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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

x

Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019

25, 2022

or

o

Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from                             to                             

Commission File Number: 0-21660

0-2166050

PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

61-1203323

61-1203323

(State or other jurisdiction of

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2002 Papa John’s Boulevard

Louisville,, Kentucky

40299-2367

40299-2367

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

(502)

(502) 261-7272

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

(Title of Each Class)

Trading Symbol(s)

Symbol(s)

(Name of each exchange on which registered)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value

PZZA

The NASDAQNasdaq Stock Market LLC

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer

x

Accelerated filero

Non-accelerated filer

o

Smaller reporting companyo

Emerging growth companyo

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.Act o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.x
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No x

The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, computed by reference to the closing sale price on The NASDAQNasdaq Stock Market as of the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, June 30, 2019,26, 2022, was $1,402,556,490.

$2,906,744,039.

As of February 19, 2020,16, 2023, there were 32,278,58234,680,269 shares of the Registrant’s common stock outstanding.


DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held April 23, 202025, 2023 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this annual report where indicated.


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

3

10

Page

PART I

Item 1.

Business

3

Item 1A.

Risk Factors

12

Item 1B.

Unresolved Staff Comments

21

25

25

Legal Proceedings

24

28

Mine Safety Disclosures

24

28

24

PART II

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

26

31

33

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

28

35

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

46

60

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

47

64

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

87

113

Controls and Procedures

87

113

Other Information

89

116

89

PART III

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

89

116

Executive Compensation

89

116

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

89

116

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

89

117

Principal Accounting Fees and Services

90

117

Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

90

117

93

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PART I

Item 1. Business

General

Papa John’s International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to as the “Company”,“Company,” “Papa John’s”John’s,” “Papa Johns” or in the first person notations of “we”,“we,” “us” and “our”), operates and franchises pizza delivery and carryout restaurants and, in certain international markets, dine-in and delivery restaurants under the trademark “Papa John’s”.John’s.” Papa John’s began operations in 1984. At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, there were 5,3955,706 Papa John’s restaurants in operation, consisting of 598522 Company-owned and 4,7975,184 franchised restaurants operating in 4948 countries and territories. Our Company-owned restaurants include 19298 restaurants operated under fourthree joint venture arrangements.

Papa John’s has defined four reportable segments: domestic Company-owned All of our International restaurants North America commissaries (Quality Control Centers), North America franchising and international operations. North Americaare franchised. In discussions of our business, “Domestic” is defined as the United States and Canada. Domestic is defined aswithin the contiguous United States. International franchisees are defined as all franchise operations outsideStates, “North America” includes Canada, and “International” includes the rest of the United States and Canada. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Note 25” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for financial information about our segments.

world other than North America.

Strategy

Strategy

We are committed to delivering on our brand promise “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.®” and creating a focused planbusiness strategy designed to drive sustainable long-term, profitable growth withgrowth. Papa John’s is driven by five priorities, as follows:  

strategic priorities:

BuildingBuild a culture of leaders who believe in diversity, inclusivity diversity and winning. A diverse, inclusive environment is essential to attracting the talent that makes Papa John’s purpose is to bring people together with better pizza.  ForJohns the world’s best pizza delivery company. See the “Human Capital” section below where we discuss our ongoing initiatives in this reason, we are committed to investing inarea.

Re-establish the superiority of our most important ingredient, our people, and creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where everyone belongs.  We are dedicated to development and training and creating the best environment for our workforce to help us attract and retain talent in a highly competitive environment. We will focus on creating an environment in our restaurants that will inspire our restaurant team members to deliver superior service to our customers.pizza via commercial platforms. We believe that increasing diversityusing high quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Our original crust pizza dough is made from six simple ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. We also top our pizzas with our signature pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes, real cheese and meat full of flavor, not filler. Our marketing and menu strategies focus on menu innovations that provide both value and variety to our customers, but importantly, do not add significant complexity to our restaurant operations or to supply chain needs. Over the past three years, we have made purposeful additions to our menu, ensuring these additions are well-timed for our growth, without sacrificing our premium quality. This deliberate strategy focuses on innovation that adds value to our system rather than short-term discounts, contributing to more productive ticket growth and, most importantly, higher customer satisfaction. We believe in the importance of providing options that appeal to our customers’ diverse dietary needs and preferences, and our nutritionists and food innovation teams are continuously looking for ways to reflect this in our workforce will also help us drive innovation that reflects and resonates withmenu. Our product innovations form the increasing diversityfoundation of our customers domesticallystrategy for growing comparable sales and globally.  

improving unit economics.

ImprovingImprove unit-level profitability and viabilityperformance of our operationsCompany and franchisees.franchisee restaurants. We believe Papa John’s has an opportunityhave been intent on taking proactive steps to improve unit-level profitability fordrive profitable growth, especially under the benefit of our franchiseescurrent challenging operating environment. This includes growing ticket and our Company-owned restaurants,transactions through menu innovations, customer insights and ultimately the Company’s long-term outlook.strategic pricing actions. In addition to a plan for continued growth in comparable sales, we have begun taking steps that we believe can reduce costs and complexity in Papa John’s restaurants to make them more profitable, while maintaining the quality ofincreasing average unit volumes, our products and customer service.  We expect these actions to contribute to the profitability of our Company-owned restaurants and the health of our franchise system.

