Source: Papa John’s International, Inc.
May 5, 2022

Papa John’s International, Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 27, 2022.

First quarter 2022 highlights compared to first quarter of 2021

- Total company revenues increased 6.0% to $542.7 million; global system-wide restaurant sales of $1.3 billion, up 5.3% (excluding the impact of foreign currency)
- Comparable sales up 1.9% in North America and 0.8% Internationally, lapping prior year gains of 26.2% and 23.2%, respectively
- 62 net unit openings driven by accelerating development activity and growing pipeline, especially Internationally
- Earnings per diluted share of $0.29; excluding Special items, non-GAAP adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.95, up from $0.91 a year ago
- Fiscal 2022 restaurant growth outlook raised to 280 to 320 net new units; new multi-year outlook provided for global restaurant count to grow 6% to 8% annually for fiscal 2023 through 2025

“In the first quarter Papa Johns again delivered positive comparable sales growth in North America and international, as we lapped our biggest quarter in the company’s history a year ago,” said President & CEO Rob Lynch. “Incredible execution, winning innovation and our differentiated position underlie our sustained industry outperformance and prove the resilience of our team, franchisees and strategy during volatile and challenging business conditions. Our franchisees also continue to demonstrate their excitement about Papa Johns opportunity, as they ramp up their investments to grow our brand.”

Mr. Lynch continued, “Last quarter we maintained our development momentum with strong new restaurant openings and significantly expanded and strengthened our pipeline with major new deals. As a result, we are excited to raise our 2022 outlook for restaurant growth and to provide a new, multi-year development goal to open 1,400 to 1,800 net new Papa Johns restaurants worldwide by the end of 2025 – with vast development whitespace still remaining. With system-wide momentum, sustained comparable sales outperformance and accelerating unit growth, Papa Johns is well-positioned and executing, regardless of the short-term macroeconomic environment, to continue delivering on its long-term potential and growth goals.”

New Development Outlook

The Company announced that it has raised its outlook for fiscal 2022 net restaurant growth to 280 to 320 units, from 260 to 300 units previously, reflecting strong unit openings in the first quarter and expected further acceleration for remainder of year. In addition, based on its robust development pipeline and accelerating development activity, Papa Johns is now providing a new multi-year target of 6% to 8% annual net unit growth worldwide for fiscal 2023 through 2025.

Supporting its long-term outlook, during the first quarter Papa Johns announced major new and expanded development deals, including a historic agreement with FountainVest Partners to open over 1,350 new stores in China by 2040. The Company also announced the strategic refranchising of its majority-interest in a 90-restaurant joint venture, recording all related assets and liabilities as held for sale as of quarter-end, to existing franchisee Sun Holdings. This transaction provides significant operational scale to help accelerate Sun’s current 100-unit development agreement.

Financial Highlights

Revenues

Global system-wide restaurant sales grew to $1.3 billion, up 5.3% (excluding the impact of foreign currency). Consolidated revenues of $542.7 million increased $30.9 million, or 6.0%, in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the prior year, primarily resulting from positive comparable sales growth and higher unit counts, as well as higher commissary revenues tied to higher commodity costs. Positive comparable sales were driven by continuing menu innovation, including the successful launch of New York Style crust in North America, and strategic pricing actions taken to partly offset higher food and commodity costs. Unit growth contributed more than half of global system-wide restaurant sales gains in the quarter.

Operating Results

Consolidated operating income of $14.4 million for the first quarter of 2022 decreased $32.4 million compared to the first quarter of 2021. Excluding certain Special items discussed in “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below, adjusted operating income was $45.2 million, down modestly from the prior year comparable period, primarily in the domestic company-owned restaurant segment, where long-term, strategic pricing actions mostly mitigated the impact of the accelerating inflationary environment and short-term commodity volatility experienced during the quarter.

Diluted earnings per share was $0.29 for the first quarter of 2022 representing a decrease of $0.53 over the first quarter of 2021. Excluding the impact of Special items in both periods, adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.95 representing an increase of $0.04 over the first quarter of 2021.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flow, a non-GAAP financial measure which the Company defines as net cash provided by operating activities, less purchases of property and equipment and dividends paid to preferred shareholders, was $15.2 million, compared to $52.7 million in the prior year period. The year over year change primarily reflects lower cash flow from operating activities as a result of unfavorable working capital changes, primarily due to timing of interest payments and franchise royalties.

We view free cash flow as an important financial measure because it is one factor that management uses in determining the amount of cash available for discretionary investment. Free cash flow is not a term defined by GAAP, and as a result, our measure of free cash flow might not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Free cash flow should not be construed as a substitute for or a better indicator of the company’s performance than the company’s GAAP measures.

Cash Dividend and Share Repurchases

The company paid cash dividends of $12.6 million ($0.35 per common share) in the first quarter of 2022. On April 26, 2022, our Board of Directors declared a second quarter dividend of $0.35 per common share, which will be paid on May 27, 2022 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 16, 2022. The declaration and payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors.

As previously announced, in October 2021, our Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to $425.0 million of the company’s common stock. In the first quarter of 2022, a total of approximately 301,000 shares with an aggregate cost of $32.7 million and an average price of $108.76 per share were repurchased under these programs. Subsequent to the first quarter, we acquired an additional 223,000 shares at an aggregate cost of $23.0 million. Approximately $369.1 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of April 29, 2022.

The timing and volume of share repurchases under the new share repurchase program may be executed at the discretion of management on an opportunistic basis, subject to market and business conditions, regulatory requirements and other factors, or pursuant to trading plans or other arrangements. Repurchases under the new program may be made through open market, block, and privately negotiated transactions, including Rule 10b5-1 plans, at times and in such amounts as management deems appropriate. Repurchases under the company’s share repurchase program may be commenced or suspended from time to time at the company’s discretion without prior notice.