- Achieved record fourth quarter revenue of $28.5 million, up 9.0% over prior-year period
- Realized 25.8% and 13.7% growth in adjusted EBITDA and restaurant-level EBITDA (both non-GAAP measures(1)) in fourth quarter
- Two-year comparable store sales grew 10.3% in the quarter
- 2013 record revenue of $108.9 million driven by 22.7% unit growth; two-year comparable sales growth up 11.6% for the year. Adjusted EBITDA for the year increased 62.7%
- Reiterates fiscal 2014 revenue guidance of $125 - $130 million; plans 20.4% unit growth with 11 new restaurants in 2014
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:BAGR) ("DRH" or the "Company"), the creator, developer and operator of the unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern® ("Bagger Dave's") and one of the largest franchisees for Buffalo Wild Wings® ("BWW"), announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 29, 2013.
"We made excellent progress in 2013 as demonstrated by our growth in restaurants and sales. We added 10 new restaurants and relocated one in the year, expanded into a new market, continued to be creative with Bagger Dave's menu to continue to delight our guests and further refined our real estate strategy," commented Michael Ansley, President and CEO of DRH.
Mr. Ansley added, "We are excited about the progress we are making with our Bagger Dave's brand. Our customers remain our top focus and the key to our ongoing success as we continue to expand brand awareness and market penetration."
Fourth quarter revenue of $28.5 million (a 13-week period) was up $2.4 million, or 9.0%, from the fourth quarter of 2012 (a 14-week period), more than offsetting the benefit of an additional week in the prior-year period. Comparable restaurant sales increased 1.1% on a consolidated basis for the fourth quarter of 2013. This compares with an exceptionally strong 9.2% comparable restaurant sales growth in the fourth quarter of 2012. Comparable sales growth for the 2013 fourth quarter was driven primarily by pricing. Traffic, which was slightly lighter than the prior-year period, was affected by weather, sports schedules and the performance of Detroit professional baseball and football teams. Two-year comparable sales grew 10.3% for the quarter.
Fiscal 2013 (a 52-week period) sales grew $31.5 million, or 40.6%, to $108.9 million from fiscal 2012 (a 53-week period). Sales growth was driven by the addition of ten new restaurants in 2013. Comparable sales for 2013 were up 3.7%, on both traffic and pricing, compared with 7.6% in 2012. Two-year comparable sales were up 11.6%.
There were 36 comparable restaurants for the quarter and the year. This was comprised of 29 BWW and seven Bagger Dave's. At the end of 2013, there were 54 total corporate-owned restaurants operating, comprised of 18 Bagger Dave's and 36 BWW, compared with 44 restaurants at the end of 2012.
Fourth Quarter Operating Results
Restaurant operating costs were up $1.7 million as a result of the increased number of locations, but were down 70 basis points as a percentage of revenue. The largest component of restaurant operating costs, food, beverage, and packaging costs, was relatively unchanged for the quarter at $8.2 million as the Company's increased scale helped contribute to buying efficiencies. Food, beverage, and packaging costs as a percentage of sales were 29.4%, down 200 basis points from the prior-year period.
Compensation expense, the second largest component of restaurant operating costs, was up about $0.6 million to $7.2 million as personnel count increased to staff the new restaurants. However, as a percentage of sales, labor costs were consistent with the fourth quarter of 2012 at 25.3%.
General and administrative expenses for the quarter declined to $2.2 million, or 7.7% of sales, from $2.3 million, or 8.8% of sales, in the same period last year due to the benefits of scale and tight cost controls.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 25.8% to $3.4 million, or 12.1% of sales, from $2.7 million, or 10.5% of sales, in the prior-year period. Restaurant-level EBITDA increased by nearly $0.7 million to $5.7 million. As a percentage of sales, fourth quarter restaurant-level EBITDA improved to 19.9% from 19.1%. (1)DRH believes that, when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, restaurant-level EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP measures, provide additional information related to its operating performance. (See reconciliation of restaurant-level EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA in the supplemental tables included at the end of this release.)
