Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2010 Results

DENVER  (RestaurantNewsRelease.com)  Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) today reported financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

Highlights for the second quarter of 2010 as compared to the second quarter of 2009 include:

  • Revenue increased 20.1% to $466.8 million
  • Comparable restaurant sales increased 8.7%
  • Restaurant level operating margin was 26.9%, an increase of 90 basis points
  • Net income was $46.5 million, an increase of 31.3%
  • Diluted earnings per share was $1.46, an increase of 32.7%

Highlights for the six months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the prior year include:

  • Revenue increased 17.9% to $876.5 million
  • Comparable restaurant sales increased 6.6%
  • Restaurant level operating margin was 26.5%, an increase of 170 basis points
  • Net income was $ 84.3 million, an increase of 38.7%
  • Diluted earnings per share was $2.65, an increase of 41.0%

“The second quarter was filled with a number of very exciting milestones. We opened our first restaurant in London; we opened our 1,000th restaurant in Flower Mound, Texas; and we continued to advance our Food with Integrity program by introducing barbacoa made with naturally raised beef into all of our restaurants. We are excited about the progress we have made toward our vision to change the way the world thinks about and eats fast food and look forward to many more milestones as we begin our journey to the next 1,000 restaurants,” said Founder, Chairman, and Co-CEO Steve Ells.

Second quarter 2010 results

Revenue for the quarter was $466.8 million, up 20.1% from the prior year period. The growth in revenue was the result of new restaurants not in the comparable base and an 8.7% increase in comparable restaurant sales. Comparable restaurant sales growth was primarily driven by increased traffic in the quarter.

During the quarter Chipotle opened 25 new restaurants, bringing the total restaurant count to 1,001.

Restaurant level operating margin was 26.9% in the quarter, an increase of 90 basis points over the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by the impact of comparable restaurant sales growth and a decline in food costs.

G&A costs were 6.5% of revenue, down 10 basis points from the prior year period. The improvement as a percent of revenue was attributed to the impact of comparable restaurant sales growth partially offset by increased stock based compensation expense.

Net income for the second quarter of 2010 was $46.5 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, compared to $35.4 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2009.

Results for the six months ended June 30, 2010

Revenue for the first six months of 2010 was $876.5 million, up 17.9% from the prior year period. The growth in revenue was the result of new restaurants not in the comparable base and a 6.6% increase in comparable restaurant sales. Comparable restaurant sales growth was primarily driven by increased traffic during the first six months of 2010.

Restaurant level operating margin was 26.5% for the first six months, an increase of 170 basis points over the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by the impact of comparable restaurant sales growth and a decline in food costs.

G&A costs for the first six months of 2010 were 6.4% of revenue, down 30 basis points from the prior year period. The improvement as a percent of revenue was attributed to the impact of comparable restaurant sales growth which was partially offset by higher stock based compensation expense.

Net income for the first six months of 2010 was $84.3 million, or $2.65 per diluted share, compared to $60.8 million, or $1.88 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2009.

“Our unique people culture-one that appeals to and rewards high performers-is the driving force behind all of our accomplishments. Our high performing managers are creating a culture of empowerment in their restaurants, enabling our energetic and ambitious crew to treat each customer to the best dining experience possible. And our strong comps are a clear indication that our restaurant teams’ efforts are paying off. As we look beyond our 1,000th restaurant, we have a deeper bench of future leaders than ever before which keeps us well positioned for future growth,” commented Co-CEO Monty Moran.

Outlook

For 2010, management expects the following:

  • 120-130 new restaurant openings
  • Mid to high single digit comparable restaurant sales growth
  • An effective tax rate of approximately 38.4%

Definitions

The following definitions apply to these terms as used throughout this release:

Comparable restaurant sales increases represent the change in period-over-period sales for the comparable restaurant base. A restaurant becomes comparable in its 13 th full calendar month of operation.

Average restaurant sales refers to the average trailing 12-month sales for restaurants in operation for at least 12 full calendar months.

Restaurant level operating margin represents total revenue less restaurant operating costs, expressed as a percent of total revenue.

Conference Call

Chipotle will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2010 financial results today at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing 1-800-401-3551 or 1-913-643-4197 for international callers. A replay will be available one hour after the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-877-870-5176 or 1-858-384-5517 for international callers. The password is 2574255. The replay will be available until July 29, 2010. The call will be webcast live from the Company’s website at chipotle.com under the Investor Relations section. An archived webcast will be available approximately one hour after the end of the call.