Establishing our pizza as a high-quality pizza in the marketplace via commercial platforms. Papa John’s continues to pursue a differentiated product and marketing strategy, based on our “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.” positioning.  Our menu and marketing strategy focuses on the quality offurther sharpening our ingredientsexecution and increased product innovation.  Domestic Papa John’s restaurants offer high-quality pizza along with side items, including breadsticks, cheesesticks, chicken poppersdriving BETTER customer experience for faster service while optimizing labor allocation, enhancing operational efficiencies and wings, dessert items and canned or bottled beverages. Papa John’s original crust pizza is prepared using fresh dough (never frozen) with six simple ingredients.  Papa John’s pizzas are made from real cheese made from mozzarella; fresh-packed pizza sauce made from vine-ripened tomatoes (not from concentrate) and a proprietary mix of savory spices; and a choice of high-quality meat and vegetable toppings.

effectively managing margins.

Our promotional campaigns also include limited-time pizzas offerings, including specialty crusts and other product innovations. Recently we innovated our original crust for the first time ever with the launch of Garlic Parmesan Crust and in February 2020, we launched  “Papadias,” a flatbread-style sandwich made from our original fresh dough filled with cheese and a choice of high-quality meats and vegetables.

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We also test new product offerings both domestically and internationally. The new products can become a part of the permanent menu if they meet certain internally established guidelines.

Our branding efforts seek to showcase our quality ingredients and high-quality products, delivering product innovations and communicating effectively through our marketing campaigns.  We evaluate marketing investments with respect to their ability to activate and accelerate positive consumer sentiment, using campaigns that spotlight the Company’s differentiated focus on quality ingredients.  We believe that our trademark “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.” is important to our effort to differentiate our pizza in the marketplace.

LeveragingLeverage our technology infrastructure to positiondrive our business operations for success. operations.We useutilize technology to deliver a better customer experience, focusing on key strategies that offer benefits to the customer as well as improve operational efficiencies and inform our decision-making.

decision-making

Our technology initiatives build on. Approximately 85% of our past milestones, which include the introduction of digital ordering across all our U.S. delivery restaurants in 2001 and the launch of a domestic digital rewards program in 2010.  In 2019, over 60% of domesticDomestic sales were placedare through digital channels.  Technology investments have included enhanced digital orderingchannels, including website, apps, third party aggregators, and expanded mobile app capabilities.  As we continuecentralized call centers, providing a significant competitive advantage when compared with other QSR models. We are continuously investing in technology to enhance our digital capabilities we have focused on technology investments that allow us to use data to target marketing programs to individualfor both our customers as well as customer segments.  As an example, in 2019, we signed a delivery partnershipour employees. Our loyalty program (“Papa Rewards”) and one-to-one marketing platforms help us retain loyal customers and attract new ones. We also partner with Uber Eats.  This partnership, along with our existing agreements with DoorDash and Postmates, means we work with three of the top four fooddomestic delivery aggregators to meet customer demand for our products. Aggregators have also helped navigate the labor shortage that the Company is experiencing by providing supplemental delivery drivers, especially during peak times when our delivery teams are working at full capacity. Our integrations with the aggregator marketplaces and our nationwide integration with a third-party delivery service provider have been key tools allowing us to continue to meet our customers in the United States, a strategy that differentiates us fromchannel of their choice.

Profitably expand our top national competitors.  Internationally, many of our franchisees work with leading food delivery aggregators in their markets.

Expanding our footprint both domestically and internationally. We are committedcontinue to pursue a growth strategy by expanding our footprint, both domestically and internationally. Our growth is dependent on maintaining a strong franchise system and focusing on unit economics. We focus on attracting experienced operators, supporting thempartner with large local investors to expand into new regions and grow their business while monitoring their compliancemarkets, seeking to ensure our partners are aligned with our high standards.strategic priorities and committed to the Papa Johns brand. Nearly all of our top-25 North American franchisees now have development agreements in place. Internationally, our teams

3


are laying the groundwork for the future by accelerating growth in our established markets, identifying attractive new markets to enter and attracting new well-capitalized franchisees to partner with.
A large majority of Papa John’s restaurants are franchised. We believe a franchised model provides resiliency of earnings and presents us with an opportunity to enhance growth with less capital investment than a traditional company-operated restaurant model. We seek to attract and retain franchisees with experience in restaurant or retail operations and with the financial resources and management capabilitycapabilities to open single or multiple locations. While each Papa John’s franchisee manages and operates its own restaurants and business, we devote significant resources to providing franchisees with assistance in restaurant operations, quality assurance, technology, training, marketing, site selection and restaurant design.

Our strategy for global Papa John’s franchise unit growth focuses onowners benefit from our award-winning brand, food service capabilities and the ability of our franchisees to operate theirPapa John’s digital and delivery model.

Segment Overview
Papa John’s has four defined reportable segments: Domestic Company-owned restaurants, profitably. Our growth strategy varies based on the maturityNorth America franchising, North America commissaries (Quality Control Centers), and penetrationInternational operations.
Domestic Company-owned Restaurants
The Domestic Company-owned restaurant segment consists of the marketoperations of all Domestic Company-owned restaurants and other factors in specific domesticderives its revenues principally from retail sales of pizza, Papadias, and international markets, with overall unit growth expected to come increasingly from international markets.  Our continued focus on our international supply chain strategy will allow us to better cater to local tastesside items, including breadsticks, Papa Bites, cheesesticks, chicken poppers and become more efficient, supportingwings, dessert items and canned or bottled beverages.
Of the strong franchise interest we experience internationally.  

total 3,376 North American restaurants open as of December 25, 2022, 522 units, or approximately 15%,

Recent Business Matters

were Company-owned. In 2019,2022, the Company continued to focus on a strategic turnaround effort that includes the specific actions described below.