Net loss attributable to DRH in the 2013 fourth quarter was $0.2 million, an improvement over the net loss of $0.6 million in the same period of the prior year.
Full Year 2013 Review
The $31.4 million increase in 2013 revenue included $14.9 million generated from the 18 restaurants that are not included in comparable restaurant sales, $13.4 million incremental sales from acquired BWW restaurants in September 2012, and a $3.1 million increase in same store sales growth.
For 2013 restaurant operating costs increased $26.0 million to $88.9 million driven by new locations, increasing to 81.5% of sales from 81.3% in the prior-year period. The largest component of restaurant operating costs, food, beverage, and packaging costs, increased by $8.6 million to $32.7 million primarily due to the increase in the number of restaurants. Food, beverage, and packaging costs as a percentage of sales were 30.0%, down 110 basis points from the prior-year period due to lower bone-in chicken wing costs. Average cost per pound for bone-in chicken wings decreased 10.7% to $1.76 in 2013 from $1.97 in 2012.
Compensation expense was up $8.7 million to $28.1 million primarily due to the increase in staffing required for the 10 new restaurants. However, as a percentage of sales, labor costs modestly increased to 25.8% from 25.1% in the prior-year period.
General and administrative expenses for the year increased $0.7 million to $7.3 million in 2013. Commensurate with the building of scale in the business along with tight cost controls, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales improved 180 basis points to 6.7%.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 62.7%, or $5.0 million, to $13.0 million in 2013. Restaurant-level EBITDA increased by $5.6 million to $20.2 million. As a percentage of sales, Restaurant-level EBITDA was 18.5% compared with 18.8% in 2012.
Operating expenses were up 41.3% in 2013, reflecting the addition of the new stores added during the year.
DRH generated $1.4 million in operating profit in 2013, compared with $1.6 million in 2012, reflecting a $3.3 million year-over-year increase in depreciation and amortization to $8.0 million as well as the almost doubling of pre-opening expenses to $3.2 million. The higher depreciation and amortization was due to the increase in the total number of restaurants and a larger percentage of stand-alone buildings which require more capital.
The increase in pre-opening expenses was a result of the number of locations opened in 2013 versus 2012 as well as timing and costs to open new restaurants and due to some unique and very large openings. DRH expects pre-opening expenses to be in the range of $200,000 to $250,000 per restaurant going forward.
For fiscal 2013, net income attributable to DRH was $0.1 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, compared with net income of $0.2 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, in fiscal 2012. Adjusted net income for 2013, which excludes non-recurring expenses associated with the Company's listing on NASDAQ and debt restructuring activities, was $0.3 million, or $0.01 per diluted share. (See the reconciliation between GAAP Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) in the supplemental table included in this release.)
The Company opened ten restaurants in 2013, seven Bagger Dave's and three BWW.
Balance Sheet
Cash, cash equivalents and investments increased $15.4 million to $18.1 million at December 29, 2013 from the end of the prior year. In April 2013, the Company issued 6.9 million shares of common stock which resulted in net proceeds of $31.9 million.
Capital expenditures increased $9.7 million to $25.3 million in 2013. New restaurant construction was approximately $19.0 million and the remainder was for remodeling and refreshing existing restaurants. The Company is committed to reinvesting in its stores and is following a definitive schedule of continued improvements and remodeling to maintain a positive dining experience for its guests. For 2014, the Company estimates capital expenditures to be in the range of $33.0 million to $36.0 million, with the majority focused on new restaurant opening, including real estate.
Outlook
Mr. Ansley noted, "We are committed to continuing to grow our restaurants, advance our Bagger Dave's brand and build upon our loyal customer base. We plan to leverage the momentum we have developed and increase our restaurants by 20% in 2014. We have launched our new menu, introduced frequently requested chicken to our menu and have initiated a unique loyalty program. We have zeroed in on our logo which embodies our train theme at Bagger Dave's and will begin a much improved marketing campaign with a heavier traditional media mix. We believe these actions will further differentiate Bagger Dave's, attract more attention to our BWWs and ultimately drive higher sales."
