(Source: Business Wire)

Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BKC) today reported results for the
first quarter of fiscal 2010.
First Quarter Highlights:
Solid development growth across all business segments as net
restaurant count increased by 58 with international markets accounting
for approximately 80 percent of the increase;
U.S. and Canada company restaurant margin improved 180 basis points to
13.9 percent from 12.1 percent in the same period last year;
Worldwide company restaurant margin improved 40 basis points to 13.0
percent from 12.6 percent in the same period last year;
Worldwide comparable sales were negative 2.9 percent compared to
positive 3.6 percent in the same period last year;
Earnings per share were $0.34, including $0.02 per share of negative
impact from currency translation, compared to earnings per share of
$0.36 and adjusted earnings per share of $0.38 in the same period last
year.
Office Depot, Inc.
DIVISION INFORMATION
(Unaudited)
North American Retail Division
Third Quarter Year-to-Date
(Dollars in millions) 2009 2008 2009 2008
Sales $ 1,288.3 $ 1,578.5 $ 3,850.7 $ 4,725.0
% change (18 )% (11 )% (19 )% (8 )%
Division operating profit $ 35.1 $ 11.9 $ 103.4 $ 90.0
% of sales 2.7 % 0.8 % 2.7 % 1.9 %
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North American Business Solutions Division
Third Quarter Year-to-Date
(Dollars in millions) 2009 2008 2009 2008
Sales $ 880.4 $ 1,054.2 $ 2,662.6 $ 3,222.3
% change (16 )% (10 )% (17 )% (7 )%
Division operating profit $ 21.3 $ 39.0 $ 76.9 $ 147.9
% of sales 2.4 % 3.7 % 2.9 % 4.6 %
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In the first quarter of fiscal 2010, the company continued to face a
challenging economic and consumer environment with QSR traffic falling
three percent in the quarter ended August 20091 and record
levels of unemployment especially as it relates to the industry's and
the company's targeted demographic. However, quarterly financial results
reflected improvements in company restaurant margin through decreased
commodity costs in the U.S. and Canada and improved U.S. variable labor
costs. Additionally, the company continued to execute on its barbell
menu strategy and development growth plans.
Reflecting the challenging macroeconomic environment, total revenues for
the first quarter of fiscal 2010 were down 5 percent at $636.9 million,
compared to $673.5 million in the same quarter last year. Currency
translation negatively impacted quarterly revenues by $20.9 million or 3
percent.
First quarter worldwide comparable sales were negative 2.9 percent
compared to positive 3.6 percent in the same quarter last year.
Comparable sales were negatively impacted by continued adverse
macroeconomic conditions, including record levels of unemployed and
underemployed workers, more consumers eating at home and significant
competitive discounting. However, the company posted positive comparable
sales of 1 percent in its EMEA/APAC business segment versus a strong
prior year comparable sales growth of 4.8 percent. Leading this
performance were the U.K., Australia, Korea and New Zealand offset by
negative comparable sales in Germany.
Marketing efforts in the U.S. and Canada continued to focus on value
with the $1 Whopper Jr.® sandwich and value promotions such as 2
for $4 Original Chicken sandwiches, Whopper® sandwiches and BK
Big Fish® sandwiches across many markets. Additionally, the $1 ¼ lb.
Double Cheeseburger was featured in approximately 25 percent of U.S.
restaurants. The company also conducted its semi-annual direct mail
coupon drop to 80 million U.S. households and continued to innovate
around the snacking category, with offerings such as the Cup Cake BK®
Sundae Shake and improved BK Joe® and Mocha BK Joe®
coffees.
EMEA/APAC continued to satisfy consumers seeking value and quality with
offerings such as King DealsTM and the Whopper®
sandwich and Whopper Jr.® sandwich value meals. The Latin America
business segment was also heavily value focused and featured the Come
Como ReyTM (Eat Like a King) and "King Ofertas" (King
DealsTM) everyday value menus, as well as
discounted Family Meal bundles.
Additional marketing efforts in the first quarter included SuperFamily
promotions such as G.I. JoeTM, Cloudy with a
Chance of MeatballsTM and TransformersTM
2, which were leveraged across many international markets as
well as the September U.S. campaign with NASCAR® Sprint Cup Series
driver Tony Stewart, which showcased the Whopper® sandwich,
Stewart's favorite BK® menu item.
"While we continue to operate in a rapidly changing and difficult
consumer environment, our business model remains solid as we manage the
brand for the long-term," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John
W. Chidsey. "We continued to grow the brand globally opening 58 net new
restaurants, with approximately 80 percent of those in international
markets, and we realized improved company restaurant margins in the U.S.
and Canada."
In the first quarter, the company increased its worldwide net restaurant
count by 58, incrementally building on the 67 net new restaurants opened
in the same period last year. During the last 12 months, the company
opened a total of 351 net new restaurants and is on target to open an
additional 250 to 300 net new restaurants during fiscal 2010.
