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Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. Reports Strong Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2006 Comparable restaurant sales increase 8.3% and comparable restaurant-level EBITDA margin rises to 19.1%

MINNEAPOLIS, February 21, 2007 — Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd., (Nasdaq: GCFB) a Modern American upscale casual restaurant chain, today reported the results for the fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended December 26, 2006.

Financial and Company highlights for the fiscal fourth quarter (13 weeks) ended December 26, 2006, compared to the fiscal fourth quarter (13 weeks) ended December 27, 2005, were as follows:

  • Total revenues increased 68.3% to $17.0 million
  • Comparable restaurant sales increased 8.3%
  • Restaurant-level EBITDA increased 122.5% to $2.7 million
  • Comparable restaurant-level EBITDA margin increased to 19.1% from 13.6%
  • General & administrative expenses declined by 560 bps to 9.6% of sales from 15.2% of sales
  • Obtained federal patent protection for proprietary brewing process
  • Opened three new restaurants in Omaha, Nebraska; Roseville, Minnesota; and Madison, Wisconsin

Financial and Company highlights for the 52 weeks ended December 26, 2006, compared to the 52 weeks ended December 27, 2005 were as follows:

  • Total revenues increased 61.1% to $58.3 million
  • Comparable restaurant sales increased 5.5%
  • Restaurant-level EBITDA increased 71.2% to $9.6 million
  • Comparable restaurant-level EBITDA margin increased to 18.8% from 17.1%
  • General & administrative expenses declined by 380 bps to 9.9% of sales from 13.7% of sales
  • Opened seven new restaurants in Kansas (3), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (1) and Wisconsin (1)

"We are very pleased with both the fourth quarter and 2006 overall," said Steve Wagenheim, President and Chief Executive Officer. "In the fourth quarter we saw the successful opening of three new restaurants, had a comp store sales increase of 8.3%, and our restaurant-level EBITDA margins were extremely strong. Additionally, we completed our plan of opening seven restaurants in 2006. Overall, fiscal 2006 was a year that saw us continue to expand our footprint with our Modern American Granite City Food & Brewery concept that has been well received in each community we have entered. Our plan is to open another eight restaurants in 2007. We believe we are well positioned for continued growth in 2007 and beyond."

Fourth Quarter 2006 Financial Results

Total revenues for the fourth quarter 2006 rose by 68.3% to $17.0 million compared to $10.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2005. Comparable restaurant sales increased 8.3% during the fourth quarter of 2006. The comparable restaurant sales increase was due primarily to higher guest counts, and included a 2.1% price increase in the food portion of its menu on November 29, 2006 the first price increase since May 2005.

Net loss was $1.8 million or $(0.13) per share for the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to a net loss of $1.7 million or $(0.14) per share for the fourth quarter of 2005, including non-cash stock compensation expense of $479,186 in the fourth quarter of 2006 due to the adoption of SFAS No. 123 (Revised) at the beginning of fiscal 2006. The Company did not record non-cash stock compensation expense for the fourth quarter of 2005.

Restaurant-level EBITDA rose 122.5% to $2.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to $1.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2005. For comparable restaurants, the restaurant- level EBITDA margin was 19.1% for the fourth quarter of 2006, compared to 13.6% for the fourth quarter of 2005. For all restaurants, restaurant-level EBITDA margin was 15.7% for the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to 11.9% for the fourth quarter of 2005.

General and administrative expenses fell to 9.5% of sales (excluding non-cash stock compensation expense of $479,186) for the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to 15.2% for the fourth quarter of 2005. This decline represented continued progress in leveraging corporate G&A expense across a greater number of restaurants.

Fiscal Year 2006 Financial Results

Total revenues rose 61.1% to $58.3 million for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2006 compared to $36.2 million for fiscal year 2005, aided by the 7 new restaurants added in 2006 and a 5.5% increase in comparable sales for the full year. Average weekly sales for restaurants in the comparable base were $83,325 for fiscal 2006 compared to $78,990 in the prior year.