In 2014, DRH plans to open 11 additional restaurants, expanding total unit count by 20.4%, which will be comprised mostly of Bagger Dave's:
- Open eight Bagger Dave's locations in Michigan and Indiana, a 44.4% unit increase over the units that existed at the end of 2013
- Open three Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, relocate two, and remodel two
Revenue in 2014 is expected to be in the range of $125 million to $130 million.
Fiscal 2014 restaurant-level EBITDA is expected to be in a range of approximately $22.0 million to $23.5 million, while adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2014 is expected to be between $13.5 million and $14.5 million.
Mr. Ansley concluded, "Importantly, as we grow we are building a more experienced staff, improving operational efficiencies and formalizing best practices throughout our franchise."
Webcast and Conference Call
DRH will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, March 14, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, during which management will review the financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year and discuss its corporate strategies and outlook. The review will be accompanied by a slide presentation which will be made available prior to the conference call on the Company's website at www.diversifiedrestaurantholdings.com. A question-and-answer session will follow. The teleconference can be accessed by calling (201) 493-6780, or monitored on the Company's website.
A telephonic replay will be available from 1:00 p.m. ET on the day of the teleconference through Friday, March 21, 2014. To listen to a replay of the call, dial (858) 384-5517 and enter the conference ID number 13574719, or access the webcast replay via the Company's website at www.diversifiedrestaurantholdings.com, where a transcript will also be posted once available.
About Diversified Restaurant Holdings
Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:BAGR) ("DRH" or the "Company") owns and operates Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern, a full-service, family-friendly restaurant and full bar with a casual, comfortable atmosphere specializing in custom-built, proprietary, fresh prime rib recipe burgers, famous all-natural turkey burgers, hand-cut fries, locally crafted beers on draft, hand-dipped milk shakes, salads, black bean turkey chili, and much more. Currently there are 18 company-owned Bagger Dave's restaurants in Michigan and Indiana. DRH will open eight additional company-owned locations during 2014 in Indiana and Michigan. For more information, visit www.baggerdaves.com.
The Company also operates 36 Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar franchised restaurants in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Florida, with an Area Development Agreement to open an additional 13 locations by 2017. DRH will open three more units in Michigan, Indiana, and Florida in 2014.
The Company routinely posts news and other important information on its website at www.diversifiedrestaurantholdings.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
The information made available in this news release contains forward-looking statements which reflect DRH's current view of future events, results of operations, cash flows, performance, business prospects and opportunities. Wherever used, the words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will continue," "will likely result," "may," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements as such term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and the Company's actual growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance, business prospects and opportunities could differ materially from historical results or current expectations. Some of these risks include, without limitation, the impact of economic and industry conditions, competition, food and drug safety issues, store expansion and remodeling, labor relations issues, costs of providing employee benefits, regulatory matters, legal and administrative proceedings, information technology, security, severe weather, natural disasters, accounting matters, other risk factors relating to our business or industry and other risks detailed from time to time in the Securities and Exchange Commission filings of DRH. Forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date made and, thus, DRH undertakes no obligation to update or publicly announce the revision of any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect new information, future events, developments or changed circumstances or for any other reason.
