Q4 2023?
How much common stock did Denny's repurchase in Q4 2023?
What was the operating income in Q4 2023 compared to the previous year?
What was the net income in Q4 2023 compared to the previous year?
How did the Company Restaurant Operating Margin change in Q4 2023 compared to the previous year?
