News Details

Increases Quarterly Dividend 12% to $0.19 per Share

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (NasdaqGS: TXRH), today announced financial results for the 13 and 52 week periods ended December 29, 2015.

Results for the fourth quarter included the following highlights:

• Comparable restaurant sales growth of 4.5% at company restaurants and 4.0% at franchise restaurants;
• Restaurant margin, as a percentage of restaurant sales, increased 112 basis points to 17.6%, primarily driven by lower other operating costs and lower food costs;
• Diluted earnings per share increased 22.7% to $0.32 from $0.26 in the prior year;
• Seven company-owned Texas Roadhouse restaurants were opened; and,
• The Company repurchased 189,700 shares of its common stock for $6.7 million.

Results for the full year included the following highlights:

• Comparable restaurant sales growth of 7.2% at company restaurants and 6.5% at franchise restaurants;
• Restaurant margin, as a percentage of restaurant sales, decreased 30 basis points to 17.3%. Food cost inflation of approximately 4.9%, driven by beef, more than offset the impact of higher average unit volume;
• Diluted earnings per share increased 11.1% to $1.37 from $1.23 in the prior year;
• 29 company-owned restaurants were opened, including four Bubba's 33 restaurants; and,
• The Company repurchased 321,789 shares of its common stock for $11.4 million.

Kent Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Texas Roadhouse, Inc., commented, "We ended the year on a strong note, with double digit revenue and diluted earnings per share growth for both the fourth quarter and the full year. This represents our 24^th consecutive quarter of positive comparable restaurant sales growth, which is a testament to our Managing Partners. In addition, our solid balance sheet and healthy cash flow allowed us to open 29 restaurants, while returning $58 million of excess capital to shareholders through quarterly dividend payments and share repurchases throughout the year."

Taylor continued, "We have assembled a substantial pipeline of new locations and are on track to open approximately 30 company restaurants this year. Our top-line momentum has continued into 2016 and we are pleased to have seen continued traffic growth during the first seven weeks of the year. Looking ahead, we will stay focused on solidifying our long-term brand position and capitalizing on our growth potential."

2016 Outlook

The Company reported that comparable restaurant sales growth of at company restaurants for the first seven weeks of its first quarter of fiscal 2016 was approximately 4.4% compared to the prior year period.

Management updated the following expectations for 2016:

• Approximately 30 company restaurant openings, including approximately seven Bubba's 33 restaurants;
• 1.0% to 2.0% food cost deflation;
• An income tax rate of approximately 30.0%; and,
• Total capital expenditures of $165.0 million to $175.0 million.

Management reiterated the expectation of positive comparable restaurant sales growth for 2016.

Cash Dividend Payment

On February 19, 2016, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share of common stock. This payment, which will be distributed on April 1, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 16, 2016, represents a 12% increase from the cash dividend of $0.17 per share of common stock declared during each quarter of 2015 and represents our fifth consecutive year of dividend payments.

Conference Call

The Company is hosting a conference call today, February 22, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. The dial-in number is (877) 874-1571 or (719) 325-4839 for international calls. A replay of the call will be available for one week following the conference call. To access the replay, please dial (877) 870-5176 or (858) 384-5517 for international calls, and use 1297446 as the pass code. There will be a simultaneous Web cast conducted at www.texasroadhouse.com.

About the Company

Texas Roadhouse is a casual dining concept that first opened in 1993 and today operates over 485 restaurants system-wide in 49 states and four foreign countries. For more information, please visit the Company's Web site at www.texasroadhouse.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this release that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, those relating to our anticipated financial performance, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of the Company. Actual results may vary materially from those contained in forward-looking statements based on a number of factors including, without limitation, the actual number of restaurants opening; the sales at these and our other company and franchise restaurants; changes in restaurant development or operating costs, such as food and labor; our ability to acquire franchise restaurants; our ability to integrate the franchise restaurants we acquire or other concepts we develop; our ability to continue to generate the necessary cash flows to fund our new restaurant growth, continue our share repurchase program and pay a quarterly cash dividend; strength of consumer spending; pending or future legal claims; breaches of security; conditions beyond our control such as weather, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics impacting our customers or food supplies; food safety and food borne illness concerns; acts of war or terrorism and other factors disclosed from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should take such risks into account when making investment decisions. Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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Texas Roadhouse, Inc.
Investor Relations:
Tonya Robinson, 502-515-7269
or
Media:
Travis Doster, 502-638-5457

Source: Texas Roadhouse, Inc.

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