FINANCIAL TABLES TO FOLLOW
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||||
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS | ||||
Three Months Ended | Twelve Months Ended | |||
December | December | December | December | |
29 | 30 | 29 | 30 | |
2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | |
Revenue | $28,475,965 | $26,123,907 | $108,886,139 | $77,447,208 |
Operating expenses | ||||
Restaurant operating costs (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below): | ||||
Food, beverage, and packaging costs | 8,381,300 | 8,213,106 | 32,719,254 | 24,117,399 |
Compensation costs | 7,192,789 | 6,607,849 | 28,096,721 | 19,448,210 |
Occupancy costs | 1,677,441 | 1,502,639 | 6,381,052 | 4,289,966 |
Other operating costs | 5,553,141 | 4,810,163 | 21,675,473 | 15,008,171 |
General and administrative expenses | 2,234,582 | 2,257,353 | 7,270,597 | 6,585,908 |
Pre-opening costs | 1,194,100 | 1,244,292 | 3,230,122 | 1,792,168 |
Depreciation and amortization | 2,434,607 | 1,656,704 | 7,974,481 | 4,587,310 |
Loss on disposal of property and equipment | 14,451 | 6,856 | 98,162 | 36,833 |
Total operating expenses | 28,682,411 | 26,298,962 | 107,445,862 | 75,865,965 |
Operating (loss) profit | (206,446) | (175,055) | 1,440,277 | 1,581,243 |
Change in fair value of derivative instruments | -- | -- | -- | (43,361) |
Interest expense | (377,024) | (439,428) | (1,718,711) | (1,282,991) |
Other income, net | 92,294 | (342,079) | 151,292 | 20,081 |
Income (Loss) before income taxes | (491,176) | (956,562) | (127,142) | 274,972 |
Income tax provision (benefit) | (313,637) | (333,554) | (261,450) | (167) |
Net (loss) income | $(177,539) | $(623,008) | $134,308 | $275,139 |
Less: (Income) attributable to noncontrolling interest | $ -- | $ -- | $ -- | $(95,040) |
Net income attributable to DRH | $(177,539) | $(623,008) | $134,308 | $180,099 |
Basic earnings per share | $0.00 | $(0.03) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
Fully diluted earnings per share | $0.00 | $(0.03) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding | ||||
Basic | 26,054,543 | 18,941,708 | 23,937,188 | 18,949,556 |
Diluted | 26,178,617 | 19,044,287 | 24,058,072 | 19,091,849 |
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | ||
December 29 | December 30 | |
ASSETS | 2013 | 2012 |
Current assets | ||
Cash and cash equivalents | $9,562,473 | $2,700,328 |
Investments | 8,561,598 | -- |
Accounts receivable | 1,248,940 | 248,403 |
Inventory | 1,017,626 | 809,084 |
Prepaid assets | 555,144 | 447,429 |
Total current assets | 20,945,781 | 4,205,244 |
Deferred income taxes | 1,162,761 | 846,746 |
Property and equipment, net | 58,576,734 | 40,286,490 |
Intangible assets, net | 2,948,013 | 2,509,337 |
Goodwill | 8,578,776 | 8,578,776 |
Other long-term assets | 121,668 | 118,145 |
Total assets | $92,333,733 | $56,544,738 |
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | ||
Current liabilities | ||
Accounts payable | $4,416,092 | $3,952,017 |
Accrued compensation | 2,060,082 | 1,647,075 |
Other accrued liabilities | 809,104 | 1,013,369 |
Current portion of long-term debt | 8,225,732 | 6,095,684 |
Current portion of deferred rent | 306,371 | 226,106 |
Total current liabilities | 15,817,381 | 12,934,251 |
Deferred rent, less current portion | 3,420,574 | 2,274,753 |
Unfavorable operating leases | 759,065 | 849,478 |
Other liabilities - interest rate swap | 327,561 | 430,751 |
Long-term debt, less current portion | 38,047,589 | 38,551,601 |
Total liabilities | 58,372,170 | 55,040,834 |
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 10 and 11) | ||
Stockholders' equity | ||
Common stock - $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 26,049,578 and 18,951,700, respectively, issued and outstanding | 2,580 | 1,888 |
Additional paid-in capital | 35,275,255 | 2,991,526 |
Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (245,364) | (284,294) |
Accumulated deficit | (1,070,908) | (1,205,216) |
Total stockholders' equity | 33,961,563 | 1,503,904 |
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $92,333,733 | $56,544,738 |
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS | ||
Twelve Months Ended | ||
December 29 | December 30 | |
2013 | 2012 | |
Cash flows from operating activities | ||
Net income | $134,308 | $275,139 |
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities | ||
Depreciation and amortization | 7,974,481 | 4,587,310 |
Write off of loan fees | 76,407 | 141,329 |
Loss on disposal of property and equipment | 98,162 | 36,833 |
Share-based compensation | 278,290 | 220,449 |
Change in fair value of derivative instruments | -- | 43,361 |
Deferred income taxes | (336,223) | (133,287) |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities that provided (used) cash | ||
