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Dec 31, 2023

First Watch Q4 2023 Earnings Report

Reported strong financial results with revenue increase and positive same-restaurant sales growth.

Key Takeaways

First Watch Restaurant Group reported a strong Q4 2023 with a 31.7% increase in total revenues to $244.6 million and a 5.0% increase in same-restaurant sales growth. Net income was $2.6 million, a significant improvement compared to the net loss of $(0.5) million in Q4 2022. The company opened 19 system-wide restaurants during the quarter.

Total revenues increased by 31.7% to $244.6 million.

System-wide sales increased by 26.6% to $296.5 million.

Same-restaurant sales growth was 5.0%.

Net income reached $2.6 million, compared to a net loss of $(0.5) million in the previous year.

Total Revenue
$245M
Previous year: $186M
+31.7%
EPS
$0.04
Previous year: -$0.01
-500.0%
Same-Restaurant Sales Growth
5%
Previous year: 7.7%
-35.1%
Same-Restaurant Traffic Growth
-1.3%
Previous year: -0.6%
+116.7%
Restaurant-Level Operating Profit Margin
19.4%
Previous year: 16.7%
+16.2%
Gross Profit
$50.4M
Previous year: $33.1M
+52.4%
Cash and Equivalents
$50M
Previous year: $49.7M
+0.6%
Free Cash Flow
-$9.46M
Previous year: -$941K
+905.6%
Total Assets
$1.43B
Previous year: $1.1B
+29.0%

First Watch

First Watch

First Watch Revenue by Segment

Forward Guidance

The Company provides the following outlook for the 52-week fiscal year ended December 29, 2024:

Positive Outlook

  • Same-restaurant sales growth of 1.0% to 3.0% with flat-to-negative same-restaurant traffic growth
  • Total revenue growth in the range of 18.0% to 20.0%
  • Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $106.0 million to $112.0 million
  • Total of 51 to 57 new system-wide restaurants, net of 1 company-owned restaurant closure (43 to 47 new company-owned restaurants and 9 to 11 new franchise-owned restaurants)
  • The Company reiterates its long-term annual financial targets as follows: Percentage unit growth in the low double digits, Same-restaurant sales growth of ~3.5%, Restaurant sales growth in the mid-teens, Adjusted EBITDA percentage growth in the mid-teens

Revenue & Expenses

Visualization of income flow from segment revenue to net income