Starboard Investment.  Beginning in the third quarter of 2018, the Company began evaluating a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in the strategic investment in the Company by certain funds affiliated with, or managed by, Starboard Value LP (“Starboard”). On February 3, 2019, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with Starboard pursuant to which Starboard made a $200 million strategic investment in the Company’s newly designated Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”).  In addition, on March 28, 2019, Starboard made an additional $50 million investment in the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to an option that was included in the Securities Purchase Agreement.  See “Note 8” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for more information related to the Series B Preferred Stock and related transaction costs.  The Company also issued $2.5 million of Series B Preferred Stock on the same terms as Starboard to certain franchisees of the Company.  In connection with Starboard’s investment, Starboard was granted certain corporate governance rights, including the right to appoint two new independent directors, including Jeffrey C. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Starboard, who was appointed Chairman of the Board.

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Franchisee Assistance and Marketing Investment.  Beginning in the third quarter of 2018, the Company began providing various forms of increased support and financial assistance to the North America franchise system in response to declining North America sales.  In July 2019, the Company announced a new program, developed with the support of the Company’s elected Franchise Advisory Council, to make investments in marketing and brand initiatives as well as to provide scheduled financial assistance for traditional North America franchisees beginning in the third quarter of 2019 and expected to continue through the third quarter of 2020. Under the program, the Company is making marketing investments to support the long-term strength of the brand. The Company has also extended financial assistance to its traditional North America franchisees in the form of lower royalties, royalty-based service incentives, and targeted relief through 2020, thus providing franchisees with certainty on the schedule of remaining royalty relief.  The Company incurred significant costs (defined as “Special charges”) of approximately $36.8 million associated with this program in the last six months of 2019 and expects to incur $25 million to $30 million of Special charges associated with this program in 2020. For more details, see the Special charges detailed in “Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information.

New Management and Management Restructuring. In August 2019, the Company appointed Robert Lynch as the Company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. On November 6, 2019, the Company also announced an executive management restructure, reducing the size of the senior management team with additions to the team as well as promotions and expanded roles for key leaders.  The updated management structure is intended to align with the Company’s strategic focus described above. See “Information about our Executive Officers” below for additional details on current executive officers of the Company.

Positive Comparable Sales. As the Company continues to focus on its previously discussed strategic priorities, the Company has experienced recent improvement in North America restaurant comparable sales trends, with positive North America comparable sales for the last two fiscal quarters of 2019.  Prior to the third quarter of 2019, North America comparable sales had been negative since the fourth quarter of 2017.

Restaurant Sales and Investment Costs

We are committed to maintaining sound restaurant unit economics. In 2019, the 609 domestic514 Domestic Company-owned restaurants included in the full year’s comparable restaurant base generated average annual unit sales of $1.05$1.3 million.

Operating Company-owned restaurants allows us to improve operations, training, marketing and quality standards for the benefit of the entire Papa John’s system.
North America franchising
The North America franchising segment consists of our franchise sales and support activities and derives its revenues from the sale of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our franchisees located in the United States and Canada. Our North American franchisefranchised restaurants, which included 2,3602,472 restaurants in the full year’s comparable base for 2019,2022, generated average annual unit sales of $840,000. Average annual unit$1.1 million. These sales, for while not included in the Company’s revenues, contribute to our royalty revenues, franchisee marketing fund contributions, and commissary revenue.
North American franchise restaurants are lower than those of Company-owned restaurants, because a higher percentage of Company-owned restaurants are locatedAmerica commissary
The North America commissary segment comprises 11 full-service regional dough production and distribution Quality Control Centers (“QC Centers”) in more heavily penetrated markets.

With only a few exceptions, domestic restaurants do not offer dine-in service,the United States, which reduces our restaurant capital investment. The average cash investment for the three domestic traditional Company-owned restaurants opened during 2019, exclusive of land, was approximately $322,000 per unit, comparedsupply pizza sauce, dough, food products, paper products, smallwares and cleaning supplies twice weekly to the $345,000 investment for the six domestic traditional units opened in 2018, excluding tenant allowances that we received.

We define a “traditional” domestic Papa John’s restaurant as a delivery and carryout unit that services a defined trade area. We consider the location of aeach traditional restaurant served. This system enables us to be importantmonitor and therefore devote significant resourcescontrol product quality and consistency while lowering food and other costs. We also have one QC Center in Canada, which produces and distributes fresh dough. We evaluate the QC Center system capacity in relation to existing restaurants’ volumes and planned restaurant growth, and facilities are developed or upgraded as operational or economic conditions warrant. To ensure consistent food quality, each Domestic franchisee is required to purchase dough and pizza sauce from our QC Centers and to purchase all other supplies from our QC Centers or other approved suppliers.

International
International franchisees are defined as all franchise operations outside of the investigationUnited States and evaluationCanada. As of potential sites.December 25, 2022, there were 2,330 International restaurants, all of which are franchised. The site selection process includes a reviewInternational segment principally consists of trade area demographics, target population density and competitive factors.  Our development team inspects each potential domestic Company-owned restaurant location and substantially alldistribution sales to franchised restaurant locations before a site is approved. Papa John’s restaurants are typically located in strip shopping centersthe UK and our franchise sales and support activities, which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our International franchisees. The Company currently operates one International QC Center, which is in the UK. Other QC Centers outside North America are operated by franchisees pursuant to license agreements or freestanding buildingsby other third parties.
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All others
All other business units that provide visibility, curb appealdo not meet the quantitative thresholds for determining reportable segments, which are not operating segments, we refer to as “all others.” These consist of operations that derive revenues from franchise contributions to our marketing funds and accessibility. Our restaurant design can be configuredthe sale, principally to fit a wide variety of building shapes and sizes, which increases the number of suitable locations for our Company-owned and franchised restaurants. A typical traditional domestic Papa John’srestaurants, of information systems and related services used in restaurant averages 1,100operations, including our point-of-sale system, online and other technology-based ordering platforms, and printing and promotional items.
See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Note 23. Segment Information of “Notes to 1,500 square feet with visible exterior signage.

