For Immediate Release Toronto Stock Exchange: BPF.UN
BOSTON PIZZA ROYALTIES INCOME FUND & BOSTON PIZZA INTERNATIONAL INC.
ANNOUNCE 2006 FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
Boston Pizza has a Strong First Quarter Posting 12.7% Same Store Sales Growth
Overall Franchise Sales Growth 28.1%
VANCOUVER, BC, (May 8, 2006) - Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund (the "Fund") and Boston Pizza International Inc. (“BPI”) each reported today first quarter financial results for the period of January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2006 (the “Period”). A copy of the combined 2006 first quarter report is available at www.sedar.com and www.bpincomefund.com. Same Store Sales Growth (“SSSG”), the key metric for revenue growth of the Fund, was 12.7% for the Period. Overall growth in Franchise Sales of royalty pooled restaurants, a combination of new restaurants added to the royalty pool and SSSG, was 28.1%. Royalty income for the Period was $4,549,532 and distributions of $0.21 per unit were declared. Distributions declared per unit rose during the Period by 10.5% compared with the first quarter of 2005 in which distributions declared were $0.19 per unit.
Boston Pizza continued to expand its presence across Canada opening six new Boston Pizza restaurants during the Period, with no restaurants being closed. Subsequent to the Period an additional seven restaurants were opened. For 2005 the company opened 31 new restaurants; more than any other year in Boston Pizza’s history. As of May 8, 2006, BPI has 239 restaurants open across Canada of which 226 restaurants are in the Royalty Pool.
“The first quarter of 2006 was one of the best quarters for Boston Pizza since the IPO in 2002. We continued to open new restaurants, deliver very strong same store sales growth, and we were very pleased to pass on these successes to our Unitholders in the form of increased distributions.” said Mike Cordoba, Chief Executive Officer of Boston Pizza.
HIGHLIGHTS
The following table sets out selected historical information and other data from the financial statements of the Fund and the Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership (the “Partnership”), which should be read in conjunction with the attached consolidated financial statements of the Fund.
| January 1, 2006 to
March 31, 2006 | January 1, 2005 to
March 31, 2005 |
(in thousands of dollars – except restaurants and per unit items) |
Number of restaurants in Royalty Pool | 226 | 195 |
Franchise Sales reported by restaurants in Royalty Pool | $113,738 | $88,780 |
Royalty Income – 4% of Franchise Sales of Royalty Pool Restaurants | $4,550 | $3,551 |
Partnership administrative and interest expenses | $231 | $196 |
Partnership earnings for the period before undernoted | $4,319 | $3,355 |
BPI’s interest | $1,642 | $1,332 |
Equity income related to BPI royalties earned by the Fund | $2,677 | $2,023 |
Interest income | $450 | $450 |
Net earnings | $3,127 | $2,473 |
Earnings per Fund unit | $0.31 | $0.27 |
Diluted earnings per Fund unit | $0.31 | $0.27 |
Distributions declared per Fund unit | $0.21 | $0.19 |
Same store sales growth | 12.7% | 4.8% |
Number of restaurants opened during Period | 6 | 3 |
Number of restaurants closed during Period | 0 | 0 |
OUTLOOK
Going forward BPI management continues to focus on opening new stores and delivering industry-leading SSSG. BPI estimates that it will open approximately 40 restaurants in 2006. With strong growth in Ontario and Quebec, there is a possibility that Boston Pizza will exceed 275 restaurants this year. Through strong television and radio advertising, and national and local promotions, BPI management believes that the organization can deliver strong SSSG, the most important metric to Unitholders. As part of the ongoing SSSG initiative, Boston Pizza will continue its unique renovation program that requires each location to renovate every seven years. BPI anticipates that a total of up to 32 renovations will be completed in 2006, an increase from the previous estimate of 24 to 29 renovations. Historically SSSG for renovated locations has been, on average, 10-15% post-renovation.
BPI management remains confident that Boston Pizza will continue to enhance its position as Canada’s number one casual dining brand.
The Fund is a limited purpose, open-ended trust established under the laws of British Columbia to acquire indirectly certain trademarks and trade names used by BPI in its Boston Pizza restaurants in Canada. The trademarks are licensed to BPI for 99 years for which BPI pays the Fund 4% of franchise revenues of royalty pooled restaurants. As of January 1, 2006 there are 226 restaurants in the royalty pool.
Certain statements in this quarterly report may constitute “forward looking” statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, future expectations and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Fund, the Boston Pizza Holdings Trust, the Partnership, BPI, Boston Pizza restaurants, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. When used in this quarterly report, such statements use such words as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan” and other similar terminology. These statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this quarterly report. These forward looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and future expectations including, but not limited to the risks and uncertainties set out above in “Risks & Uncertainties” and in the Fund’s Annual Information Form under “Risks Related to the Structure of the Fund”. This quarterly report discusses some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or underlying such forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.
