Chanticleer Holdings Reports Asset and Revenue Growth and Improvement in Gross Profit Margins for Q4 and Full Year 2013 Financials

CHARLOTTE, NC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/01/14 -- Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTR) ("Chanticleer," or the "Company"), owner and operator of multiple restaurant brands internationally and domestically, announces the release of its 2013 financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2013.

Highlights:

  • Revenue for the fourth quarter 2013 was $3.3 million, compared with $2.0 million in the comparable period in 2012, an increase of 66.8%. For the full year 2013, revenue was $8.2 million compared with $6.9 million in the comparable period in 2012, an increase of 20.4%. Restaurant revenues were primarily responsible for the increase, including additional revenues from the purchase of American Roadside Burgers (ARB) on September 30, 2013, the purchase of the Nottingham (United Kingdom) Hooters in November 2013, the opening of our fifth South African Hooters location in December 2013, and the purchase of a majority interest in Just Fresh (JF) in December 2013.
  • Restaurant gross profit margins for the fourth quarter 2013 were 63.7% compared with 61.4% in the comparable period in 2012. For the full year 2013, gross profit margins were 62.8% compared with 59.1% in 2012.
  • Restaurant same-store net sales, which we define as those open for more than 18 months, were $3.5 million and $3.9 million for the full year of 2013 and 2012, respectively, a decrease of 10.6%. In South African local currency, same-store net sales for the full year of 2013 compared to 2012 increased 4.9%. Same-store net sales were $0.9 million and $1.0 million in the fourth quarter 2013 and 2012, respectively, a decrease of 8.1%. In South African local currency, same-store net sales for the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to 2012 increased 3.9%.
  • Restaurant operating expenses for the fourth quarter 2013 were $2.1 million, or 63.3% of restaurant revenue, compared with $1.1 million, or 58.7% of restaurant revenue for the year-ago fourth quarter. For the full year 2013, restaurant operating expenses were $4.9 million, or 60.3% of restaurant revenue, compared with $3.8 million, or 56.1% for the full year 2012.
  • General and administrative expenses ("G&A") for the fourth quarter 2013 were $1.9 million, or 58.6% of total revenue, compared with $0.6 million or 32.2% of total revenue in the comparable period in 2012. Full-year 2013 G&A was $4.2 million, or 51.3% of total revenue compared with $2.3 million, or 33.7% of total revenue for the full year 2012. Approximately $1.1 million of the G&A in 2013 was non-cash related to issuing common stock and warrants for services.
  • Restaurant EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2013 and 2012 was approximately $35,000 and $52,000, respectively, a decrease of 33.5%. The Nottingham Hooters and JF restaurants were not part of the Company for the full fourth quarter of 2013. Restaurant EBITDA for the full year 2013 and 2012 was $229,000 and $205,000, respectively, an increase of 11.6%. Our improved gross margins were offset by an increase in operating expenses, including increased occupancy costs and higher payroll costs. EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure -- see "Use of Non-GAAP Measures" below and the attached reconciliation. 
  • Net loss for the fourth quarter 2013 was $2.3 million, a loss of $0.61 per share, compared with $879,000, a loss of $0.24 per share for the 2012 fourth quarter. Net loss for the full year was $5.2 million, a loss of $1.19 per share, compared with $3.2 million, or a loss of $1.13 per share, for the full year 2012. Approximately $1.1 million of the net loss in 2013 was non-cash related to issuing common stock and warrants for services.
  • There were 6,287,365 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of March 15, 2014.
  • Hooters restaurants - the Company owns all or part of the Hooters franchise rights to develop and operate Hooters restaurants in South Africa, Hungary, Poland, five states of Brazil, and parts of the United Kingdom, and has joint ventured with the existing franchisee in Australia. As of December 31, 2013, there were eight restaurants in these territories. An additional three new locations are expected to open in the coming months: two in Australia and one in Brazil. On January 31, 2014, the Company acquired two existing Hooters locations, one in Portland, Oregon and one in Tacoma, Washington, which are the Company's first U.S. locations.
  • New restaurant brands - the Company owns a majority interest in Just Fresh Restaurants, currently with five locations in the Charlotte, NC area, and a sixth location planned to open on April 11, 2014, inside the BB&T Ballpark, home of the Charlotte Knights AAA baseball team. Chanticleer also owns American Roadside Burgers, Inc., with four locations in the Carolinas and one location in Smithtown, New York. On January 31, 2014, the Company acquired Spoon Bar & Kitchen, a fine dining seafood restaurant operated by Chef John Tesar, located in Dallas, TX.