Consolidated Financial Statements” for financial information about our segments.

“Non-traditional” Papa John’s restaurants generally do not provide delivery service but rather provide walk-up or carryout service to a captive customer group within a designated facility, such as a food court at an airport, university or military base or an event-driven service at facilities such as sports stadiums or entertainment venues. Non-traditional units are

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designed to fit the unique requirements of the venue and may not offer the full range of menu items available in our traditional restaurants.

As of December 29, 2019, all of our international restaurants are franchised. Generally, our international Papa John’s restaurants are slightly smaller than our domestic restaurants and average between 900 and 1,400 square feet; however, in order to meet certain local customer preferences, some international restaurants have been opened in larger spaces to accommodate both dine-in and restaurant-based delivery service, ranging from 35 to 140 seats.

Development

At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, there were 5,395 5,706Papa John’s restaurants operating in 4948 countries and territories, as follows:

Domestic Company-ownedFranchised North AmericaTotal North America
International(a)
System-wide
Beginning - December 26, 2021600 2,739 3,339 2,311 5,650 
Opened10 76 86 292 378 
Closed— (49)(49)(85)(134)
Sold— (2)(2)— (2)
Acquired— — 
Refranchised(90)90 — — — 
Suspended (a)
— — — (188)(188)
Ending - December 25, 2022522 2,854 3,376 2,330 5,706 
Net unit growth/(decline) (a)
(78)115 37 207 244 
______________________________

Domestic Company-owned

Franchised North America

Total North America

International

System-wide

Beginning - December 30, 2018

645

2,692

3,337

1,966

5,303

Opened

3

76

79

233

312

Closed

(5)

(123)

(128)

(92)

(220)

Acquired

1

46

47

-

47

Sold

(46)

(1)

(47)

-

(47)

Ending - December 29, 2019

598

2,690

3,288

2,107

5,395

(a)

Although most of our domesticAs previously disclosed, the Company has suspended corporate support for all franchised restaurants located in Russia. These suspended restaurants are excluded from net unit growth calculations.


Our Company-owned markets are well-penetrated, our Company-ownedrestaurant growth strategy is to continue to open domesticDomestic restaurants in existing markets as appropriate, thereby increasing consumer awareness and enabling us to take advantage of operational and marketing scale efficiencies. Our experience in developing markets indicates that market penetration through the opening of multiple restaurants in a particular market results in increased average restaurant sales in that market over time. We have co-developed domesticDomestic markets with some franchisees or divided markets among franchisees and will continue to use market co-development in the future, where appropriate.

Of the total 3,288 North American restaurants open as of December 29, 2019, 598 units, or approximately 18%, were Company-owned (including 192 restaurants owned in joint venture arrangements with franchisees in which the Company has a majority ownership position and control). Operating Company-owned restaurants allows us to improve operations, training, marketing and quality standards for the benefit of the entire system.  From time to time, we evaluate the purchase or sale of units or markets, which could change the percentage of Company-owned units.  During 2019, we sold 46 restaurants located primarily in Georgia and Florida, in each case to existing franchise groups.

All of the 2,107 international restaurants are franchised.  

QC Center System and Supply Chain Management

All ingredients and toppings can be purchased by our Company-owned and domestic franchised restaurants from our North American Quality Control Center (“QC Center”) system, which delivers to individual restaurants twice weekly. To ensure consistent food quality, each domestic franchisee is required to purchase dough and pizza sauce from our QC Centers and to purchase all other supplies from our QC Centers or other approved suppliers. Internationally, the menu may be more diverse than in our domestic operations to meet local tastes and customs. Most QC Centers outside the U.S. are operated by franchisees pursuant to license agreements or by other third parties. The Company currently operates only one international QC Center, which is in the United Kingdom (“UK”).  We provide significant assistance to licensed QC Centers in sourcing approved quality suppliers. All QC Centers are required to meet food safety and quality standards and to be in compliance with all applicable laws.

We design our operating and distribution systems, restaurant layout and designated delivery areas to ensure the quality of our food and customer service as well as efficiency of restaurant operating costs, which contributes to strong unit economics. Our QC Center system takes advantage of volume purchasing of food and supplies. The QC Center system

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also provides consistency and efficiencies of scale in fresh dough production. This eliminates the need for each restaurant to order food from multiple vendors and commit substantial labor and other resources to dough preparation.  

Our North American QC Center system currently comprises 11 full-service regional production and distribution centers in the U.S. which supply pizza sauce, dough, food products, paper products, smallwares and cleaning supplies twice weekly to each traditional restaurant served. We also have one QC Center in Canada, which produces and distributes fresh dough.  This system enables us to monitor and control product quality and consistency while lowering food and other costs. We evaluate the QC Center system capacity in relation to existing restaurants’ volumes and planned restaurant growth, and facilities are developed or upgraded as operational or economic conditions warrant.

We set quality standards for all products used in Papa John’s restaurants and designate approved outside suppliers of food and paper products that meet our quality standards.  To ensure product quality and consistency, all domestic Papa John’s restaurants are required to purchase pizza sauce and dough from QC Centers. Franchisees may purchase other goods directly from our QC Centers or other approved suppliers. National purchasing agreements with most of our suppliers generally result in volume discounts that benefit Papa John’s restaurants. Within our North American QC Center system, products are primarily distributed to restaurants by leased refrigerated trucks operated by us.