Accounts receivable | (1,000,537) | (227,906) |
Inventory | (208,542) | (141,547) |
Prepaid assets | (107,715) | (210,434) |
Other current assets | -- | -- |
Intangible assets | (660,966) | (1,044,899) |
Other long-term assets | (3,523) | (43,756) |
Accounts payable | (497,999) | 2,269,555 |
Accrued liabilities | 208,742 | 1,250,112 |
Deferred rent | 1,226,086 | 570,362 |
Net cash provided by operating activities | 7,180,971 | 7,592,621 |
Cash flows from investing activities | ||
Purchases of available-for-sale investments | (13,883,671) | -- |
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale investments | 5,278,048 | -- |
Purchases of property and equipment | (25,345,370) | (15,675,329) |
Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired | -- | (14,686,575) |
Cash paid in excess of book value on noncontrolling interest | -- | (866,681) |
Net cash used in investing activities | (33,950,993) | (31,228,585) |
Cash flows from financing activities | ||
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | 61,743,866 | 63,521,824 |
Repayments of long-term debt | (60,117,830) | (38,683,029) |
Proceeds from sale of common stock, net of underwriter fees | 32,006,131 | -- |
Distributions from non-controlling interest | -- | (40,000) |
Net cash provided by financing activities | 33,632,167 | 24,798,795 |
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | 6,862,145 | 1,162,831 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 2,700,328 | 1,537,497 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $9,562,473 | $2,700,328 |
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||||
Reconciliation Between GAAP Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) | ||||
Three Months Ended | Twelve Months Ended | |||
December 29 | December 30 | December 29 | December 30 | |
2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | |
Net income (loss) attributable to DRH, as reported | $(177,539) | $(623,008) | $134,308 | $180,099 |
NASDAQ listing expenses, | -- | -- | 91,700 | -- |
NASDAQ listing expenses, net of tax (1) | ||||
Financing fees, net of tax (2) | -- | -- | 53,900 | -- |
Adjusted net income (loss) | $(177,539) | $(623,008) | $279,908 | $180,099 |
Adjusted basic earnings (loss) per share | $0.00 | $(0.03) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share | $0.00 | $(0.03) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: | ||||
Basic | 26,054,543 | 18,941,708 | 23,937,188 | 18,949,556 |
Diluted | 26,178,617 | 19,044,287 | 24,058,072 | 19,091,849 |
Notes to reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Adjusted Net Income: | ||||
(1) Reflects $131,000 of non-recurring fees associated with the Company listing on the NASDAQ exchange, net of an estimated 30.0% effective tax rate. | ||||
(2) Reflects $77,000 of non-recurring expenses associated with the Company's debt restructuring activities, net of an estimated 30.0% effective tax rate. |
DIVERSIFIED RESTAURANT HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES | ||||
Reconciliation Between Net Income and EBITDA, Restaurant-Level EBITDA and | ||||
Adjusted EBITDA | ||||
Three Months Ended | Twelve Months Ended | |||
December 29 | December 30 | December 29 | December 30 | |
2013 | 2012 | 2013 | 2012 | |
Net income (loss) attributable to DRH, as reported | $(177,539) | $(623,008) | $134,308 | $180,099 |
+ Income tax provision (benefit) | (313,637) | (333,554) | (261,450) | (167) |
+ Change in fair value of derivative instruments | -- | -- | -- | 43,361 |
+ Interest expense | 377,024 | 439,428 | 1,718,711 | 1,282,991 |
+ Other income, net | (92,294) | 342,079 | (151,292) | (20,081) |
+ Loss on disposal of property and equipment | 14,451 | 6,856 | 98,162 | 36,833 |
+ Depreciation and amortization | 2,434,607 | 1,656,704 | 7,974,481 | 4,587,310 |
+ Income attributable to noncontrolling interest | -- | -- | -- | 95,040 |
EBITDA | $2,242,612 | $1,488,505 | $9,512,920 | $6,205,386 |
+ Pre-opening costs | 1,194,100 | 1,244,292 | 3,230,122 | 1,792,168 |
+ Non-recurring expenses | -- | -- | 271,000 | -- |
Adjusted EBITDA | $3,436,712 | $2,732,797 | $13,014,042 | $7,997,554 |
Adjusted EBITDA margin (%) | 12.1% | 10.5% | 12.0% | 10.3% |
+ Adjusted General and administrative | 2,234,582 | 2,257,353 | 7,139,597 | 6,585,908 |
Restaurant–Level EBITDA | $5,671,294 | $4,990,150 | $20,153,639 | $14,583,462 |
Restaurant–Level EBITDA margin (%) | 19.9% | 19.1% | 18.5% | 18.8% |
