Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (KRUS) reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with earnings and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The top line increased year over year, while the bottom line fell from the prior-year quarter’s figure.Stay up-to-date with all quarterly releases: See Zacks Earnings Calendar.Management pointed out meaningful progress across key initiatives, including tapping into new market opportunities following a successful launch in Bakersfield, advancing its intellectual property p ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the fiscal second quarter were $64.9 million, compared to $57.3 million in the prior year period, representing a growth of approximately 28% [25] - Comparable restaurant sales performance was negative 5.3%, with traffic down 8.5% and price/mix up 3.2% [11][25] - Restaurant-level operating profit margin decreased to 17.3% from 19.6% in the prior year due to sales deleverage [13][28] - Net loss was $3.8 million or negative $0.31 per share, compared to a net loss of $1 million or negative $0.09 per share in the prior year [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened 11 new restaurant units to date, with three openings during the second quarter [11][13] - The performance of new restaurant openings, particularly in Bakersfield, California, has been strong, indicating potential for future growth [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable sales in the West Coast market were negative 1.5%, while the Southwest market saw a decline of 8% [25] - The company estimates that weather-related impacts in Q2 represented a comp headwind of 400 to 500 basis points [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to return to a 50-50 split of new and existing markets by fiscal 2027, which is expected to serve as a comp tailwind [16] - The company is focusing on building a strong pipeline of IP collaborations, with seven to eight planned for fiscal 2026 [16][90] - The rollout of a new reservation system is a top priority, with positive initial feedback from testing in three restaurants [20][106] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in maintaining a 20% restaurant-level operating profit margin for the full year, despite uncertainties related to tariffs [39][41] - The company has not updated its guidance due to increased uncertainty in consumer behavior following recent tariff announcements [52][61] - Management remains optimistic about achieving positive comps for the full year, barring any significant changes in consumer behavior [63] Other Important Information - The company had $85.2 million in cash and cash equivalents at the end of the fiscal second quarter, with no debt [29] - General and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales increased to 16.9% due to a $2.1 million litigation settlement expense [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: Performance through the quarter and weather impact - Management noted that performance improved in March after the adverse weather conditions in January and February [36][41] Question: Margin expectations for 2025 - Management remains confident in achieving a 20% margin for the full year, although uncertainties exist due to tariffs [39][41] Question: Consumer spending concerns - Management indicated that they do not interpret the recent performance as a slowdown in consumer spending, especially given the strong performance in March [51] Question: Tariff implications on supply chain - Management is still assessing the impact of tariffs on costs and is in discussions with suppliers to mitigate potential increases [58][60] Question: New unit openings and revenue contribution - Management confirmed plans to open one more store in Q3 and two stores in Q4, with ongoing construction challenges [78][80] Question: IP partnerships and future collaborations - Management confirmed that they expect to run IP partnerships for the balance of the fiscal year, with a focus on impactful collaborations [123][126] Question: Reservation system rollout - Management expects to roll out the reservation system system-wide by the end of the fiscal year, with positive initial responses from customers [106][132]

Core Viewpoint - Kura Sushi reported a quarterly loss of $0.14 per share, which was worse than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.08, marking a significant earnings surprise of -75% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $64.89 million for the quarter ended February 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.96%, but showing an increase from $57.29 million year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Kura Sushi has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates two times [2] Stock Performance - Kura Sushi shares have declined approximately 52.2% since the beginning of the year, compared to a decline of 13.9% for the S&P 500 [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating expectations for it to outperform the market in the near future [6] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.12 on revenues of $72.97 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.23 on revenues of $282.47 million [7] - The outlook for the Retail - Restaurants industry, to which Kura Sushi belongs, is currently in the bottom 28% of Zacks industries, which may impact stock performance [8]