Marketing Programs

Our branding efforts seek to showcase our quality ingredients and high-quality product, delivering product innovation and communicating it effectively through our marketing campaigns.  We evaluate marketing investments with respect to their ability to activate and accelerate positive consumer sentiment, utilizing campaigns that spotlight the Company’s differentiated focus on quality ingredients.  We believe that our trademark “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.” is important to our effort to differentiate our pizza in the marketplace.

Our domestic marketing strategy consists of both national and local components. Our national strategy includes national advertising via television, print, direct mail, digital, mobile marketing and social media channels. Our digital marketing activities have increased significantly over the past several years in response to increasing customer use of online and mobile technology. Local advertising programs include television, radio, print, direct mail, store-to-door flyers, digital, mobile marketing and local social media channels.

In international markets, our marketing focuses on reaching customers who live or work within a small radius of a Papa John’s restaurant. Our international markets use a combination of advertising strategies, including television, radio, print, digital, mobile marketing and local social media depending on the size of the local market.

Our local restaurant-level marketing programs target potential customers within the delivery area of each restaurant through the use of local television, radio, print materials, targeted direct mail, store-to-door flyers, digital display advertising, email marketing, text messages and local social media. Local marketing efforts also include a variety of community-oriented activities within schools, sports venues and other organizations supported with some of the same advertising vehicles mentioned above.  We also work with delivery aggregators to reach other customers.

Domestic Company-owned and franchised Papa John’s restaurants within a defined market may be required to join an area advertising cooperative (“Co-op”). Each member restaurant contributes a percentage of sales to the Co-op for market-wide programs, such as television, radio, digital and print advertising, and sports sponsorships. The rate of contribution and uses of the monies collected are determined by a majority vote of the Co-op’s members. The contribution rate for Co-ops generally may not be below 2% of sales without approval from Papa John’s.

The restaurant-level and Co-op marketing efforts are supported by media, print, digital and electronic advertising materials that are produced by Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”). PJMF is a consolidated nonstock corporation designed to operate at break-even for the purpose of designing and administering advertising and promotional programs for all participating domestic restaurants. PJMF produces and buys air time for Papa John’s national television commercials and advertises the Company’s products through digital media including banner advertising, paid search-engine advertising, mobile marketing, social media advertising and marketing, text messaging, and email.  PJMF also engages in other brand-building activities, such as consumer research and public relations activities. Domestic Company-owned and franchised

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Papa John’s restaurants are required to contribute a certain minimum percentage of sales to PJMF.  The contribution rate to PJMF can be set at up to 3% of sales, if approved by the governing board of PJMF, and beyond that level if approved by a supermajority of domestic restaurants. The domestic franchise system approved a new contribution rate of 4.75% effective at the beginning of 2019 and an additional 0.25% to 5.0% effective January 1, 2020.  

Our proprietary domestic digital ordering platform allows customers to order online, including “plan ahead ordering,” Apple TV ordering and Spanish-language ordering capability.  Digital payment platforms include VISA Checkout, PayPal, and Venmo PayShare.  We provide enhanced mobile ordering for our customers, including Papa John’s iPhone® and Android® applications. We receive a percentage-based fee from North American franchisees for online sales, in addition to royalties, to defray development and operating costs associated with our digital ordering platform.  We believe continued innovation and investment in the design and functionality of our online and mobile platforms is critical to the success of our brand. Our Papa Rewards® program, which was enhanced in 2018, is a customer loyalty program designed to increase loyalty and frequency of ordering. We offer this program domestically, in the UK, and in several other international markets.

We provide both Company-owned and franchised restaurants with pre-approved marketing materials and catalogs for the purchase of promotional items. We also provide direct marketing services to Company-owned and domestic franchised restaurants using customer information gathered by our proprietary point-of-sale technology (see “Company Operations —North America Point-of-Sale Technology”). In addition, we provide database tools, templates and training for operators to facilitate local email marketing and text messaging through our approved tools.

In international markets, our marketing focuses on customers who live or work within a small radius of a Papa John’s restaurant. Certain markets can effectively use television and radio as part of their marketing strategies. The majority of the marketing efforts include using digital marketing such as a display, search engine marketing, social media, mobile marketing, email and text messaging, and to a lesser extent, print material such as flyers, newspaper inserts, in-store marketing materials. Local marketing efforts, such as sponsoring or participating in community events, sporting events and school programs, are also used to build customer awareness.

Company Operations

Domestic Restaurant Personnel.  A typical Papa John’s Company-owned domestic restaurant employs a restaurant manager and approximately 20 to 25 hourly team members, many of whom work part-time. The manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the restaurant and maintaining Company-established operating standards. We seek to hire experienced restaurant managers and staff and provide comprehensive training programs in areas such as operations and managerial skills. We also employ directors of operations who are responsible for overseeing an average of seven Company-owned restaurants. Senior management and corporate staff also support the field teams in many areas, including, but not limited to, quality assurance, food safety, training, marketing and technology. We seek to motivate and retain personnel by providing opportunities for advancement and performance-based financial incentives.  

Training and Education. We believe training is very important to delivering consistent operational execution, and we create tools and materials for the operational training and development of both corporate and franchise team members.  Operations personnel complete our management training program and ongoing development programs, including multi-unit training, in which instruction is given on all aspects of our systems and operations.  In 2019, we created a tuition reimbursement program that provides another opportunity for our team members to advance their careers.  