Restaurant-Level EBITDA represents net income (loss) attributable to DRH plus the sum of non-restaurant specific general and administrative expenses, restaurant pre-opening costs, loss on property and equipment disposals, the change in fair value of derivative instruments, depreciation and amortization, other income and expenses, interest, taxes, income attributable to noncontrolling interest and non-recurring acquisition related expenses in Q1 2013 and non-recurring expenses related to the NASDAQ listing in Q2 2013. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income (loss) attributable to DRH plus the sum of restaurant pre-opening costs, loss on property and equipment disposals, the change in fair value of derivative instruments, depreciation and amortization, other income and expenses, interest, taxes, income attributable to noncontrolling interest, and non-recurring expenses. We are presenting Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are not presented in accordance with GAAP, because we believe they provide an additional metric by which to evaluate our operations. When considered together with our GAAP results and the reconciliation to our net income, we believe they provide a more complete understanding of our business than could be obtained absent this disclosure. We use Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, together with financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, such as revenue, income from operations, net income, and cash flows from operations, to assess our historical and prospective operating performance and to enhance the understanding of our core operating performance. Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are presented because: (i) we believe they are useful measures for investors to assess the operating performance of our business without the effect of non-cash depreciation and amortization expenses; (ii) we believe investors will find these measures useful in assessing our ability to service or incur indebtedness; and (iii) they are used internally as benchmarks to evaluate our operating performance or compare our performance to that of our competitors. | ||||
Additionally, we present Restaurant-Level EBITDA because it excludes the impact of general and administrative expenses and restaurant pre-opening costs, both which are non-recurring at the restaurant level. The use of Restaurant-Level EBITDA thereby enables us and our investors to compare our operating performance between periods and to compare our operating performance to the performance of our competitors. The measure is also widely used within the restaurant industry to evaluate restaurant level productivity, efficiency, and performance. The use of Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as performance measures permits a comparative assessment of our operating performance relative to our performance based on 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. Companies within our industry exhibit significant variations with respect to capital structure and cost of capital (which affect interest expense and tax rates) and differences in book depreciation of property and equipment (which affect relative depreciation expense), including significant differences in the depreciable lives of similar assets among various companies. Our management team believes that Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA facilitate company-to-company comparisons within our industry by eliminating some of the foregoing variations. | ||||
Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not determined in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income, income from operations, net cash provided by operating, investing, or financing activities, or other financial statement data presented as indicators of financial performance or liquidity, each as presented in accordance with GAAP. Neither Restaurant-Level EBITDA nor Adjusted EBITDA should be considered as a measure of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and our presentation of Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual items. Our management recognizes that Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical financial measures, including the following: | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our current capital expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, associated with our indebtedness; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect depreciation and amortization, which are non-cash charges, although the assets being depreciated and amortized will likely have to be replaced in the future, nor do Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect disposals or other non-recurring income and expenses; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in fair value of derivative instruments; | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect restaurant pre-opening costs; and | ||||
• Restaurant-Level EBITDA does not reflect general and administrative expenses. |