• System Wide Sales: $291.8 million.
• Total Revenues: $251.6 million, an increase of 14.8%.
• Adjusted EBITDA: $25.6 million.
• Net Income: $2.1 million.
• Restaurant Level Operating Profit Margin: Increased to 18.9%.
• Same Restaurant Sales: Decline of 1.9%.
• Same Restaurant Traffic: Decline of 4.4%.
• New Restaurant Openings: 9 new system wide restaurants opened in the third quarter.
• Total Number of Restaurants: 547 restaurants at the end of the third quarter.
• Adjusted EBITDA Margin: 10.2%.
• General and Administrative Expenses: $27.7 million, 11% of sales.
• Commodity Inflation: 3.4%.
• Labor Inflation: 3.8%.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with FWRG.

Release Date: November 07, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• First Watch Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ:FWRG) reported strong adjusted EBITDA growth and increased restaurant-level operating profit margin.
• The company opened nine new system-wide restaurants across eight states, with seven being company-owned.
• Dining room traffic turned positive towards the end of the quarter, attributed to successful targeted marketing campaigns.
• First Watch was recognized as the number one most loved workplace in America by Newsweek and the Best Practice Institute.
• The company's new restaurant openings are outperforming underwriting expectations by roughly 10%, indicating strong site selection and operational execution.

Negative Points

• Same restaurant traffic declined by 4.4% in the third quarter, contributing to negative same restaurant sales of 1.9%.
• Third-party delivery traffic moved more negative, acting as a drag on consolidated traffic.
• The company experienced commodity inflation of 3.4%, with bacon, avocados, and eggs being primary drivers.
• Hurricane-related disruptions impacted construction and led to the rescheduling of some new restaurant openings.
• Off-premise traffic remains negative, although direct off-premise traffic has stabilized.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you elaborate on the success of your targeted marketing campaigns and their impact on consumer trends? A: Christopher Tomasso, CEO, explained that the targeted marketing campaigns tested in Q3 showed promising results, particularly in improving dining room traffic. The company sees on-premise and off-premise channels as distinct, and while there might be some overlap in tactics, they are specific to each channel. The success of these initiatives is being considered for the overall plan for next year.

Q: What are your thoughts on the current softness in the AM daypart and its impact on First Watch? A: Tomasso noted that the morning meal occasion is under pressure due to the macro environment, not because of trade-down to QSR or convenience breakfast. The breakfast occasion is easily replaced at home, but First Watch continues to gain market share. The company is confident that once the consumer environment improves, they will benefit from a resurgence in breakfast and brunch dining.

Q: How are you addressing the challenges in third-party delivery traffic? A: Tomasso acknowledged that third-party delivery has been a drag on traffic, with mid-10s declines since mid-year. The company is working with partners to optimize their presence and offerings in this channel, but it remains a secondary focus compared to in-restaurant dining and direct off-premise channels.

Q: Can you discuss the impact of new restaurant openings on your financial performance? A: Tomasso highlighted that new restaurant openings are outperforming underwriting expectations by about 10%. The company is getting better at selecting sites and optimizing operations, which has led to significant increases in projected average unit volumes. This strategic focus is expected to continue driving growth.

Q: What are your plans for technology investments, particularly in marketing? A: Tomasso stated that while First Watch has made significant tech investments in operations, the focus is now shifting to consumer-facing technology, especially in marketing. The company aims to leverage data for more targeted and timely messaging to enhance demand generation efforts.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.