North America Point-of-Sale Technology. Our proprietary point-of-sale technology, “FOCUS”, is in place in all North America traditional Papa John’s restaurants. We believe this technology facilitates fast and accurate order-taking and pricing, and allows the restaurant manager to better monitor and control food and labor costs, including food inventory management and order placement from QC Centers. The system allows us to obtain restaurant operating information, providing us with timely access to sales and customer information. The FOCUS system is also integrated with our digital ordering solutions in all North America traditional Papa John’s restaurants.

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Franchise Program

We continue to attract qualified and experienced franchisees, whom we consider to be a vital part of our system’s continued growth. We believe our relationship with our franchisees is fundamental to the performance of our brand and we strive to maintain a collaborative relationship with our franchisees. As of December 29, 2019, there were 4,797 franchised Papa John’s restaurants operating in 49 countries and territories worldwide.  During 2019, our franchisees opened an additional 309 (76 North America and 233 internationally) restaurants, which includes the opening of Papa John’s restaurants in two new countries: Pakistan and Portugal.  As of December 29, 2019, we have development agreements with our franchisees for approximately 85 additional North America restaurants, the majority of which are committed to open over the next two years, and agreements for approximately 1,000 additional international franchised restaurants, the majority of which are scheduled to open over the next six years. There can be no assurance that all of these restaurants will be opened or that the development schedules set forth in the development agreements will be achieved.

Approval.Franchisees are approved on the basis of the applicant’s business background, restaurant operating experience and financial resources. We seek franchisees to enter into development agreements for single or multiple restaurants. We require each franchisee to complete our training program or to hire a full-time operator who completes the training and has either an equity interest or the right to acquire an equity interest in the franchise operation. For most non-traditional operations and for operations outside the United States, we will allow an approved operator bonus plan to substitute for the equity interest.

North America Development and Franchise Agreements. We enter into development agreements with our franchisees in North America for the openingopening of a specified number of restaurants within a defined period of time and specified geographic area. Our standard domestic development agreement includes a fee of $25,000 before consideration of any of the various incentives we offer. The franchise agreement is generally executed once a franchisee secures a location. Our current standard franchise agreement requires the franchisee to pay a royalty fee of 5% of sales, and the majority of our existing franchised restaurants have a 5% contractual royalty rate in effect. Incentives to franchisees offered from time to time including new store incentives, willmay reduce the actualcontractual royalty rate paid. As previously described, we provided financial assistance for traditional North America franchisees in 2018 and 2019 in the form of lower royalties, royalty-based service incentives, targeted relief as well as additional contributions to PJMF.

Over the past several years, we have offered various development incentive programs for domestic franchisees to accelerate unit openings. Such incentives included the following for 2019 traditional openings: (1) waiver of the standard one-time $25,000 franchise fee if the unit opens on time in accordance with the agreed-upon development schedule, or a reduced fee of $5,000 if the unit opens late; (2) the waiver of some or all of the 5% royalty fee for a period of time; (3) a credit for new store equipment; and (4) a credit to be applied toward a future food purchase, under certain circumstances. We believe development incentive programs have accelerated unit openings.

Substantially all existing franchise agreements have an initial 10-year term with a 10-year renewal option. We have the right to terminate a franchise agreement for a variety of reasons, including a franchisee’s failurefailure to make payments when due or failure to adhere to our operational policies and standards. Many state franchise laws limit our ability as a franchisor to terminate or refuse to renew a franchise.

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We provide assistance to Papa John’s franchisees in selecting sites, developing restaurants and evaluating the physical specifications for typical restaurants. We provide layout and design services and recommendations for subcontractors, signage installers and telephone systems to Papa John’s franchisees. Our franchisees can purchase complete new store equipment packages through an approved third-party supplier.  Each franchisee is responsible for selecting the location for its restaurants, but must obtain our approvalTable of the restaurant design and location based on traffic accessibility and visibility of the site and targeted demographic factors, including population density, income, age and traffic.

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International Development and Franchise Agreements.We define “international” as all markets outside the United States and Canada. In international markets, we have either a development agreement or a master franchise agreement with a franchisee for the opening of a specified number of restaurants within a defined period of time and specified geographic area. Under a master franchise agreement, the franchisee has the right to sub-franchise a portion of the development to one or more sub-franchisees approved by us. Under our current standard international development or master franchise

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agreement, the franchisee is required to pay total fees of $25,000 per restaurant: $5,000 at the time of signing the agreement and $20,000 when the restaurant opens or on the agreed-upon development date, whichever comes first. Additionally, under our current standard master franchise agreement, the master franchisee is required to pay $15,000 for each sub-franchised restaurant — $5,000 at the time of signing the agreement and $10,000 when the restaurant opens or on the agreed-upon development date, whichever comes first.

Our current standard international master franchise and development agreements provide for payment to us of a royalty fee of 5% of sales. For international markets with sub-franchise agreements, the effective sub-franchise royalty received by the Company is generally 3% of sales and the master franchisee generally receives a royalty of 2% of sales. The remaining terms applicable to the operation of individual restaurants are substantially equivalent to the terms of our domesticDomestic franchise agreement. Development agreements will be negotiated at other-than-standard terms for fees and royalties, and we may offer various development and royalty incentives to help drive net unit growth and results.

incentives.

Non-traditional Restaurant Development. We have 284 non-traditional domestic restaurants at December 29, 2019. Non-traditional restaurants generally cover venues or areas not originally targeted for traditional unit development, and our franchised non-traditional restaurants have terms differing from the standard agreements.