During the first quarter, the company posted worldwide company
restaurant margin of 13.0 percent, representing an increase of 40 basis
points over the prior year period and a sequential improvement of 50
basis points from the fiscal 2009 fourth quarter. Worldwide company
restaurant margin benefited primarily from lower food, paper and product
costs. Company restaurant margin in the U.S. and Canada segment
increased 180 basis points compared to the same period last year,
building on the sequential improvement realized in the fiscal 2009
fourth quarter. Lower company restaurant margin in EMEA/APAC and Latin
America as compared to the same period last year, albeit improving
sequentially, partially offset cost benefits experienced in the U.S. and
Canada.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses increased by $8.5 million or 8
percent to $109 million compared to the same period last year. The
increase includes $4.7 million in deferred compensation expense which
was largely offset by $4.6 million of net gains on investments held in a
Rabbi Trust recorded within the Other Operating Income and Expense
category. The company also incurred additional professional services
fees of $3.7 million and $1.6 million related to the previously
announced step-up in share-based compensation. These factors were
partially offset by a $2.7 million favorable currency translation
impact. The year over year G&A increase was higher than the company's
forecasted full year increase of 2 to 3 percent, primarily due to the
timing of professional services largely associated with the
implementation of new Point of Sales systems, a non-recurring casualty
insurance credit realized in the prior year period and deferred
compensation expense as a result of the broader market's performance.
The company expects full year G&A, net of currency translation, to
increase 3%, at the high end of the previously guided range, primarily
to account for higher gains on deferred compensation investments, which
increases G&A expense as noted above.
The company reported first quarter earnings per share of $0.34,
including a $0.02 negative impact due to currency translation, compared
to earnings per share of $0.36 and adjusted earnings per share of $0.38
in the same quarter last year. First quarter fiscal 2009 adjusted
earnings per share excluded $3.0 million in pre-tax costs related to
acquisitions of franchised restaurants.
Uses of Cash
During the first quarter, the company generated $48.0 million of cash
flow from operations. The company declared and paid a cash dividend
totaling $8.5 million and spent $31.2 million in capital investments
primarily used to open new restaurants and re-image existing ones.
"Our highly-franchised business model enables us to generate solid cash
flow even in the midst of the current difficult economic environment,"
said Chief Financial Officer Ben Wells. "In fiscal 2010, we intend to
continue to execute on our growth initiatives including strategically
investing in the brand and diversifying our portfolio with strong
international development."
Looking ahead
"As we look ahead, we will continue to be laser focused on operations,
with the goal of providing exceptional service while creating
efficiencies and improving profitability," Chidsey said. "Additionally,
we will maintain our current marketing strategy focusing on the brand
equities that we believe give us a distinct competitive advantage -- flame-broiled taste, quality and size at affordable prices.
"From a product standpoint, we will continue to innovate around our
barbell strategy offering a robust value menu including the $1 ¼ lb.
Double Cheeseburger for those consumers who are focused on extreme
affordability. We will balance our value menu offerings with indulgent
menu items like our Steakhouse XTTM burger, which will
be introduced in all U.S. markets in February with the system-wide
implementation of our new batch broilers."
Chidsey concluded: "While we expect that the unpredictable consumer
environment will persist in fiscal 2010, we intend to continue to
execute on the four pillars of our True North plan of growing the brand,
running great restaurants, investing wisely and focusing on our people.
We are clearly not where we want to be as it relates to comparable sales
and overall profitability. We are, however, managing the brand for the
long-term, strategically positioning the company for the future when we
return to a more normal consumer environment."
1According to The NPD Group, Inc., which prepares and
disseminates CREST® data, QSR traffic in the U.S. fell 3 percent versus
a year ago in the quarter ended August 2009.
About Burger King Holdings, Inc.
The BURGER KING® system operates approximately 12,000 restaurants in all
50 states and in 73 countries and U.S. territories worldwide.
Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING® restaurants are owned and
operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned
operations that have been in business for decades. In 2008, Fortune magazine
ranked Burger King Corp. among America's 1,000 largest corporations and Ad
Week named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers
within the last three decades. To learn more about Burger King Holdings,
Inc., please visit the company's Web site at www.bk.com.
Related Communication
Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BKC) will hold its first quarter
earnings call for fiscal year 2010 on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. EDT
following the release of its first quarter results before the stock
market opens on the same day. During the call, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer John Chidsey; Chief Financial Officer Ben Wells;
Senior Vice President Global Business Intelligence and Strategy Mike
Kappitt; and Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Global
Communications Amy Wagner will discuss the company's first quarter
results.
