The Cheesecake Factory(US:CAKE)2025-07-29 22:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported total revenues of $956 million for Q2 2025, exceeding guidance expectations [18] - Adjusted net income margin was 5.8%, also above the high end of guidance [18] - Comparable sales at The Cheesecake Factory restaurants increased by 1.2% year-over-year [6][18] - The Cheesecake Factory's four-wall restaurant margin increased to 18.5%, up 80 basis points year-over-year, marking the highest level in eight years [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for The Cheesecake Factory restaurants were $683.3 million, up 1% from the prior year [18] - North Italia's total sales were $90.8 million, up 20% year-over-year, with comparable sales declining by 1% [18][14] - Flower Child's sales totaled $48.2 million, up 35% from the prior year, with comparable sales increasing by 4% [15][18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Off-premise sales for The Cheesecake Factory accounted for 21% of total sales, consistent with the average of the prior four quarters [11] - North Italia's annualized average unit volumes (AUVs) reached $8 million, while Flower Child's AUVs exceeded $4.8 million [13][16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open as many as 25 new restaurants in 2025, including two Cheesecake Factory locations internationally under licensing agreements [8][26] - The introduction of new menu items, including 14 new dishes and a new cheesecake, is aimed at maintaining culinary innovation without relying on discounting [6][7] - The company is focused on enhancing the Cheesecake Rewards program to drive customer engagement and loyalty [12][91] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term trajectory of the portfolio, citing strong demand for distinct dining experiences [8] - The operating environment has been stable, with management noting that the company is weathering current conditions effectively [51] - Future guidance for Q3 anticipates total revenues between $905 million and $915 million, with adjusted net income margin expected to be about 3.25% [22][24] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with total available liquidity of approximately $515.3 million, including a cash balance of $148.8 million [21] - Capital expenditures totaled approximately $42 million during the quarter for new unit development and maintenance [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Increase in net income margin for 2025 - Management confirmed that the increase is primarily driven by operational excellence and better-than-expected Q2 results [29][30] Question: Third quarter revenue outlook - The revenue outlook assumes stable same-store sales similar to Q2 [31] Question: Labor retention levels - Management reported that staff retention is at historical highs, exceeding pre-pandemic levels [35][36] Question: Cheesecake Factory Q2 sales breakdown - Q2 net effective pricing was about 4%, with traffic down 1.1% [38][39] Question: Customer response to new menu items - Management noted positive customer response to new menu items, with marketing efforts focused on visibility [42][43] Question: Flower Child profitability and unit economics - Flower Child's mature unit margins reached 20.4%, with strong AUVs [52] Question: North Italia performance and comp breakdown - North Italia's comp breakdown showed a 4% price increase, negative 1% mix, and negative 4% traffic [59][61] Question: Menu pricing strategy - The company plans to take less pricing in the second half of the year, introducing lower-priced items [70][72] Question: Development pipeline for 2026 - Management anticipates opening more units than the 25 planned for 2025, with a strong pipeline [85] Question: Dynamics around convertible notes - Management discussed the potential dilution from convertible notes and the conditions under which they would consider conversion [116][117]