DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (“The ONE Group” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: STKS) today reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022. Highlights for the third quarter compared to the same period in 2021 are as follows: Total GAAP revenues increased 1.6% to $73.0 million from $71.9 million; GAAP net income attributable to The ONE Group was $0.5 million, or $0.01 per share ($0.07 adjusted net income per share) ****, compared to GAAP net income of $11.7 million, or $0.34 per share ($0.11 adjusted net income per share)**** Restaurant Operating Profit*** decreased 21.3% to $9.1 million from $11.6 million; and Adjusted EBITDA** decreased 29.0% to $7.1 million from $10.0 million. Comparable sales* for the third quarter compared to the same periods in 2021 and 2019: Compared to 2021: Consolidated comparable sales* increased 0.5%; Comparable sales* for STK increased 3.5%; and Comparable sales* for Kona Grill decreased 3.6%. Compared to 2019: Consolidated comparable sales* increased 45.6%; Comparable sales* for STK increased 70.6%; and Comparable sales* for Kona Grill increased 22.3%. “Our comparable sales results reflect strong comparisons from 2019 as we are generating industry leading average unit volumes across both STK and Kona Grill. This quarter, we decided to take modest price increases knowing it would not offset the historic high inflation affecting our industry. Instead, we will be taking additional pricing in the fourth quarter, which is traditionally our strongest, as guests come to celebrate the holidays. As we look ahead, the investments we’ve made in being fully staffed should pay dividends and we will continue to remain laser focused on delivering exceptional and unforgettable guest experiences to drive top-line momentum as we continue to navigate this challenging cost environment,” said Emanuel “Manny” Hilario, President and CEO of The ONE Group. Hilario continued, “During the third quarter, we opened STK San Francisco which is averaging over $350,000 per week and is performing extremely well. Over a 90-day period, we will have opened STK San Francisco, STK Dallas and STK Stratford, a 13% increase in our STK unit count. In addition, we believe we are early in our growth strategy with significant whitespace ahead and our pipeline is the strongest in our history. Looking ahead, we foresee a total addressable market of at least 400 restaurants including 200 STK restaurants globally and at least 200 Kona Grills domestically, and we are targeting best-in-class ROIs between 40% and 50% for new Company-Owned STKs and for Company-Owned Kona Grills.” *Comparable sales represent total U.S. food and beverage sales at owned and managed units opened for at least a full 18-months. This measure includes total revenue from our owned and managed locations. The Company monitors sales growth at its established restaurant base in addition to growth that results from restaurant acquisitions; the Company has presented comparable sales growth from 2019 to illustrate how sales at its restaurant base before the COVID-19 pandemic compare to sales as COVID-19 restrictions have eased and the Company has reopened in-person dining. ** Adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment loss, non-cash rent expense, pre-opening expenses, non-recurring gains and losses including incremental costs related to COVID-19, stock-based compensation and certain transactional costs. Adjusted EBITDA has been presented in this press release and is a supplemental measure of financial performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. Refer to the reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA in this release. ***Restaurant Operating Profit. We define Restaurant Operating Profit as owned restaurant net revenue minus owned restaurant cost of sales and owned restaurant operating expenses. Restaurant Operating Profit has been presented in this press release and is a supplemental measure of financial performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. Refer to the reconciliation of Operating income to Restaurant Operating Profit in this release. ****Adjusted Net Income. We define Adjusted Net Income as net income before gains on CARES Act Loan forgiveness, COVID-19 costs, lease termination expenses, one-time stock-based compensation, other non-recurring costs, non-cash rent during the pre-opening period and the income tax effect of the adjustment. Adjusted Net Income has been presented in this press release and is a supplemental measure of financial performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. Refer to the reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income in this release. Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results Total GAAP revenues increased $1.2 million, or 1.6%, to $73.0 million in the third quarter of 2022 from $71.9 million in the third quarter of 2021. Total owned restaurant net revenues increased $1.6 million, or 2.3%, to $69.5 million in the third quarter of 2022 from $68.0 million in the third quarter of 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to the addition of STK San Francisco in August 2022. Consolidated comparable sales* increased 0.5% from the third quarter of 2021 and increased 45.6% from the third quarter of 2019. Management, license and incentive fee revenues decreased $0.4 million, or 10.8%, to $3.5 million in the third quarter of 2022 from $3.9 million in the third quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily driven by decreased revenues in our managed properties in London, England. Restaurant Operating Profit*** decreased $2.5 million, or 21.3%, to $9.1 million and represented 13.1% of Company-owned restaurant net revenues in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $11.6 million and 17.1% of Company-owned restaurant net revenues in the third quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to consolidated higher average wage and operating costs. General and administrative costs increased $0.4 million, or 8.2%, to $6.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 from $6.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. The increase was attributable to additional investments required ahead of growth, increased accounting and legal fees and increased stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by a decrease in performance-based variable compensation expense. In addition, the Company experienced increased travel expenses due to rising hotel and airfare costs. Pre-opening expenses were $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 compared to $0.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021. This increase was primarily related to payroll, training and non-cash pre-open rent for STK San Francisco which opened in August 2022 and STK Dallas which opened in November 2022, and Kona Grill Riverton and Kona Grill Columbus which are currently under construction. GAAP net income attributable to The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. in the third quarter of 2022 was $0.5 million, or $0.01 per share, compared to $11.7 million, or $0.34 per share, in the third quarter of 2021. Adjusted Net Income**** attributable to The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. in the third quarter of 2022 was $2.4 million, or $0.07 per share, compared to $3.7 million, or $0.11 per share, in the third quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA** decreased $2.9 million, or 29.0%, to $7.1 million in the third quarter of 2022 from $10.0 million in the third quarter of 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the Company had $17.5 million in cash and cash equivalents, $24.4 million in term loan debt, and $5.6 million available on its revolving credit facility. Restaurant Development In August 2022, we opened an owned STK restaurant in San Francisco, California and a licensed virtual location in conjunction with REEF Kitchens in Austin, Texas that features offerings from Kona Grill and Bao Yum. In November 2022, we opened an owned STK restaurant in Dallas, Texas. We intend to open six additional venues in the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. There are three Company-owned Kona Grill restaurants (Riverton, UT, Columbus, OH and Desert Ridge, AZ) and one managed STK restaurant (Stratford, UK) under development. In addition, in conjunction with REEF Kitchens, we plan to test and open two additional licensed units in Texas for takeout and delivery only. These units will feature offerings from Kona Grill and Bao Yum. On September 7, 2022, the Company announced the commencement of a share repurchase program for up to $10 million of its outstanding common stock. As of September 30, 2022, we had repurchased 500,000 shares for aggregate consideration of $3.5 million under this program. Conference Call and Webcast Emanuel “Manny” Hilario, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Tyler Loy, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing 1-416-981-9038. A replay will be available after the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-412-317-6671; the passcode is 22020936. The replay will be available until November 17, 2022. The webcast can be accessed from the Investor Relations tab of The ONE Group’s website at www.togrp.com under “News / Events”. About The ONE Group The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. (Nasdaq: STKS) is a global hospitality company that develops and operates upscale and polished casual, high-energy restaurants and lounges and provides hospitality management services for hotels, casinos and other high-end venues both in the U.S. and internationally. The ONE Group’s focus is to be the global leader in Vibe Dining, and its primary restaurant brands and operations are: STK, a modern twist on the American steakhouse concept with 24 restaurants in major metropolitan cities in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, featuring premium steaks, seafood and specialty cocktails in an energetic upscale atmosphere. Kona Grill, a polished casual, bar-centric grill concept with 24 restaurants in the U.S., featuring American favorites, award-winning sushi, and specialty cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere. ONE Hospitality, The ONE Group’s food and beverage hospitality services business, develops, manages and operates premier restaurants and turnkey food and beverage services within high-end hotels and casinos currently operating 14 venues in the U.S. and Europe. Additional information about The ONE Group can be found at www.togrp.