Franchisee Loans. Selected domestic and international franchisees have borrowed funds from us, principally for the purchase of restaurants from us or other franchisees or, in certain international markets, for construction and development of new restaurants. Loans made to franchisees can bear interest at fixed or floating rates and in most cases are secured by the fixtures, equipment and signage of the restaurant and/or are guaranteed by the franchise owners. At December 29, 2019, net loans outstanding totaled $40.8 million. See “Note 16” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Domestic Franchise Training and Support. Our domestic field support structure consists of franchise business partners who are responsible for maintaining open communication with the franchise community, relaying operating and marketing information and new initiatives between franchisees and us.

Every franchisee is required to have a principal operator approved by us who completes our required training program. Principal operators for traditional restaurants are required to devote their full business time and efforts to the operation of the franchisee’s traditional restaurants. Each franchised restaurant manager is also required to complete our Company-certified management operations training program and we monitor ongoing compliance with training. Multi-unit franchisees are encouraged to appoint training store general managers or hire a full-time training coordinator certified to deliver Company-approved operational training programs.

International Franchise Operations Support. We employ or contract with international business directors who are responsible for supporting one or more franchisees. The international business directors usually report to regional vice presidents. Senior management and corporate staff also support the international field teams in many areas, including, but not limited to, food safety, quality assurance, marketing, technology, operations training and financial analysis.

Franchise Operations. All franchisees are required to operate their Papa John’s restaurants in compliance with our policies, standards and specifications, including matters such as menu items, ingredients, and restaurant design. Franchisees have full discretion in human resource practices, and generally have full discretion to determine the prices to be charged to customers, but we generally have the authority to set maximum price points for nationally advertised promotions.

Franchisee Loans.

Franchise Advisory Council. We Selected Domestic and International franchisees have aborrowed funds from us, principally for the purchase of restaurants from us or other franchisees or, in certain international markets, for construction and development of new restaurants. Loans made to franchisees can bear interest at fixed or floating rates and in most cases are secured by the fixtures, equipment and signage of the restaurant and/or are guaranteed by the franchise advisory council thatowners. At December 25, 2022, net loans outstanding totaled $28.1 million. See “Note 2. Significant Accounting Policies” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Marketing Programs
Our Domestic marketing strategy consists of Companyboth national and franchisee representativeslocal components. Our national strategy includes national advertising via television, print, direct mail, digital, mobile marketing and social media channels. Our digital marketing activities have increased significantly over the past several years in response to increasing customer use of domestic restaurants. We also haveonline and mobile technology. Local advertising programs include television, radio, print, direct mail, store-to-door flyers, digital, mobile marketing and local social media channels.
Domestic Company-owned and franchised Papa John’s restaurants within a franchise advisory council indefined market may be required to join an area advertising cooperative (“Co-op”). Each member restaurant contributes a percentage of sales to the United Kingdom.Co-op for market-wide programs, such as television, radio, digital and print advertising, and sports sponsorships. The various councilsrate of contribution and subcommittees hold regular meetingsuses of the monies collected are determined by a majority vote of the Co-op’s members.
The restaurant-level and Co-op marketing efforts are supported by media, print, digital and electronic advertising materials that are produced by Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”), our national marketing fund. PJMF is a consolidated nonstock corporation, designed to discuss new product and marketing ideas, operations, growth and other business issues. Certain domestic franchisees have also formed an independent franchise associationoperate at break-even for the purpose of communicatingdesigning and addressing issues, needsadministering advertising and promotional programs for all participating Domestic restaurants. PJMF produces and buys air time for Papa John’s national television commercials and advertises the Company’s products through digital media including banner advertising, paid search-engine advertising, mobile marketing, social media advertising and marketing, text messaging, and email. PJMF also engages in other brand-building activities, such as consumer research and public relations activities. Domestic Company-owned and franchised Papa John’s restaurants are required to contribute a certain minimum percentage of sales to PJMF.
In international markets, our marketing focuses on reaching customers who live or work within a small radius of a Papa John’s restaurant. Our international markets use a combination of advertising strategies, including television, radio, print, digital, mobile marketing and local social media depending on the size of the local market.
Human Capital
Our team members are critical to our success. As of December 25, 2022, we employed approximately 12,000 persons, of whom approximately 9,600 were team members at Company-owned restaurants, approximately 700 were management personnel at Company-owned restaurants, approximately 700 were corporate personnel and approximately 1,100 were QC Center and our print and promotions subsidiary personnel. Our team members are non-unionized, and most restaurant team members work part-time and are paid on an hourly basis.
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Our franchisees are independent business owners, so their employees are not our employees and therefore are not included in our employee count.We estimate the total number of persons in the Papa John’s system, including our team members, franchisees and the team members of franchisees, was approximately 115,000 as of December 25, 2022.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Papa Johns, we welcome a wide array of voices to our table. A diverse, inclusive environment is essential to attracting the talent that makes Papa Johns the world’s best pizza delivery company. As such, we welcome all entrepreneurial spirits, innovators and pizza lovers. We are building a culture that both reflects our corporate values of People First and Everyone Belongs and creates a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent. Across our restaurants, Quality Control Centers and corporate hubs, Papa Johns team members are valued for their contributions, treated equitably, encouraged to share their feedback and ideas, provided the tools needed to ensure their safety and total wellness and given ample opportunities among itsto grow in their careers. After being recognized by Forbes in 2021 as one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, Papa John’s joined Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Best employers in 2022. We were honored to rank #1 amongst all pizza companies and #2 in the entire restaurant category. Also, for the second year in a row, we received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index.
Creating an inclusive and diverse culture that supports and values team members is important to attracting and retaining talented, dedicated employees. We’re implementing initiatives to diversify our workforce and leadership pipeline by attracting, recruiting, developing and supporting talent who represent our customers and communities, to embed policies and practices that ensure fairness, build trust and hold ourselves accountable, and to instill and reward behaviors across the organization that foster belonging and increase employee engagement. We have also initiated multiple corporate initiatives over the past several years, including required unconscious bias training for team members, annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training for all team members, the launch of The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, our Day of Service with Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and the creation of eight global inclusion resource groups with leaders engaging across the organization.
Talent Attraction, Retention and Development
Our ability to attract and retain hourly employees in our restaurants has become more challenging, especially as the job market has become more competitive. Our goal to help all Papa John's employees succeed begins with efforts to attract and recruit a wide range of people from different backgrounds, cultures, education experiences, religions and other indicators of diversity because we know a workforce that reflects the diversity of our customers and communities brings more innovative thinking and better ideas and solutions to our business. In 2022, we expanded our efforts to recruit diverse talent by implementing anti-bias training for our recruiters. To meet job candidates where they live, and gain a deeper understanding of their personal, educational and professional goals, we sponsor and attend job fairs, scholarship programs and university and professional organization events. Our recruiting strategy aims to diversify the candidate pool for all manager level and above positions. We offer our team members hiring and referral bonuses as well as expanded health, wellness and paid time off.
To help our team members succeed in their roles and to ensure consistent operational execution, we emphasize continuous training and development opportunities, including providing innovative tools and materials for the operational training and development of team members.