General and administrative expenses fell to 9.9% of sales (excluding non-cash stock compensation expense of $1,030,034) for fiscal 2006 compared to 13.7% for fiscal 2005. This decline represented continued progress in leveraging G&A expense across a greater number of restaurants.

The net loss for the year ended December 26, 2006 was $5.5 million or $(0.42) per share compared to a net loss of $3.7 million or $(0.31) per share in the prior year. For the year ended December 26, 2006, the net loss included non-cash stock compensation expense of $1,030,034 compared to a non-cash stock compensation expense of $12,780 for the prior year as a result of the adoption of SFAS No. 123 (Revised).

About Granite City

Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd., is a Modern American upscale casual restaurant chain that operates 18 restaurants in eight Midwestern states. The menu features affordable yet high quality family favorite menu items prepared from made-from-scratch recipes and served in generous portions. The sophisticated yet unpretentious restaurants, proprietary food and beverage products, attractive price points and high service standards combine for a great dining experience. Granite City opened its first restaurant in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1999.

Safe Harbor and Non-GAAP Financial Measurements

Certain statements made in this press release of a non-historical nature constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in economic conditions, changes in consumer preferences or discretionary consumer spending, a significant change in the performance of any existing restaurants, the ability to obtain financing for, and complete construction of, additional restaurants at acceptable costs, and the risks and uncertainties described in our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2005, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2006.

Additionally, this press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures, including references to restaurant-level EBITDA. As compared to the nearest GAAP measurement for our company, restaurant-level EBITDA represents net loss with the add-back of net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, general and administrative expenses, and pre-opening costs. Alternatively, restaurant-level EBITDA can be calculated as restaurant revenues less all restaurant-level cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization. We use restaurant-level EBITDA and restaurant-level EBITDA as a percentage of revenue as internal measurements of restaurant-level operating performance. Restaurant-level EBITDA as we define it may not be comparable to similar measurements used by other companies and is not a measure of performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that restaurant-level EBITDA is an important component of financial results because it is a widely used measurement within the restaurant industry to evaluate restaurant-level productivity, efficiency, and performance. The Company uses restaurant-level EBITDA as a key measurement to evaluate its restaurants' financial performance compared with its competitors. This non-GAAP measurement should not be used as a substitute for net loss, net cash provided by or used in operations or other financial data prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of restaurant-level EBITDA to net loss, as well as company-wide EBITDA, for the fourth quarter and year ended December 26, 2006 is provided herein.

Finally, in order to provide supplemental results of operations information, we have included certain adjusted financial measures. In particular, we have presented various financial metrics for comparable restaurants, which are those restaurants that have been open for 18 months or more, and our new restaurants which are those restaurants that have been open for 18 months or less. For the fourth quarter ended December 26, 2006, our comparable restaurants consisted of our first eight locations, while our new restaurants consisted of our ninth through eighteenth restaurants. The contributions of these groups of restaurants to company-wide performance are set forth herein.

GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY LTD. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

  Thirteen Weeks Ended   Fifty-two Weeks Ended
  December 26, 2006 December 27, 2005   December 26, 2006 December 27, 2005
Restaurant Revenues $16,990,837 $10,094,888   $58,328,339 $36,204,536
Cost of Sales:          
"Food, beverage,
"& retail
5,024,621 3,132,831   17,320,269 10,996,546
"Labor 6,170,040 3,724,669   20,832,308 13,026,076
"Direct Restaurant
"Operating
"Expenses
2,016,601 1,447,462   7,120,312 4,640,093
"Occupancy 1,106,975 588,771   3,435,291 1,927,454
"Total Cost
"of Sales
14,318,237 8,893,733   48,708,180 30,580,169
Pre-opening 441,699 314,439   2,382,266 840,059
General & Administrative 2,099,539 1,530,399   6,821,835 4,978,333
Depreciation & amortization 1,023,493 651,829   3,468,426 2,148,213
Operating Loss (892,131) (1,295,512)   (3,052,368) (2,342,238)
Interest:          
"Income 26,425 29,720   99,392 122,350
"Expense (896,442) (436,277)   (2,566,009) (1,445,479)
"Net interest expense (870,017) (406,557)   (2,466,617) (1,323,129)
Loss before income taxes (1,762,148) (1,702,069)   (5,518,985) (3,665,367)
Income tax provision (12,235) (2,000)   (12,235) (2,000)
Net loss ($1,774,383) ($1,704,069)   ($5,531,220) ($3,667,367)
Loss per common share, basic and diluted ($0.13) ($0.14)   ($0.42) ($0.31)
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted 13,303,417 12,592,013   13,249,660 11,870,242