Financial Performance - Sales for the three months ended February 28, 2025, were $64.9 million, an increase of $7.6 million or 13.3% compared to $57.3 million for the same period in 2024[73]. - Net loss for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was $3.8 million, a significant increase of 278.9% compared to a net loss of $1.0 million for the same period in 2024[71]. - Sales increased to $129.4 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, up by $20.6 million or 18.9% compared to the same period in 2024, driven by fourteen new restaurant openings and menu price increases[83]. - Adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended February 28, 2025 was $6.246 million, compared to $4.617 million for the same period in 2024, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.8%[98]. Comparable Restaurant Sales - Comparable restaurant sales decreased by 5.3% for the three months ended February 28, 2025, primarily due to a reduction in traffic[73]. - Comparable restaurant sales decreased by 1.6% for the six months ended February 28, 2025, primarily due to reduced traffic[83]. - Comparable restaurant sales performance decreased by 5.3% for the three months ended February 28, 2025, compared to an increase of 3.0% for the same period in 2024[108]. Costs and Expenses - Food and beverage costs increased to $18.6 million for the three months ended February 28, 2025, representing a 10.0% increase compared to $16.9 million for the same period in 2024[74]. - Labor and related costs rose to $22.6 million for the three months ended February 28, 2025, an increase of 19.4% from $18.9 million in the same period in 2024[75]. - Occupancy and related expenses increased by 29.0% to $5.1 million for the three months ended February 28, 2025, compared to $4.0 million for the same period in 2024[76]. - Total restaurant operating costs for the three months ended February 28, 2025, were $58.4 million, an increase of 15.2% from $50.7 million in the same period in 2024[71]. - General and administrative expenses increased by 34.5% to $11.0 million for the three months ended February 28, 2025, compared to $8.2 million for the same period in 2024[71]. - General and administrative expenses rose to $19.7 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, an increase of $2.9 million or 17.5%, mainly due to a $2.1 million litigation settlement[89]. - Labor and related costs increased to $43.8 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, representing a rise of $8.5 million or 24.0%, attributed to new restaurant openings[85]. - Food and beverage costs were $37.3 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, an increase of $5.0 million or 15.5%, with costs as a percentage of sales decreasing to 28.8%[84]. - Depreciation and amortization expenses for the six months ended February 28, 2025 were $6.4 million, up by $1.2 million or 23.3%, reflecting costs associated with new restaurant openings[87]. - Other costs increased to $18.1 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, an increase of $2.5 million or 15.8%, while as a percentage of sales, these costs decreased to 14.0%[88]. Restaurant Openings and Growth - The company expects to open a total of 14 new restaurants in fiscal year 2025, contributing to anticipated revenue growth[59]. - The company has opened a total of 75 restaurants as of February 28, 2025, up from 73 restaurants six months prior[59]. - The number of restaurant openings during the six months ended February 28, 2025, was 9, maintaining the same level as the previous year[109]. Cash Flow and Financing - Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended February 28, 2025, was $8.6 million, an increase from $6.2 million in the same period in 2024[114]. - Net cash used in investing activities increased to $39.4 million for the six months ended February 28, 2025, compared to $20.6 million for the same period in 2024, primarily due to higher capital expenditures[117]. - The company had $7.8 million in contractual obligations related to the construction of new restaurants as of February 28, 2025, expected to be paid within the next 12 months[121]. - The company completed a public offering of 800,328 shares of Class A common stock, raising net proceeds of $64.4 million for general corporate purposes[113]. - The company maintained $45.0 million of availability under its Revolving Credit Agreement as of February 28, 2025, with no borrowings during the reporting period[112]. Profitability Metrics - Restaurant-level operating profit for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was $11.2 million, compared to $11.2 million for the same period in 2024, indicating a stable performance despite overall operating loss[105]. - Restaurant-level operating profit margin for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was 17.3%, down from 19.6% in the same period in 2024[105]. - The operating loss margin for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was (7.1)%, compared to (2.9)% for the same period in 2024[105]. - The company expects Restaurant-level Operating Profit to increase in proportion to the number of new restaurants opened and comparable restaurant sales growth[101].

Financial Performance - Total sales for the fiscal second quarter of 2025 were $64.9 million, an increase from $57.3 million in the same quarter of 2024[5] - The net loss for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was $3.781 million, compared to a net loss of $0.998 million for the same period in 2024, indicating a significant increase in losses[27] - Net loss for the quarter was $3.8 million, or $(0.31) per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $1.0 million, or $(0.09) per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024[10] - Adjusted net loss was $1.7 million, or $(0.14) per diluted share, compared to an adjusted net loss of $1.0 million, or $(0.09) per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024[11] - Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was $2.674 million, slightly down from $2.850 million in the same period last year, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.1%[29] Sales and Revenue Trends - Comparable restaurant sales decreased by 5.3% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter of 2024, primarily due to reduced traffic[5] - Comparable restaurant sales performance declined by 5.3% for the three months ended February 28, 2025, compared to an increase of 3.0% in the same period of 2024[29] - Total sales for the three months ended February 28, 2025, increased to $64.894 million, up from $57.291 million for the same period in 2024, representing a growth of 13.8%[27] Operating Costs and Expenses - The operating loss was $4.6 million, compared to an operating loss of $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2024[8] - Restaurant operating costs for the three months ended February 28, 2025, totaled $58.388 million, compared to $50.706 million in the prior year, reflecting an increase of 15.4%[27] - General and administrative expenses increased to $11.0 million, or 16.9% of sales, primarily due to a $2.1 million litigation settlement[9] - The operating loss margin for the three months ended February 28, 2025, was 7.1%, compared to 2.9% in the same period of 2024, indicating a worsening of operational efficiency[29] Growth and Expansion - The company opened three new restaurants during the fiscal second quarter of 2025, with a total of 11 units opened to date and six more under construction[4][12] - For the full fiscal year 2025, the company projects total sales between $275 million and $279 million and plans to open 14 new restaurants[16] - The number of restaurants at the end of the period increased to 73, up from 59 in the previous year, marking a growth of 23.7%[29] Assets and Equity - Total assets as of February 28, 2025, were $410.372 million, up from $328.522 million as of August 31, 2024, reflecting a growth of 24.9%[29] - Total stockholders' equity increased to $225.045 million as of February 28, 2025, compared to $162.538 million as of August 31, 2024, representing a growth of 38.5%[29] Strategic Focus - The company is focusing on new market opportunities and has begun testing several systems projects that have been in development[4]

IRVINE, Calif., April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (“Kura Sushi” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: KRUS), a technology-enabled Japanese restaurant concept, today announced financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended February 28, 2025. Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Highlights Total sales were $64.9 million, compared to $57.3 million in the second quarter of 2024;Comparable restaurant sales decreased 5.3% for the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024;Operating l ...

Kura Sushi USA, Inc KRUS will release its second-quarter financial results after the closing bell on Tuesday, April 8.Analysts expect the Irvine, California-based company to report a quarterly loss at 13 cents per share, versus a year-ago loss of 9 cents per share. Kura Sushi projects quarterly revenue of $64.91 million, compared to $57.29 million a year earlier, according to data from Benzinga Pro.On Jan. 7, Kura Sushi issued FY25 sales guidance below estimates.Kura Sushi shares fell 8% to close at $43.61 ...

IRVINE, Calif., March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kura Sushi USA, Inc. ("Kura Sushi" or the "Company"), (NASDAQ:KRUS), a technology-enabled Japanese restaurant concept, today announced that it will host a conference call to discuss fiscal second quarter 2025 financial results on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. A press release with fiscal second quarter 2025 financial results will be issued that same day after the market closes. Hosting the conference call and webcast will be Hajime "Jimmy" Uba, Pre ...

IRVINE, Calif., March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (“Kura Sushi” or the “Company”), (NASDAQ: KRUS), a technology-enabled Japanese restaurant concept, today announced that it will host a conference call to discuss fiscal second quarter 2025 financial results on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. A press release with fiscal second quarter 2025 financial results will be issued that same day after the market closes. Hosting the conference call and webcast will be Hajime “Jimmy” Uba, Pr ...

I am an Equity Analyst and Accountant specializing in restaurant stocks, with a solid foundation in Business Administration and Accounting, complemented by an MBA in Forensic Accounting and Controllership. As the founder of Goulart's Restaurant Stocks, I lead a company focused on analyzing restaurant stocks in the U.S. market. Our coverage spans multiple segments, including QSR, fast casual, casual dining, fine dining, and family dining. We employ advanced analytical models and specialized valuation techniq ...