Brinker's (EAT) Q2 Earnings Beat, Revenues Miss Estimates

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) reported mixed second-quarter fiscal 2020 results, wherein earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues lagged the same. The top line lagged the consensus mark for the third straight quarter. Following the quarterly results, shares of the company increased 1.8% yesterday.

Adjusted earnings of $1.01 per share surpassed the consensus estimate of 97 cents and also increased 13.5% from the year-ago quarter, mainly due to improved operating performance. Quarterly revenues totaled $847.5 million, which missed the consensus mark of $883 million but improved 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. Its traffic-building strategies and revenues generated from the acquisition of 116 Chili’s restaurants aided the top line.

Brand Performances

Brinker primarily engages in ownership, operation, development and franchising of various restaurant brands under Chili’s Grill & Bar (Chili’s) and Maggiano’s Little Italy (Maggiano’s).

Chili's

Revenues at Chili’s totaled $728.4 million in the reported quarter, up 13.7% from the prior-year period. The upside was driven by an increase in off-premise sales, led by comparable restaurant sales and revenues generated from the acquisition of 116 Chili's restaurants.

The brand’s company-owned comps rose 2%, which marked Brinker’s seventh consecutive quarter of positive comps. In first-quarter fiscal 2020, company-owned comps rose 2.9% from the prior-year quarter.

Comps at Chili's franchised restaurants decreased 0.4% compared with 0.8% decline registered in the year-ago quarter. At international franchised Chili’s restaurants, the same fell 0.9% compared with the year-ago quarter’s decline of 6.5%. Meanwhile, at the U.S. franchised units, comps increased 0.2% compared with 3.4% growth in the year-ago quarter.

At Chili's, domestic comps (including company-owned and franchised) grew 1.7% compared with the first quarter’s increase of 3%.

Maggiano's

Maggiano's sales decreased 1.5% year over year to $119.1 million, primarily due to a decline in comparable restaurant sales and adverse weather conditions.

Comps dropped 1.4% year over year.

Operating Results

Total operating costs and expenses jumped roughly 11.4% to $825.8 million from $741.1 million in the year-ago quarter. However, restaurant operating margin — as a percentage of company sales — was 12.7% compared with 12.4% in the prior-year quarter.

Balance Sheet

As of Dec 25, 2019, cash and cash equivalents amounted to $12 million compared with $16.2 million on Dec 26, 2018.

Long-term debt was $1.3 billion as of Dec 25, 2019 compared with $1.2 billion on Jun 26, 2019. Total shareholders’ deficit in the reported quarter was $568.9 million compared with $778.2 million as of Jun 26, 2019.

Management approved a quarterly dividend of 38 cents per share of the company’s common stock in the fiscal second quarter, which is payable on Mar 26 to its shareholders of record on Mar 6.

Fiscal 2020 Guidance

The company raised its fiscal 2020 guidance. It expects earnings per diluted share in the range of $4.25 to $4.45. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $4.24 per share.

The company also anticipates revenues to be up approximately 9.0% to 10.0% primarily due to the acquisition of the 116 Chili's restaurants. Comparable restaurant sales are pegged at 1.75% to 2.5% and capital expenditures between $140 million and $150 million.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Currently Brinker carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the same space include Chuy's Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHUY) , Denny's Corporation (NASDAQ:DENN) and Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) .

While Chuy’s and Denny’s sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Chipotle carries a Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Chuy’s, Denny’s and Chipotle have impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 17.5%, 9% and 19.7%, respectively.

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