Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK) Q1 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Darin Harris: Yes. The biggest thing that I can point to is first development agreements and then second sites in process, meaning sites we’ve approved. We don’t provide that number, but I think I’ve made comments in the past that we’ve already approved more sites than we did in the last few quarters than we did in the prior three to four years. So that is my €“ that is what I measure as far as, are we meeting kind of what is needed to drive future growth is are we seeing the activity that points to future net unit growth.

Jeff Bernstein: Thank you.

Operator: We’ll take our next question from Andrew Charles with TD Cowen.

Andrew Charles: Great, thanks. Just one clarification in my question. Just the clarification is the thought now that’ll take more likely around 18 months instead of three years to re-franchise the 120 Del Taco locations to capture that that targeted $60 million of after tax proceeds?

Darin Harris: No. We think there’ll be a heavier base transactions over the next 18 to 24 months for sure, but we’re going to make sure that we take care of evaluating the demand, making sure that there are accretive transactions using the proceeds for up to share repurchases. So these are accretive. But yes, I think we said it’s heavier on the front end. We can accelerate at any point in time or we can slow it down based upon the types of transactions we’re seeing and the margins that we’re seeing. So part of this was we wanted to give direction to our investment community about the number that we would do and that they would be and then evaluate the transactions on their own merit to say, should we continue to accelerate or should we slow down based upon what’s happening within the business in margin improvement.

Andrew Charles: Got it. Okay. Yes, that clarifies it. Thanks. And then my other question is on that $55,000 of targeted savings per restaurant, and I’m trying to tie it to the improved COGS that you guys saw in company operative margins. So €“ was the improved COGS, was that more of a function, just less inflation and in particular, I guess because I think about that $55,000 target, you’ve laid out obviously the cadence around the initiatives in place to really help you capture that. Is that more of a front-end weighted work? Or is that more back half weighted or later weighted as you guys progress throughout outlier management supply chain synergies?

Darin Harris: Yes, that’s future. We’re excited that, that’s still to come. This is all about transaction improvement and price. And then also for the Jack business, it’s been about also getting rid of the evolving markets. So, this is about transactions, pricing, more effective P&L management, all the techniques and what we call financial fundamental activity that we’re doing is for future benefit.

Andrew Charles: Okay. So, I guess the outlier, the things that are kind of more on the, I think about that $55,000 target, maybe ask differently, is the outlier management supply chain synergies, is that the big heavy lifting behind it? Or is it more the equipment and simplification? That’ll be more the big weight of the big lifting behind that target?

Darin Harris: Yes. If I understand the question correctly, what I would say is, this is about adding up incremental opportunities that eventually over time breakthrough and become a big number. So it’s, five or 10 things that we’re doing that over time, once you add them all up, they lead to 200 basis points. It’s not a, one or two things that very quickly enhance the bottom-line.

Operator: We’ll take our next question from Chris Carril with RBC Capital Markets.