The Trustees of the Fund have approved the contents of this press release.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund
Jordan Holm - Vice President of Investor Relations
Tel: 604-303-6083
investorrelations(at)bostonpizza.com
www.bpincomefund.com
BOSTON PIZZA ROYALTIES INCOME FUND
Consolidated Balance Sheets
| March 31,
2006
(unaudited) | December 31,
2005 |
Assets
Current assets:
Cash
Interest receivable on note receivable from Boston Pizza
International Inc.
Distributions receivable from Boston Pizza Royalties Limited
Partnership | $ 1,430
150,000
- | $1,415
150,000
828,173 |
| 151,430 | 979,588 |
Note receivable from Boston Pizza International Inc. | 24,000,000 | 24,000,000 |
Investment in Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership (note 3) | 99,588,876 | 77,100,557 |
| $123,740,306 | $ 102,080,145 |
Liabilities and Unitholders' Equity Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Distributions payable to Fund unitholders |
$50
- |
$50
978,169 |
| 50 | 978,219 |
Unitholders' equity:
Fund units
Retained earnings |
$122,606,237
1,134,019 |
100,829,377
272,549 |
| 123,740,256 | 101,101,926 |
| $123,740,306 | $102,080,145 |
Contingency (note 4)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. | | |
BOSTON PIZZA ROYALTIES INCOME FUND
Consolidated Statements of Earnings
(Unaudited)
Three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005
| 2006 | 2005 |
Revenue (note 2(a)):
Equity income related to BPI royalties
Interest income | $2,676,780
450,010 | $2,023,086
450,010 |
Net Earnings | $3,126,790 | $2,473,096 |
Weighted average units outstanding
Basic and diluted earnings per Fund unit | 10,238,735
$0.31 | $9,111,141
$0.27 |
| | |
Consolidated Statements of Retained Earnings
(Unaudited)
Three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 | | |
| 2006 | 2005 |
Retained earnings, beginning of period
Net earnings
Distributions declared to Fund unitholders | $ 272,549
3,126,790
(2,265,320) | $208,127
2,473,096
(1,780,587) |
Balance, end of period | $1,134,049 | $900,636 |
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements. |
BOSTON PIZZA ROYALTIES INCOME FUND
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
Three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005
| 2006 | 2005 |
Cash provided by (used in):
Operations:
Net earnings
Equity earnings, an item not affecting cash
Distributions received from Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership | $ 3,126,790
(2,676,780)
2,793,494 | $2,473,096
(2,023,086)
2,174,655 |
| 3,243,504 | 2,624,665 |
Financing:
Distributions paid to Fund unitholders |
(3,243,489) |
(2,624,650) |
Increase in cash
Cash, beginning of period Cash, end of period | 15
1,415 $ 1,430 | 15
1,356 $ 1,371 |
Supplementary information:
Non-cash financing and investing activities:
Issuance of Fund units to acquire additional interest
in Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership |
$ 21,776,860 |
$ 14,237,327 |
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements |
1. Basis of presentation:
These interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared using Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.
The disclosures in these statements do not include all the disclosure requirements of Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for annual financial statements. These statements should be read in conjunction with the significant accounting policies and other information in the Fund’s most recent annual financial statements. These statements follow the same accounting policies and methods of their application as the most recent annual financial statements.
2. Operations:
(a) Franchise sales reported by Boston Pizza Restaurants in the Royalty Pool during the period ended March 31, 2006 is $113,738,297 (2005 - $88,780,475).
Equity and interest income earned by the Fund has been derived as follows:
| January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2006 | January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2005 |
(in thousands of dollars, except number of restaurants in the Royalty Pool and earnings per Fund unit) |
Restaurants in the Royalty Pool | 226 | 195 |
Franchise sales reported by restaurants in the Royalty Pool | $ 113,738 | $ 88,780 |
Royalty income – 4% of Franchise sales
Administrative and interest expenses | $4,550
(231) | $3,555
(196) |
Partnership earnings for the period before undernoted
BPI’s interest | 4,319
(1,642) | 3,355
(1,332) |
Equity income related to BPI royalties earned by Fund
Interest Income | 2,677
450 | 2,023
450 |
Net earnings | $ 3,127 | $ 2,473 |
Basic and diluted earnings per Fund unit | $ 0.31 | $ 0.27 |
2. Operations (continued):
(b) On January 1, 2006, adjustments to royalty payments and Additional Entitlement were made based on the actual performance of eighteen restaurants added to the Royalty Pool on January 1, 2005. Based on these adjustments, BPI received its pro rata portion of the remaining Additional Entitlement, being 115,977 Fund units.