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” “outlook,” and “project” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. A number of factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: (1) the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including government restrictions on our ability to operate our restaurants and changes in customer behavior, and our ability to hire employees; (2) our ability to open new restaurants and food and beverage locations in current and additional markets, grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with suppliers and obtain adequate supply of products and retain employees; (3) factors beyond our control that affect the number and timing of new restaurant openings, including weather conditions and factors under the control of landlords, contractors and regulatory and/or licensing authorities; (4) our ability to successfully improve performance and cost, realize the benefits of our marketing efforts and achieve improved results as we focus on developing new management and license deals; (5) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (6) the possibility that The ONE Group may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (7) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2021 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors are referred to the most recent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. THE ONE GROUP HOSPITALITY, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited, in thousands, except income per share and related share information) For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, Revenues: Owned restaurant net revenue 69,538 67,966 216,984 184,982 Management, license and incentive fee revenue 3,482 3,903 11,342 8,129 Total revenues 73,020 71,869 228,326 193,111 Cost and expenses: Owned operating expenses: Owned restaurant cost of sales 17,281 17,733 55,231 46,925 Owned restaurant operating expenses 43,136 38,640 126,818 101,882 Total owned operating expenses 60,417 56,373 182,049 148,807 General and administrative (including stock-based compensation of $1,001, $653, $2,791 and $2,812 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively) 6,447 5,959 20,587 17,272 Depreciation and amortization 2,930 2,572 8,571 7,766 COVID-19 related expenses 1,131 2,534 3,776 Agreement restructuring expenses Pre-opening expenses 2,684 3,833 Lease termination expenses Transaction costs Total costs and expenses 72,529 66,811 217,880 179,440 Operating income 5,058 10,446 13,671 Other expenses (income), net: Interest expense, net 1,387 3,262 Loss on early debt extinguishment Gain on CARES Act Loan forgiveness (9,968 (18,529 Total other expenses (income), net (8,587 1,387 (14,667 Income before provision for income taxes 13,645 9,059 28,338 (Benefit) provision for income taxes (321 1,544 2,188 Net income 12,101 8,338 26,150 Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest (105 (117 Net income attributable to The One Group Hospitality, Inc. 11,671 8,455 25,577 Currency translation loss (348 Comprehensive income attributable to The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. 11,637 8,107 25,533 Net income attributable to The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. per share: Basic net income per share 0.01 0.36 0.26 0.83 Diluted net income per share 0.01 0.34 0.25 0.75 Shares used in computing basic income per share 32,663,549 31,993,557 32,496,780 30,830,521 Shares used in computing diluted income per share 33,921,498 34,380,573 34,062,661 34,223,857 The following table sets forth certain statements of operations data as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated. Certain percentage amounts may not sum to total due to rounding. For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, Revenues: Owned restaurant net revenue 95.2 94.6 95.0 95.8 Management, license and incentive fee revenue Total revenues 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Cost and expenses: Owned operating expenses: Owned restaurant cost of sales (1) 24.9 26.1 25.5 25.4 Owned restaurant operating expenses (1) 62.0 56.9 58.4 55.1 Total owned operating expenses (1) 86.9 82.9 83.9 80.4 General and administrative (including stock-based compensation of 1.4%, 0.9%, 1.2% and 1.5% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively) Depreciation and amortization Agreement restructuring expenses Pre-opening expenses Lease termination expenses Transaction costs Total costs and expenses 99.3 93.0 95.4 92.9 Operating income Other expenses (income), net: Interest expense, net Loss on early debt extinguishment Gain on CARES Act Loan forgiveness (13.9 Total other expenses (income), net (12.0 Income before provision for income taxes 19.0 14.7 (Benefit) provision for income taxes 16.8 13.5 Less: net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest Net income attributable to The One Group Hospitality, Inc. 16.2 13.2 (1) These expenses are being shown as a percentage of owned restaurant net revenue. THE