Mike Pruitt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We surpassed our goal in 2013 of having 10 restaurants to end the year with 18 locations and we have continued to expand our footprint to include our first two U.S. Hooters restaurants and our recently acquired Spoon Bar & Kitchen. With 21 locations to date, our consolidated net revenues were approximately $1.8 million in February 2014, despite dreadful weather for approximately three days at 11 of our U.S. restaurants, as well as February being a short and historically slow month. We continue to make steady progress in our gross profits and our South African Hooters achieved EBITDA positive results in 2013. I continue to believe we will achieve positive EBITDA for the Company by the fourth quarter of 2014."

"We are excited to see successful penetration of the Hooters brand in our existing territories overseas, with Nottingham giving us great momentum to find new Hooters sites in the United Kingdom. We believe we have a great opportunity to expand our other concepts in both domestic and international markets. We look forward to announcing our first quarter 2014 results with all our new restaurants (Spoon and Hooters Pacific Northwest) integrated for two months of the quarter." 

For full disclosure relating to our year-end financial information, please refer to Chanticleer's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014, available online at www.sec.gov.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. prepares its condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the company discloses information regarding EBITDA, which differs from the term EBITDA as it is commonly used. In addition to adjusting net income (loss) from continuing operations to exclude taxes, interest, and depreciation and amortization, EBITDA also excludes pre-opening costs for our restaurants, non-cash expenses for services, change in fair value of derivative liability and gain on extinguishment of debt. EBITDA is not a measure of performance defined in accordance with GAAP. However, EBITDA is used internally in planning and evaluating the company's operating performance. Accordingly, management believes that disclosure of this metric offers investors, bankers and other stakeholders an additional view of the company's operations that, when coupled with the GAAP results, provides a more complete understanding of the company's financial results.

EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net loss or to net cash used in operating activities as a measure of operating results or of liquidity. It may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies, and it excludes financial information that some may consider important in evaluating the company's performance. A reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to EBITDA is included in the accompanying financial schedules.

About Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Headquartered in a Charlotte, NC, Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (HOTR), together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates restaurant brands in the United States and internationally. The Company is a franchisee owner of Hooters® restaurants in international markets including England, South Africa, Hungary, and Brazil and has joint ventured with the current Hooters franchisee in Australia. The Company also owns and operates American Roadside Burgers, Spoon Bar & Kitchen and owns a majority interest in Just Fresh restaurants in the U.S. 
For further information, please visit www.chanticleerholdings.com 
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Twitter: http://Twitter.com/ChanticleerHOTR
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Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the words "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "continuing," "ongoing," "target," "aim," "expect," "believe," "intend," "may," "will," "should," "could," or the negative of these words and other comparable words. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, and assumptions by our management and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including, without limitation:

  • Operating losses continuing for the foreseeable future; we may never be profitable;
  • Inherent risks in expansion of operations, including our ability to acquire additional territories, generate profits from new restaurants, find suitable sites and develop and construct locations in a timely and cost-effective way;
  • General risk factors affecting the restaurant industry, including current economic climate, costs of labor and food prices;
  • Intensive competition in our industry and competition with national, regional chains and independent restaurant operators;
  • Our rights to operate and franchise Hooters-branded restaurants are dependent on the Hooters' franchise agreements;
  • Our business depends on our relationship with Hooters;
  • We do not have full operational control over the businesses of our franchise partners;
  • Failure by Hooters to protect its intellectual property rights, including its brand image;
  • Our business has been adversely affected by declines in discretionary spending and may be affected by changes in consumer preferences;
  • Increases in costs, including food, labor and energy prices;
  • Our business and the growth of our Company is dependent on the skills and expertise of management and key personnel;
  • Constraints could effect our ability to maintain competitive cost structure, including, but not limited to labor constraints;
  • Work stoppages at our restaurants or supplier facilities or other interruptions of production;
  • Our food service business and the restaurant industry are subject to extensive government regulation;
  • We may be subject to significant foreign currency exchange controls in certain countries in which we operate;
  • Inherent risk in foreign operation;
  • We may not attain our target development goals and aggressive development could cannibalize existing sales;
  • Current conditions in the global financial markets and the distressed economy;
  • A decline in market share or failure to achieve growth;
  • Unusual or significant litigation, governmental investigations or adverse publicity, or otherwise;
  • Adverse effects on our operations resulting from the current class action litigation in which the Company is one of several defendants;
  • Adverse effects on our results from a decrease in or cessation or clawback of government incentives related to investments; and
  • Adverse effects on our operations resulting from certain geo-political or other events.