SELECTED BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION:

  December 26, 2006   December 27, 2005
Cash $7,661,750   $9,836,231
Current assets including cash $8,576,699   $10,298,371
Total assets $63,858,510   $44,482,590
Current liabilities $9,683,419   $5,073,735
Total liabilities $50,93,567   27,129,082
Shareholders' equity 13,064,943   17,353,508


NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS – 2006 Q4 RESULTS

  Comparable
Restaurants (#s 1-8)
% of Sales New Restaurants
(#s 9-15)
% of Sales Total for All Restaurants as Reported % of Sales
Restaurant Revenues $8,462,617 100% $8,528,220 100% $16,990,837 100%
Cost of Sales:            
"Food, beverage,
"& retail
2,456,526 29.0% 2,568,095 30.1% 5,024,621 29.6%
"Labor 2,904,398 34.3% 3,265,642 38.3% 6,170,040 36.3%
"Direct Restaurant
"Operating
"Expenses
1,000,450 11.8% 1,016,151 11.9% 2,016,601 11.9%
"Occupancy 488,349 5.8% 618,626 7.3% 1,106,975 6.5%
"Total Cost
"of Sales
6,849,723 80.9% 7,468,514 87.6% 14,318,237 84.3%
Restaurant-level EBITDA* $1,612,894 19.1% $1,059,706 12.4% $2,672,600 15.7%
Pre-opening         441,699 2.6%
General & Administrative         2,099,539 12.4%
Company-wide EBITDA         131,362  
Depreciation & amortization         1,023,493  
Operating Loss         (892,131)  
Interest:            
"Income         (26,425)  
"Expense         896,442  
"Net other expense         870,017  
Loss before income taxes         (1,762,148)  
Income tax provision         12,235  
Net loss as reported under GAAP         ($1,774,383)  

*See accompanying disclosure regarding use of non-GAAP financial measures.

NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS – 2006 FULL YEAR RESULTS

  Comparable
Restaurants (#s 1-8)
% of Sales New Restaurants
(#s 9-18)
% of Sales Total for All Restaurants as Reported % of Sales
Restaurant Revenues $34,663,257 100% $23,665,082 100% $58,328,339 100%
Cost of Sales:            
"Food, beverage,
"& retail
10,124,233 29.2% 7,196,036 30.4% 17,320,269 29.7%
"Labor 11,907,099 34.4% 8,925,209 37.7% 20,832,308 35.7%
"Direct Restaurant
"Operating
"Expenses
4,208,175 12.1% 2,912,137 12.3% 7,120,312 12.2%
"Occupancy 1,902,432 5.5% 1,532,859 6.5% 3,435,291 5.9%
"Total Cost
"of Sales
28,141,939 81.2% 20,566,241 86.9% 48,708,180 83.5%
Restaurant-level EBITDA* $6,521,318 18.8% $3,098,841 13.1 $9,620,159 16.5%
Pre-opening         2,382,266 4.1%
General & Administrative         6,821,835 11.7%
Company-wide EBITDA         416,058  
Depreciation & amortization         3,468,426  
Operating Loss         (3,052,368)  
Interest:            
"Income         (99,392)  
"Expense         2,566,009  
"Net interest expense         2,466,617  
Loss before income taxes         (5,518,985)  
Income tax provision         12,235  
Net loss as reported under GAAP         ($5,531,220)  

*See accompanying disclosure regarding use of non-GAAP financial measures.

CONTACT:
Peter Hausback
Chief Financial Officer
(952) 215-0660




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