ONE GROUP HOSPITALITY, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except share information) September 30, December 31, ASSETS (Unaudited) Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 17,477 23,614 Accounts receivable 8,454 11,356 Inventory 4,988 3,915 Other current assets 2,274 3,666 Due from related parties Total current assets 33,569 42,927 Property and equipment, net 85,466 69,638 Operating lease right-of-use assets 84,928 85,395 Deferred tax assets, net 12,096 12,313 Intangibles, net 15,283 15,505 4,231 3,199 Security deposits 236,383 229,835 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable 11,557 11,094 Accrued expenses 17,613 23,155 Deferred license revenue Deferred gift card revenue and other 1,426 2,029 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 6,114 5,396 Current portion of long-term debt Total current liabilities 37,289 42,264 Deferred license revenue, long-term Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 105,038 103,616 Long-term debt, net of current portion 27,940 23,132 170,505 169,310 Commitments and contingencies (Note 15) Stockholders’ equity: Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 75,000,000 shares authorized; 32,744,362 issued and 32,231,728 outstanding at September 30, 2022 and 32,138,396 issued and 32,125,762 outstanding at December 31, 2021 Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively Treasury stock, 512,634 and 12,634 shares at cost at September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively (3,540 Additional paid-in capital 54,347 53,481 Retained earnings 19,087 10,632 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2,993 (2,645 Total stockholders’ equity 66,904 61,434 Noncontrolling interests (1,026 (909 65,878 60,525 Total liabilities and equity 236,383 229,835 Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures We prepare our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). In this press release, we also make references to the following non-GAAP financial measures: total food and beverage sales at owned and managed units, Adjusted EBITDA, Restaurant Operating Profit and Adjusted Net Income. Total food and beverage sales at owned and managed units. Total food and beverage sales at owned and managed units represents our total revenue from our owned operations as well as the revenue reported to us with respect to sales at our managed locations, where we earn management and incentive fees at these locations. We believe that this measure represents a useful internal measure of performance as it identifies total sales associated with our brands and hospitality services that we provide. Accordingly, we include this non-GAAP measure so that investors can review financial data that management uses in evaluating performance, and we believe that it will assist the investment community in assessing performance of restaurants and other services we operate, whether or not the operation is owned by us. However, because this measure is not determined in accordance with GAAP, it is susceptible to varying calculations and not all companies calculate these measures in the same manner. As a result, this measure as presented may not be directly comparable to a similarly titled measure presented by other companies. This non-GAAP measure is presented as supplemental information and not as an alternative to any GAAP measurements. The following table includes a reconciliation of our GAAP revenue to total food and beverage sales at our owned and managed units (in thousands): For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) Owned restaurant net revenue (1) 69,538 67,966 216,984 184,982 Management, license and incentive fee revenue 3,482 3,903 11,342 8,129 73,020 71,869 228,326 193,111 Food and beverage sales from managed units (1) 30,450 32,178 90,919 64,719 Total food and beverage sales at owned and managed units 99,988 100,144 307,903 249,701 (1) Components of total food and beverage sales at owned and managed units. The following table presents the elements of the quarterly Same Store Sales measure for 2022: 2022 vs. 2021 2022 vs. 2019 US STK Owned Restaurants 57.1 17.8 73.5 91.4 80.6 US STK Managed Restaurants 103.6 26.6 41.1 60.5 50.4 US STK Total Restaurants 66.7 19.8 62.9 81.9 70.6 21.9 27.5 27.6 22.3 45.1 12.8 45.3 53.5 45.6 Adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment loss, non-cash rent expense, pre-opening expenses, non-recurring gains and losses, stock-based compensation, COVID-19 related expense and certain transactional costs. Not all the aforementioned items defining Adjusted EBITDA occur in each reporting period but have been included in our definitions of terms based on our historical activity. Adjusted EBITDA has been presented in this press release and is a supplemental measure of financial performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. The following table presents a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the periods indicated (in thousands): For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, Net income attributable to The One Group Hospitality, Inc. 11,671 8,455 25,577 Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest (105 (117 12,101 8,338 26,150 Interest expense, net 1,387 3,262 (Benefit) provision for income taxes (321 1,544 2,188 Depreciation and amortization 2,930 2,572 8,571 7,766 EBITDA 3,421 16,998 19,017 39,366 1,131 2,534 3,776 Agreement restructuring expenses Transaction costs Stock-based compensation 1,001 2,791 2,812 Lease termination expense (1) Non-cash rent expense (2) (160 Pre-opening expenses 2,684 3,833 (9,968 (18,529 Loss on early debt extinguishment Adjusted EBITDA 7,082 10,174 28,321 29,825 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interest Adjusted EBITDA attributable to The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. 