Chanticleer cannot be certain that any expectation, forecast, or assumption made in preparing any forward-looking statements will prove accurate, or that any projection will be realized. It is to be expected that there will be differences between projected and actual results. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available by the Company on its web site or otherwise. We undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which they were made. Further information on our business, including important factors which could affect actual results are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

   
   
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries  
Consolidated Balance Sheets  
December 31, 2013 and 2012  
   
    2013     2012  
ASSETS                
Current assets:                
  Cash   $ 442,694     $ 1,223,803  
  Accounts receivable     227,181       161,073  
  Other receivable     50,380       85,473  
  Inventories     381,408       227,023  
  Due from related parties     116,305       117,899  
  Prepaid expenses     494,241       170,769  
  Assets of discontinued operations     924       44,335  
    TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS     1,713,133       2,030,375  
Property and equipment, net     5,620,189       2,316,146  
Goodwill     6,496,756       396,487  
Intangible assets, net     3,424,632       559,832  
Investments at fair value     55,112       56,949  
Other investments     2,491,963       2,116,915  
Deposits and other assets     285,821       169,727  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 20,087,606     $ 7,646,431  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                
Current liabilities:                
  Current maturities of long-term debt and notes payable   $ 700,168     $ 236,110  
  Derivative liability     2,146,000       -  
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses     2,424,373       1,108,305  
  Other current liabilities     135,286       361,586  
  Current maturities of capital leases payable     59,162       27,965  
  Deferred rent     53,303       10,825  
  Due to related parties     12,191       13,733  
  Liabilities of discontinued operations     1,500       14,328  
    TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES     5,531,983       1,772,852  
Convertible notes payable, net of discount of $2,583,333     416,667       -  
Capital leases payable, less current maturities     105,918       60,518  
Deferred rent     1,055,138       98,448  
Deferred tax liabilities     1,340,000       -  
Other liabilities     220,341       186,060  
Long-term debt, less current maturities     178,565       -  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     8,848,612       2,117,878  
Commitments and contingencies                
                 
Stockholders' equity:                
  Common stock: $0.0001 par value; authorized 45,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 5,387,897 and 3,698,896 shares at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively     541       370  
  Additional paid in capital     25,404,994       14,898,423  
  Other comprehensive (loss) income     (88,370 )     (181,741 )
  Non-controlling interest     394,645       70,198  
  Accumulated deficit     (14,472,816 )     (9,258,697 )
      11,238,994       5,528,553  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY   $ 20,087,606     $ 7,646,431  
                     
                     
   
   
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries  
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss  
For the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012  
             
    2013     2012  
Revenue:                
  Restaurant sales, net   $ 8,144,035     $ 6,752,323  
  Management fee income - non-affiliates     103,452       100,000  
    Total revenue     8,247,487       6,852,323  
Expenses:                
  Restaurant cost of sales     3,031,457       2,761,949  
  Restaurant operating expenses     4,909,580       3,785,034  
  Restaurant pre-opening expenses     56,902       204,126  
  General and administrative expense     4,233,629       2,309,405  
  Depreciation and amortization     622,274       383,454  
    Total expenses     12,853,842       9,443,968  
Loss from operations     (4,606,355 )     (2,591,645 )
Other income (expense)                
  Equity in earnings (losses) of investments     (125,017 )     (14,803 )
  Interest and other income     82,411       23  
  Interest expense     (757,733 )     (474,926 )
  Change in fair value of derivative liabilities     119,600       -  
    Total other expense     (680,739 )     (489,706 )
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes     (5,287,094 )     (3,081,351 )
    Provision for income taxes     40,935       19,205  
Loss from continuing operations     (5,328,029 )     (3,100,556 )
    Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes     (25,215 )     (293,977 )
Consolidated net loss     (5,353,244 )     (3,394,533 )
    Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest     139,125       227,968  
Net loss attributable to Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.   $ (5,214,119 )   $ (3,166,565 )
                 
Net loss attributable to Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.:                
    Loss from continuing operations   $ (5,188,904 )   $ (2,872,588 )
    Loss from discontinued operations     (25,215 )     (293,977 )
    $ (5,214,119 )   $ (3,166,565 )
                 
Other comprehensive loss:                
    Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities (none applies to non-controlling interest)     3,984       (261,404 )
    Foreign translation gains     90,384       29,013  
    Other comprehensive loss   $ (5,119,751 )   $ (3,398,956 )
                 
Net loss per attributable to Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. per common share, basic and diluted:                
Continuing operations attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted   $ (1.19 )   $ (1.13 )
Discontinued operations attributable to common shareholders, basic and diluted   $ (0.01 )   $ (0.12 )
Weighted average shares outstanding     4,365,468       2,541,696  
                 
                 
   
   
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries  
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows  
For the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012  
             
    2013     2012  
Cash flows from operating activities:                
Net loss   $ (5,328,029 )   $ (3,101,215 )
  Less: net loss from discontinued operations     (25,215 )     (293,318 )
Net loss from continuing operations     (5,353,244 )     (3,394,533 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:                
  Depreciation and amortization     622,274       383,454  
  Equity in losses of investments     125,017       14,803  
  Common stock issued for services     569,990       32,400  
  Loss (gain) on sale of investments     -       16,598  
  Amortization of debt discount     566,867       -  
  Warrants issued for consulting services     486,272       169,200  
  Warrant liability adjustment     (119,600 )     -  
  Gain on debt extinguishment     (70,900 )     -  
  Increase in amounts due from affiliate     52       (77,643 )
  Increase in accounts receivable     7,455       (52,359 )
  Increase in other receivable     179,919       (43,364 )
  Increase in prepaid expenses and other assets     (165,356 )     (125,368 )
  Increase in inventory     5,966       (121,950 )
  Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses     464,932       785,966  
  Increase in deferred rent     (56,426 )     58,886  
    Net cash used in operating activities from continuing operations     (2,736,782 )     (2,353,910 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities from discontinued operations     32,583       (24,471 )
    Net cash used in operating activities     (2,704,199 )     (2,378,381 )
                 
Cash flows from investing activities:                
  Cash acquired in acquisitions     243,991       -  
  Investment return of capital     99,934       -  
  Purchase of investments     (674,084 )     (1,202,936 )
  Franchise costs     (76,822 )     (239,684 )
  Purchase of property and equipment     (3,658,224 )     (1,173,801 )
    Net cash used in investing activities from continuing operations     (4,065,205 )     (2,616,421 )
                 
Cash flows from financing activities:                
  Proceeds from sale of common stock     3,073,397       7,051,464  
  Loan proceeds     3,622,000       2,915,000  
  Loan repayments     (756,299 )     (3,939,098 )
  Capital lease payments     (45,356 )     (45,814 )
  Non-controlling interest investment     -       90,000  
  Other liabilities     -       (46,282 )
    Net cash provided by financing activities from continuing operations     5,893,742       6,025,270  
  Effect of exchange rate changes on cash     94,553       28,206  
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents     (781,109 )     1,058,674  
Cash, beginning of year     1,223,803       165,129  
Cash, end of year   $ 442,694     $ 1,223,803  
                 
                 
 
 
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, continued
For the Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012
           
    2013     2012
Supplemental cash flow information:              
  Cash paid for interest and income taxes:              
    Interest   $ 92,049     $ 273,468
    Income taxes     25,928       -
               
Non-cash investing and financing activities:              
Convertible notes payable exchanged for common stock   $ -     $ 1,907,238
Common stock issued for Hoot limited partner units     -       986,651
Purchase of equipment using capital leases     121,980       -
               
Acquisition of subsidiaries:              
  Current assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents   $ 475,326     $ -
  Property and equipment     3,263,146       -
  Goodwill     6,100,269       -
  Trade name/trademark     2,794,443       -
  Deposits and other assets     98,035       -
  Liabilities assumed     (2,110,436 )     -
  Deferred tax liabilities     (1,340,000 )     -
  Non-controlling interest     (463,571 )     -
  Common stock and warrants issued     (5,321,203 )     -
  Cash paid     (3,740,000 )     -
    Cash received in excess of cash paid in acquisitions   $ (243,991 )   $ -
                   
                   
                                         
                                         
Reconciliation of net loss from continuing operations to EBITDA                                        
Unaudited                                        
Three months ended December 31, 2013:   Restaurants only              
    South Africa     Hungary     ARB     Nottingham   JF     Management     Totals  
GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations     (44,151 )     (20,515 )     (273,498 )     112,305     (47,954 )     (1,982,241 )     (2,046,907 )
  Interest expense     8,353       -       -       -     -       310,439       318,792  
  Change in fair value of derivative liablility     -       -       -       -     -       (195,500 )     (195,500 )
  Non-cash expenses related to services     -       -       -       -     -       779,738       779,738  
  Pre-opening expenses     39,364       -       -       -     -       -       39,364  
  Depreciation and amortization     97,307       33,671       95,679       1,930     18,323       2,138       249,048  
  Income taxes     13,719       -       -       -     -       -       13,719  
EBITDA   $ 114,592     $ 13,156     $ (177,819 )   $ 114,235   $ (29,631 )   $ (1,085,426 )   $ (841,746 )
    Total Restaurants EBITDA                                 $ 34,533                  
                                                       
Three months ended December 31, 2012:                                                      
                                                       
    South Africa     Hungary                     Management     Totals  
GAAP net loss from continuing operations     13,777       (119,441 )                           (669,187 )     (774,851 )
  Interest expense     15,824       -                             23,759       39,583  
  Non-cash expenses related to services     -       -                             42,110       42,110  
  Pre-opening costs     (911 )     14,870                             -       13,959  
  Depreciation and amortization     86,619       29,968                             (18,704 )     97,883  
  Income taxes     11,208       -                             -       11,208  
EBITDA   $ 126,517     $ (74,603 )                         $ (622,022 )   $ (570,108 )
    Total Restaurants EBITDA           $ 51,914                                        
                                                       
Year ended December 31, 2013:   Restaurants only              
    South Africa     Hungary     ARB     Nottingham   JF     Management     Totals  
GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations     (115,753 )     (125,115 )     (273,498 )     112,305     (47,954 )     (4,738,889 )     (5,188,904 )
  Interest expense     36,460       -       -       -     -       721,273       757,733  
  Change in fair value of derivative liablility     -       -       -       -     -       (119,600 )     (119,600 )
  Non-cash expenses related to services and warrants     -       -       -       -     -       1,056,262       1,056,262  
  Pre-opening expenses     56,902       -       -       -     -       -       56,902  
  Gain on debt extinguishment     (70,900 )     -       -       -     -       -       (70,900 )
  Depreciation and amortization     378,410       121,434       95,679       1,930     18,323       6,498       622,274  
  Income taxes     40,935       -       -       -     -       -       40,935  
EBITDA   $ 326,054     $ (3,681 )   $ (177,819 )   $ 114,235   $ (29,631 )   $ (3,074,456 )   $ (2,845,298 )
    Total Restaurants EBITDA                                 $ 229,158                  
                                                       
Year ended December 31, 2012:                                                      
    South Africa     Hungary                     Management     Totals  
GAAP net loss from continuing operations     (181,128 )     (264,865 )                           (2,426,595 )     (2,872,588 )
  Interest expense     53,339       -                             421,587       474,926  
  Non-cash expenses related to services     -       -                             201,600       201,600  
  Pre-opening costs     37,772       166,354                             -       204,126  
  Depreciation and amortization     334,520       40,166                             8,768       383,454  
  Income taxes     19,205       -                             -       19,205  
EBITDA   $ 263,708     $ (58,345 )                         $ (1,794,640 )   $ (1,589,277 )
    Total Restaurants EBITDA           $ 205,363                                        
                                                           
                                                           

Contact:
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Mike Pruitt
Chairman/CEO
Phone: 704.366.5122 x 1
mp@chanticleerholdings.com

Eric Lederer
CFO
Phone: 704.366.5736
elederer@chanticleerholdings.com

Press Information:
Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.
Investor Relations
Phone: 704.366.5122 
ir@chanticleerholdings.com

Source: Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.