The earnings call will be webcast live via the company's investor
relations Web site at http://investor.bk.com
and available for replay for 30 days.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements made in this report that reflect management's
expectations regarding future events and economic performance are
forward-looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and
uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include statements
regarding our ability to open an additional 250 to 300 net new
restaurants during fiscal 2010; our expectations about our ability to
use our disciplined investment approach to profitably grow the brand;
our expectations regarding our ability to use our highly-franchised
business model to generate solid cash flow even in the midst of the
current difficult economic environment; our belief and expectations
regarding our ability to continue to execute on our growth initiatives
in fiscal 2010, including strategically investing in the brand and
diversifying our portfolio with strong international development; our
expectations regarding our fiscal 2010 performance due to the
challenging consumer environment; our belief and expectations regarding
our ability to provide exceptional service while creating efficiencies
and improving profitability; our belief and expectations that our
current marketing strategy will give us a distinct competitive advantage
by focusing on flame-broiled taste, quality and size at affordable
prices; our belief and expectations that our barbell strategy of value
menu offerings and indulgent menu items will drive our business; our
ability to continue to execute on the four pillars of our True North
plan of growing the brand, running great restaurants, investing wisely
and focusing on our people; our belief and expectations that by managing
the brand for the long-term, we will be able to strategically position
the company for the future when we return to a more normal consumer
environment; our expectations regarding worldwide comparable sales, the
worldwide blended royalty rate, general and administrative expenses,
capital expenditures, our effective tax rate and the currency
translation impact on earnings per share for the 2010 fiscal year; and
other expectations regarding our future financial and operational
results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based on
our current expectations and projections about future events. Important
factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance
or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by
these forward-looking statements.
These factors include those risk factors set forth in filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual and quarterly
reports, and the following:
¢ Economic or other business conditions that may affect the desire or
ability of our customers to purchase our products such as inflationary
pressures, higher unemployment rates, increases in gas prices, declines
in median income growth, consumer confidence and consumer discretionary
spending and changes in consumer preferences, and the impact of negative
sales and traffic on our business, including the risk that we will be
required to incur non-cash impairment or other charges that reduce our
earnings;
¢ Risksarising from the significant and rapid fluctuations in
thecurrencyexchange markets and the decisions and positions that we
take to hedge such volatility;
¢ Our ability to compete domestically and internationally in an
intensely competitive industry;
¢ Our ability to successfully implement our international growth
strategy and risks related to our international operations;
¢ Our ability and the ability of our franchisees to manage increases in
operating costs, including health care expense if Congress passes
employer mandated health care, if we or our franchisees choose not to
pass, or cannot pass, these increased costs on to our guests;
¢ Our relationship with, and the success of, our franchisees;
¢ The effectiveness of our marketing and advertising programs and
franchisee support of these programs;
¢ Risks related to franchisee financial distress due to issues arising
with their Burger King® restaurants or losses from other
businesses, which could result in, among other things, restaurant
closures, delayed or reduced payments to us of royalties and rents and
increased exposure to third parties, such as landlords;
¢ The ability of our franchisees to refinance their business or to
obtain new financing for development, restaurant remodels and equipment
initiatives on acceptable terms or at all, and the strength of the
financial institutions that have historically provided financing to
franchisees;
¢ Risks related to disruptions and catastrophic events, including
disruption in the financial markets, war, terrorism and other
international conflicts, public health issues such as the H1N1 flu
pandemic, and natural disasters, and the impact of such events on our
operating results;
¢ Risks related to food safety, including foodborne illness and food
tampering, and the safety of toys and other promotional items available
in our restaurants;
¢ Risks related to the loss of any of our major distributors,
particularly in those international markets where we have a single
distributor, and interruptions in the supply of necessary products to us;
¢ Our ability to execute on our reimaging program in the U.S. and Canada
to increase sales and profitability;
¢ Our ability to implement our growth strategy and strategic initiatives
given restrictions imposed by our senior credit facility;
¢ Risks related to the ability of counterparties to our secured credit
facility, interest rate swaps and foreign currency forward contracts to
fulfill their commitments and/or obligations;
¢ Risks related to interruptions or security breaches of our computer
systems and risks related to the lack of integration of our worldwide
technology systems;
¢ Our ability to continue to extend our hours of operation, at least in
the U.S. and Canada, to capture a larger share of both the breakfast and
late night dayparts;
¢ Changes in consumer perceptions of dietary health and food safety and
negative publicity relating to our products;
¢ Our ability to retain or replace executive officers and key members of
management with qualified personnel;
¢ Our ability to utilize foreign tax credits to offset our U.S. income
taxes due to continuing losses in the U.K. and other factors and risks
related to the impact of changes in statutory tax rates in foreign
jurisdictions on our deferred taxes and effective tax rate;
¢ Our ability to realize our expected tax benefits from the realignment
of our European and Asian businesses;
¢ Our ability to manage changing labor conditions in the U.S. and
internationally;
¢ Adverse legal judgments, settlements or pressure tactics; and
¢ Adverse legislation or regulation.
These risks are not exhaustive and may not include factors which could
adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover, we
operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment.