Financial Data and Key Metrics - Total sales for Q1 2025 were $64.5 million, representing a 1.8% comparable sales growth driven by a 4.1% mix offset by 3.3% negative traffic [9][22] - Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 210 basis points year-over-year to 5.5% [8] - Cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales improved by 80 basis points year-over-year to 29% due to pricing and supply chain initiatives [10][22] - Labor costs as a percentage of sales increased to 32.9% compared to 31.9% in the prior year quarter, driven by wage inflation and new restaurant openings in high labor cost markets [10][22] - Net operating profit margin was 18.3% compared to 19.5% in the prior year quarter, mainly due to wage inflation [10] - Operating loss improved to $1.5 million compared to $2.8 million in the prior year quarter, driven by G&A leverage [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics - Six new units were opened in Q1 2025, with six more under construction [11] - The company expects to open 14 units in fiscal 2025, maintaining an annual unit growth rate above 20% [26] - The new reservation and self-seating system is progressing as scheduled, with the first test expected in February [15][16] - The company is rolling out an updated Mister Fresh 3.0 system, which is expected to improve guest experience and reduce labor costs [16][148] Market Data and Key Metrics - Comparable sales growth was positive 1.8%, with regional comps of positive 7.8% and negative 2.3% in the Southwest market [22] - The company is focusing on smaller DMAs (Designated Market Areas) for new openings, with Bakersfield, California, being a critical test market [13][14] - The company aims to return to a 50/50 pipeline split between new and existing markets to manage comp headwinds [14] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is focusing on cost control and profitability, especially in Q2, which lacks IP collaborations [39][41] - The company is shifting its marketing strategy to focus more on food-focused campaigns rather than IP collaborations [17][90] - The company is leveraging technology to improve operational efficiency, including the rollout of a new reservation system and updated ordering patterns [15][16] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management is optimistic about the company's ability to manage comp headwinds and maintain profitability despite wage inflation and other cost pressures [10][39] - The company expects labor costs as a percentage of sales to improve in the back half of the year due to operational streamlining and seasonality [56][59] - Management is confident in the long-term potential of smaller DMAs and the ability to manage comp headwinds through strategic market expansion [14] Other Important Information - The company has $107.7 million in cash and cash equivalents with no debt, following a follow-on offering in November [25] - The company expects total sales for fiscal 2025 to be between $275 million and $279 million [26] - The company is focusing on improving guest experience through technological initiatives, including the rollout of a new reservation system and updated Mister Fresh 3.0 [15][16] Q&A Summary Question: Trends in comps and mix improvement - The improvement in Q1 comps was driven by successful IP collaborations with One Piece and Pikmin, as well as food-focused marketing efforts like the "Perfect Pair" campaign [33][34] - The company expects Q2 to be more challenging due to the absence of IP collaborations, but remains focused on cost control and profitability [39][41] Question: Impact of calendar shift on holiday sales - The late Thanksgiving in November has led the company to treat December and January as a combined month for sales analysis [45] Question: Outlook for comps and profitability in fiscal 2025 - The company expects Q2 comps to potentially revert to modest negative due to the absence of IP collaborations, but anticipates positive comps in the back half of the year [51][52] Question: Labor and food inflation trends - Labor costs as a percentage of sales are expected to improve in the back half of the year due to operational streamlining and seasonality [56][59] - Food inflation was flat in Q1, and the company expects COGS as a percentage of sales to remain stable or improve slightly for the remainder of the year [61][63] Question: Impact of new reservation and self-seating system - The new reservation system is expected to reduce labor costs by eliminating the need for a dedicated host position and improving guest satisfaction [16][171] - The system is expected to drive comp growth by reducing waitlist abandonment and increasing traffic during shoulder periods [160][161] Question: Development strategy in smaller DMAs - The company is focusing on cash-on-cash returns rather than target AUVs when selecting sites in smaller DMAs [101] Question: Sustainability of mix improvement - The company believes that the days of negative high single-digit mix are behind them, thanks to food-focused marketing efforts and menu price increases on side items [108][112] Question: Delivery business and its impact - Delivery is considered incremental to sales, but the company prioritizes in-restaurant guests due to high traffic volumes [114][115] Question: G&A leverage and preopening expenses - G&A leverage improved in Q1, and the company expects further improvements if sales trends continue to pick up [121][122] - Preopening expenses were lower due to fewer units under construction and a shift in the opening team structure [124][125] Question: Promotions to drive mix and traffic - The company is focusing on promotions like the "Perfect Pair" campaign to drive mix and check growth [130][135] Question: New Mister Fresh Dome and its impact - The new Mister Fresh Dome is expected to improve guest experience and reduce server time spent explaining the system [148][151] Question: Reservation system rollout timeline - The company aims for a full system-wide rollout of the reservation system by the end of fiscal 2025 [167][168] Question: Labor efficiency improvements - The company has reduced staffing needs by about two people per shift in both front and back of house compared to pre-pandemic levels [176] Question: IP partnerships in the back half of fiscal 2025 - The company has two strong IP partnerships lined up for the back half of the year [179]

Kura Sushi (KRUS) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.08 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.24. This compares to loss of $0.18 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 66.67%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $0.02 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.09, delivering a surprise of 350%.Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed c ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended November 30, 2024 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from __________ to __________ Commission File Number: 001-39012 KURA SUSHI USA, INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) Delaware 26-3808434 (S ...

Exhibit 99.1 For Immediate Release Kura Sushi USA Announces Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Financial Results Irvine, CA. January 7, 2025 – Kura Sushi USA, Inc. ("Kura Sushi" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: KRUS), a technology- enabled Japanese restaurant concept, today announced financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended November 30, 2024. Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Highlights *Restaurant-level operating profit and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures and are defined below under "Key Financial Definitions." ...

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 07, 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 first quarter ended November 30, 2024. Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Highlights Total sales were $64.5 million, compared to $51.5 million in the first quarter of 2024;Comparable restaurant sales increased 1.8% for the first quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2024;Operating loss wa ...

Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (KRUS) is scheduled to report first-quarter fiscal 2025 results on Jan. 7. In the last reported quarter, the company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 350%.KRUS’ Q1 EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for loss is pegged at 24 cents per share. In the prior-year quarter, the company reported an adjusted loss per share of 18 cents.The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $61.7 million, which indicates a gain of 19.8% from the year-ago figure.Stay up-to-date with all qua ...

In 2024, one of the major trends that few mainstream headlines discuss is the wide performance gap between small caps and large caps. Momentum trades like Tesla ( TSLA ) and Palantir ( PLTR ) haveWith combined experience of covering technology companies on Wall Street and working in Silicon Valley, and serving as an outside adviser to several seed-round startups, Gary Alexander has exposure to many of the themes shaping the industry today. He has been a regular contributor on Seeking Alpha since 2017. He ha ...

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 23, 2024 (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 first quarter 2025 financial results on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. A press release with fiscal first 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 ...

Shares of Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (KRUS) have shown remarkable performance in the past three months, outpacing the S&P 500 and the industry. In the same time frame, KRUS has skyrocketed 60% compared with the industry and the S&P 500's 5.2% and 6.1% growth, respectively. As of Monday, the stock closed at $106.28, below its 52-week high of $122.81 but well above its 52-week low of $48.66. In the same time frame, other industry players like Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) , Papa John's International ...

The Retail-Wholesale group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Kura Sushi (KRUS) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out. Kura Sushi is one of 210 companies in the Retail-Wholesale group. The Retail-Wholesale group currently sits at #7 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the i ...