About Chipotle

Steve Ells, Founder, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food not only from using fresh ingredients, but ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. Chipotle opened its first restaurant in 1993 and currently operates more than 1000 restaurants. For more information, visit chipotle.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release, including statements under the heading “Outlook” of our expected comparable restaurant sales increases and effective tax rate in 2010, and statements there and elsewhere in the release regarding the number of restaurants we intend to open in 2010 and beyond, are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We use words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “should”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “predict”, “project”, “target”, and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions, to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date any such statements are made and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the uncertainty of our ability to achieve expected levels of comparable restaurant sales increases; factors that could affect our ability to achieve and manage our planned expansion, such as the availability of a sufficient number of suitable new restaurant sites and the availability of qualified employees; the performance of new restaurants and their impact on existing restaurant sales; changes in consumer preferences, general economic conditions or consumer discretionary spending; changes in the availability and costs of food; the risk of food-borne illnesses and other health concerns about our food products; the potential for increased labor costs or difficulty retaining qualified employees; the impact of federal, state or local government regulations relating to our employees and the sale of food or alcoholic beverages; risks relating to our expansion into new markets; risks related to our development and implementation of a new marketing strategy; the effects of continuing economic uncertainty on our business and on our suppliers, landlords and potential developers; our ability to protect our name and logo and other proprietary information; the potential effects of inclement weather; the effect of competition in the restaurant industry; risks related to the tax treatment of our separation from McDonald’s; and other risk factors described from time to time in our SEC reports, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, all of which are available on the Investor Relations page of our Web site at chipotle.com.

 
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Consolidated Statement of Income
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
 
    Three months ended June 30,
    2010   2009
         
Revenue   $ 466,841     100.0 %   $ 388,836     100.0 %
                 
Restaurant operating costs:                
Food, beverage and packaging     141,922     30.4       120,207     30.9  
Labor     114,790     24.6       95,389     24.5  
Occupancy     31,772     6.8       28,167     7.2  
Other operating costs     52,968     11.3       43,845     11.3  
General and administrative expenses     30,141     6.5       25,797     6.6  
Depreciation and amortization     17,053     3.7       15,197     3.9  
Pre-opening costs     1,724     0.4       1,568     0.4  
Loss on disposal of assets     1,512     0.3       1,344     0.3  
Total operating expenses     391,882     83.9       331,514     85.3  
Income from operations     74,959     16.1       57,322     14.7  
                 
Interest and other income     427     0.1       293     0.1  
Interest and other expense     (85 )   0.0       (186 )   0.0  
Income before income taxes     75,301     16.1       57,429     14.8  
Provision for income taxes     (28,840 )   (6.2 )     (22,036 )   (5.7 )
Net income   $ 46,461     10.0 %   $ 35,393     9.1 %
                 
Earnings per share:                
Basic   $ 1.48         $ 1.11      
Diluted   $ 1.46         $ 1.10      
Weighted average common shares outstanding:                
Basic     31,373           31,856      
Diluted     31,802           32,195      
                         
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Consolidated Statement of Income
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
 
    Six months ended June 30,
    2010   2009
                 
Revenue   $ 876,527     100.0 %   $ 743,292     100.0 %
                 
Restaurant operating costs:                
Food, beverage and packaging     265,830     30.3       230,091     31.0  
Labor     218,807     25.0       188,956     25.4  
Occupancy     62,860     7.2       55,124     7.4  
Other operating costs     96,646     11.0       84,508     11.4  
General and administrative expenses     56,335     6.4       49,516     6.7  
Depreciation and amortization     33,787     3.9       29,917     4.0  
Pre-opening costs     3,226     0.4       3,461     0.5  
Loss on disposal of assets     2,781     0.3       3,208     0.4  
Total operating expenses     740,272     84.5       644,781     86.7  
Income from operations     136,255     15.5       98,511     13.3  
                 
Interest and other income     702     0.1       491     0.1  
Interest and other expense     (164 )   0.0       (259 )   0.0  
Income before income taxes     136,793     15.6       98,743     13.3  
Provision for income taxes     (52,485 )   (6.0 )     (37,958 )   (5.1 )
Net income   $ 84,308     9.6 %   $ 60,785     8.2 %
                 