(c) On January 1, 2006, 31 new Boston Pizza restaurants opened during the period from November 2, 2004 to December 31, 2005, were added to the Royalty Pool. The Franchise sales of these 31 new restaurants has been estimated at $61.1 million. The total number of restaurants in the Royalty Pool has increased to 226. The yield of the Fund units was determined to be 7.61% calculated using a weighted average unit price of $15.59. Weighted average unit price is calculated based on the market price of the unit traded on the TSX Stock Exchange during the period of twenty consecutive days ending on the fifth trading day before January 1, 2006. As a result of the contribution of the additional net sales to the Royalty Pool, and assuming 100% of the Additional Entitlement, BPI’s Additional Entitlement is equivalent to 1,904,808 (2005 - 1,292,182) Fund units. BPI will also receive a proportionate increase in monthly distributions from the Partnership. Of the Additional Entitlement, 20% (2006 - 380,962 units; 2005 - 258,436 units), remain unissued and are not eligible for conversion to Fund units until January 1, 2007 (2005 units - January 1, 2006) based on the actual performance of the new stores.
(d) On February 17, 2006, BPI exchanged Class B Partnership units for 1,311,859 Fund units. BPI then sold these Fund units to the public. As of March 31, 2006, there were 10,996,700 Fund units issued and BPI had a 20% indirect interest in the Fund.
BPI has committed to maintain a minimum of 20% indirect interest in the Fund until there are 275 restaurants in the Royalty Pool.
3. Investment in Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership:
Balance as at December 31, 2004
Acquisition of additional Partnership units by issuing Fund units
Equity income
Distributions from the Partnership | $ 62,798,866
14,237,327
9,665,871
(9,601,507) |
Balance as at December 31, 2005
Acquisition of additional Partnership units by issuing Fund units
Equity income
Distributions from the Partnership | 77,100,557
21,776,860
2,676,780
(1,965,321) |
Balance as at March 31, 2006 | $ 99,588,876 |
3. Investment in Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership (continued):
Summarized financial information of the Partnership is as follows:
| March 31,
2006 | December 31,
2005 |
Current assets
Long-term assets, consisting of the BP Rights | $ 3,413,474
160,040,537 | $ 6,741,761
138,145,095 |
Total assets | $ 163,454,011 | $ 144,886,856 |
Current liabilities
Long term liabilities
Partners’ surplus | $ 1,142,033
5,000,000
157,311,978 | $ 5,880,053
5,000,000
134,006,803 |
Total liabilities and surplus | $ 163,454,011 | $ 144,886,856 |
4. Contingency:
Boston Pizza International Inc. (“BPI”) and the Fund are involved in trademark litigation with entities affiliated with McDonald’s Restaurant of Canada (the “McDonalds’ Group”), opposing the registration by the McDonald’s Group in Canada of the Boston Market trademark. Management of BPI believes that there is a likelihood that the trademark will not be registered. Additionally, BPI and the Fund have commenced an action against the McDonald’s Group to prevent them from infringing BPI’s and the Fund’s respective interests in the Boston Pizza trademarks by operating Boston Market in Canada. The McDonald’s Group has filed a counterclaim and a separate action challenging the validity of the registered trademark “Boston Pizza” and related trademarks under the Trade-Marks Act (Canada). Management does not believe that this action will succeed. However, in the event that the challenge to the Boston Pizza trademarks is successful, the Fund would lose the benefits of registration of its trademarks under the Trade-Marks Act (Canada), which may mean losing the ability to prevent others from using the registered trademarks for the goods and services for which they are registered and to prevent others from using similar or confusing trademarks or names. However, the loss of the registration under the Trade-Marks Act (Canada), would not prevent the Fund from continuing to license and use the “Boston Pizza” and related trademarks in the existing operations and geographic territories where they are presently used and from taking other measures to protect their rights in respect of, and their ability to use, the “Boston Pizza” and related trademarks, in new areas where BPI and its sub-licensees do not presently operate Boston Pizza restaurants.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund
Jordan Holm - Vice President of Investor Relations
Tel: 604-303-6083
investorrelations(at)bostonpizza.com
www.bpincomefund.com
® Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership. All Boston Pizza registered Canadian trade-marks and unregistered Canadian trade-marks containing the words "Boston", "BP", and/or "Pizza" are trade-marks owned by the Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership and licensed by the Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership to Boston Pizza International Inc.
© Boston Pizza International Inc. 2006