Bloomin’ Brands(BLMN) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues in Q1 2025 were $1,050 million, down 1.8% from 2024, primarily due to restaurant closures and a decrease in comparable restaurant sales [22][24] - U.S. comparable restaurant sales were negative 50 basis points, with traffic down 390 basis points [22] - Q1 GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.50 compared to negative $1 in 2024, while adjusted diluted earnings per share were $0.59 versus $0.64 in 2024 [24][25] - Adjusted operating margins were 6.1%, down from 7.8% last year, driven by a decline in restaurant level margin and inflationary pressures [25][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Positive comparable sales were noted at Carrabba's and Fleming's, but overall performance was below industry standards [8][10] - Off-premises sales accounted for 23% of total U.S. sales, with third-party delivery making up 11% [23] - Menu simplification efforts included reducing menu items by approximately 10% at Outback and Carrabba's, with further reductions planned [12][13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a disappointing February, including a weaker Valentine's Day week, and noted a consumer pullback during the Easter holiday [9][10] - Households earning under $100,000 were identified as the most pressured demographic affecting sales [43][79] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three operating priorities: simplifying the agenda, delivering a consistent guest experience, and turning around Outback [10][18] - A third-party consulting firm has been hired to assist with strategy and cost-saving initiatives [20] - The company aims to reduce debt leverage below 3.0 times lease-adjusted net leverage and reinvest in restaurants [21][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed dissatisfaction with financial and market share results, acknowledging the need for improvement [9][10] - The outlook for the remainder of the year assumes a continuation of a choppy macro environment and cautious consumer behavior [38][30] - Management is committed to transparency regarding results and business progress throughout the year [10][19] Other Important Information - The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share, payable on June 4, 2025 [28] - The company expects to be at the low end of its full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share range of $1.20 to $1.40 [28][29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for the remainder of the year and learnings from recent weeks - Management acknowledged underperformance compared to industry benchmarks and emphasized progress on operational priorities [37][38] Question: Value mix at Outback and profitability of value offers - Management noted that Outback is currently priced higher than competitors and is working on improving the value proposition [40] Question: Softer holiday special occasion trends - Management indicated that while some brands performed well, results were below expectations, particularly among households under $100,000 [43][44] Question: Same store sales and traffic performance - Management stated that share trends are cumulative and require improvements in food quality, value, and execution consistency [46] Question: Price and mix component of same store sales - Management reported that mix was relatively flat in Q1 but expects a slight decline in Q2 due to promotional impacts [50] Question: Employee feedback on execution and complexity - Employees expressed a desire for simpler execution processes and less complexity in operations [61] Question: Test stores performance and rollout timing - Management is encouraged by results from test stores and is focused on learning before a full rollout [88] Question: Current value construct effectiveness - Management confirmed that the current value proposition needs to be addressed, especially at Outback, and will continue to iterate based on customer feedback [93]