7,138 10,048 28,244 29,418 ____________________ (1) Amount relates to lease exit costs for 2016 leases for restaurants never built. All amounts have been paid as of September 30, 2022. (2) Non-cash rent expense is included in owned restaurant operating expenses and general and administrative expense on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. Restaurant Operating Profit. We believe Restaurant Operating Profit is an important component of financial results because: (i) it is a widely used metric within the restaurant industry to evaluate restaurant-level productivity, efficiency, and performance, and (ii) we use Restaurant Operating Profit as a key metric to evaluate our restaurant financial performance compared to our competitors. We use these metrics to facilitate a comparison of our operating performance on a consistent basis from period to period, to analyze the factors and trends affecting our business and to evaluate the performance of our restaurants. The following table presents a reconciliation of Operating income to Restaurant Operating Profit for the periods indicated (in thousands): For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, Operating income as reported 5,058 10,446 13,671 Management, license and incentive fee revenue (3,482 (3,903 (11,342 (8,129 General and administrative 6,447 5,959 20,587 17,272 Depreciation and amortization 2,930 2,572 8,571 7,766 1,131 2,534 3,776 Agreement restructuring expenses Pre-opening expenses 2,684 3,833 Lease termination expense Transaction costs Restaurant Operating Profit 9,121 11,593 34,935 36,175 Restaurant Operating Profit as a percentage of owned restaurant net revenue 13.1 17.1 16.1 19.6 Restaurant operating profit by brand is as follows (in thousands): For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, STK restaurant operating profit (Company owned) 7,237 8,309 25,519 23,458 STK restaurant operating profit (Company owned) as a percentage of STK revenue (Company owned) 18.5 22.6 21.0 24.6 Kona Grill restaurant operating profit 1,915 3,422 9,544 12,693 Kona Grill restaurant operating profit as a percentage of Kona Grill revenue 11.0 10.1 14.3 Adjusted Net Income. We define Adjusted Net Income as net income before gains on CARES Act Loan forgiveness, COVID-19 costs, one-time stock-based compensation, other non-recurring costs, non-cash rent during the pre-opening period and the income tax effect of the adjustment. We believe that Adjusted Net Income is an appropriate measure of operating performance, as it provides a clear picture of our operating results by eliminating certain one-time expenses that are not reflective of the underlying business performance. Adjusted Net Income is included in this press release because it is a key metric used by management, and we believe that it provides useful information facilitating performance comparisons from period to period. Adjusted Net Income has limitations as an analytical tool and our calculation thereof may not be comparable to that reported by other companies; accordingly, you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, Net income attributable to The One Group Hospitality, Inc. as reported 11,671 8,455 25,577 Adjustments: 1,131 2,793 3,776 Accelerated Stock Compensation Non-recurring and Non-cash Pre-opening Expenses(2) 1,721 1,945 Non-recurring Legal and Professional Fees (9,968 (18,529 Adjusted net income before income taxes 2,651 3,434 13,861 11,909 Income tax effect on adjustments(3) (244 (860 Impact of excluding certain discrete income tax items (716 (792 Adjusted net income attributable to The One Group Hospitality, Inc. 2,355 3,740 12,285 11,760 Adjusted net income per share: Basic 0.07 0.12 0.38 0.38 Adjusted net income per share: Diluted 0.07 0.11 0.36 0.34 Shares used in computing basic income per share 32,663,549 31,993,557 32,496,780 30,830,521 Shares used in computing diluted income per share 33,921,498 34,380,573 34,062,661 34,223,857 ____________________ (1) COVID-19 expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2022 reflect printing costs for paper menus as the Company transitions back to reusable menus. (2) Non-recurring and Non-cash Pre-opening Expenses relate to non-recurring travel expenses for our training teams and new venue employees training at other locations and non-cash rent expensed during the pre-opening period. (3) Reflects the tax expense associated with the adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, and September 30, 2021. The Company uses its statutory tax rate for the current year and for the previous year. More