Earnings per share:                
Basic   $ 2.68         $ 1.90      
Diluted   $ 2.65         $ 1.88      
Weighted average common shares outstanding:                
Basic     31,428           31,929      
Diluted     31,808           32,278      
                         
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.Consolidated Balance Sheet(in thousands, except per share data)
         
    June 30,
2010
  December 31,
2009
    (unaudited)    
Assets        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 202,042     $ 219,566  
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts
of $263 and $339 as of June 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively
    3,787       4,763  
Inventory     6,358       5,614  
Current deferred tax asset     3,759       3,134  
Prepaid expenses     18,402       14,377  
Available-for-sale securities     105,000       50,000  
Total current assets     339,348       297,454  
Leasehold improvements, property and equipment, net     641,600       636,411  
Other assets     6,235       5,701  
Goodwill     21,939       21,939  
Total assets   $ 1,009,122     $ 961,505  
         
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity        
Current liabilities:        
Accounts payable   $ 30,211     $ 25,230  
Accrued payroll and benefits     37,667       41,404  
Accrued liabilities     29,204       31,216  
Current portion of deemed landlord financing     111       96  
Income tax payable     3,381       4,207  
Total current liabilities     100,574       102,153  
Deferred rent     114,119       106,395  
Deemed landlord financing     3,724       3,782  
Deferred income tax liability     32,121       38,863  
Other liabilities     8,570       6,851  
Total liabilities     259,108       258,044  
         
Shareholders’ equity:        
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 600,000 shares authorized, no shares issued as of June 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009            
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 230,000 shares authorized, 33,655 and 33,473 shares issued as of June 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively     337       335  
Additional paid-in capital     560,815       539,880  
Treasury stock, at cost, 2,450 and 1,990 shares at June 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively     (172,899 )     (114,316 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)     (80 )     29  
Retained earnings     361,841       277,533  
Total shareholders’ equity     750,014       703,461  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 1,009,122     $ 961,505  
         
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows(unaudited)

(in thousands)

     
    Six months ended June 30,
    2010   2009
         
Operating activities        
Net income   $ 84,308     $ 60,785  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:        
Depreciation and amortization     33,787       29,917  
Deferred income tax (benefit) provision     (7,367 )     8,312  
Loss on disposal of assets     2,781       3,208  
Bad debt allowance     (72 )     (245 )
Stock-based compensation     11,689       7,711  
Other     (109 )     168  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
Accounts receivable     1,048       671  
Inventory     (744 )     (926 )
Prepaid expenses     (4,025 )     (1,269 )
Other assets     (534 )     (397 )
Accounts payable     5,326       82  
Accrued liabilities     (5,749 )     3,375  
Income tax receivable/payable     (826 )     (5,534 )
Deferred rent     7,724       7,670  
Other long-term liabilities     1,719       1,134  
Net cash provided by operating activities     128,956       114,662  
         
Investing activities        
Purchases of leasehold improvements, property and equipment, net     (41,653 )     (51,809 )
Purchase of available-for-sale securities     (80,000 )      
Maturity of available-for-sale securities     25,000       99,990  
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities     (96,653 )     48,181  
         
Financing activities        
Proceeds from option exercises     5,459       8,173  
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation     3,340       6,796  
Payments on deemed landlord financing     (43 )     (40 )
Acquisition of treasury stock     (58,583 )     (57,517 )
Net cash used in financing activities     (49,827 )     (42,588 )
         
Net change in cash and cash equivalents     (17,524 )     120,255  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     219,566       88,044  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 202,042     $ 208,299  
         
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information        
Increase/(decrease) in purchases of leasehold improvements, property and equipment accrued in accounts payable   $ (345 )   $ 694  
                 
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.Supplemental Financial and Other Data(dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)
     
    For the three months ended
  June 30,   Mar. 31,   Dec. 31,   Sept. 30,   June 30,
    2010   2010   2009   2009   2009
Number of restaurants opened     25       20       45       26       24  
Restaurant relocations or closures                       (1 )      
Number of restaurants at end of period     1,001       976       956       911       886  
Average restaurant sales   $ 1,763     $ 1,736     $ 1,728     $ 1,736     $ 1,734  
Comparable restaurant sales increases     8.7 %     4.3 %     2.0 %     2.7 %     1.7 %