We currently communicate with, and receive input from, Operations personnel complete our franchisees in several forms, including through the various councils, annual operations conferences, system communications, national conference calls, various regional meetings conducted with franchisees throughout the yearmanagement training program and ongoing communications from franchise business partnersdevelopment programs, including multi-unit training, in which instruction is given on all aspects of our systems and

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Table operations. In addition, to further support our team members’ development, we established our Dough & Degrees program, which allows our team members to earn a college degree for free or at a reduced tuition in partnership with Purdue University Global and the University of Contents

international business directors inMaryland Global Campus, among others. In 2022, we made enhancements to the field.program, including expanded educational offerings and less restrictive eligibility requirements. Employees working at least ten hours per week can now obtain their High School Diplomas, learn English as a second language, and earn associate’s, bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees. We also have periodic webcastsoffer a tuition reimbursement program that provides another opportunity for our team members to discuss current operational, marketingadvance their careers.

Compensation and other issues affecting the domestic franchisees’ business. WeBenefits
One of our core values is People First. As such, we are committed to communicatingproviding competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain top talent, whether in our Domestic Company-owned stores, in our supply chain centers or in our corporate offices. We pay competitive wages to our front line team members in our Domestic Company-owned stores.
Papa John’s offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible team members. We also make available to our team members several benefits designed to promote an inclusive workplace like paid parental leave, adoption support, and health
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plans that are available to dependents, spouses, and domestic partners. We offer eligible team members a 401(k) plan, with a competitive Company matching component to encourage retirement savings.
Beyond basic insurance programs, Papa John’s offers wellness services to help team members manage and optimize their health. These no-cost programs include smoking cessation, diabetes and hypertension management, weight management, and mental health support through Papa John’s employee assistance program for all part-time and full-time team members and their dependents. Papa John’s also makes available the “Papa Cares” program that provides corporate office team members an onsite health clinic that provides a wide range of primary care services for adults, adolescents and children.
Workplace Health and Safety
As part of the Company’s enterprise-wide safety management system, we invest in training, technology and people to protect both our franchiseescustomers and receiving inputteam members. All Papa John’s team members, from them.

those at our corporate offices to those working in our warehouses and restaurants, receive annual safety training based on the requirements of their roles. Our QC Centers and restaurant operations undergo annual safety audits, as well as random safety checks by regional safety managers and field safety coordinators.

We have also taken steps to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our team members and our customers by implementing extra health and safety measures across our business, including No Contact Delivery and enhanced cleaning and sanitization measures.
Industry and Competition

The United States Quick Service Restaurant pizza (“QSR Pizza”) industry is mature and highly competitive with respect to price, service, location, food quality, customer loyalty programs and product innovation. The QSR Pizza category is largely fragmented, and competitors include international,a few large national chains and many smaller regional chains, as well as a large number of local independent pizza operators, any of which can utilize a growing number of food delivery services. Some of our competitors have been in existence for substantially longer periods than Papa John’s, have substantially greater resources than Papa John’s and can have higher levels of restaurant penetration and stronger, more developed brand awareness in markets where we compete. Competition from delivery aggregators and other food delivery concepts also continues to increase.
Internationally, the pizza delivery model is not as mature as the Domestic market and presents a growth opportunity for Papa John’s. We believe demand from international consumers will continue to increase both domesticallyas the demand for pizza delivery and internationally.

carryout continues. We continue to execute on our growth strategy and expand throughout the world.

With respect to the sale of franchises, we compete with many franchisors of restaurants and other business concepts. There is also active competition for management personnel, drivers and hourly team members, and attractive commercial real estate sites suitable for Papa John’s restaurants.

Government Regulation

We, along with our franchisees, are subject to various federal, state, local and international laws affecting the operation of our respective businesses, including laws and regulations related to our marketing and advertising as well as the preparation and sale of food, including food safety and menu labeling. Each Papa John’s restaurant is subject to licensing and regulation by a number of governmental authorities, which include zoning, health, safety, sanitation, building and fire agencies in the state or municipality in which the restaurant is located. Difficulties in obtaining, or the failure to obtain, required licenses or approvals could delay or prevent the opening of a new restaurant in a particular area. Our QC Centers are licensed and subject to regulation by state and local health and fire codes, and the operation of our trucks is subject to federal and state transportation regulations. We are also subject to federal and state environmental regulations. In addition, our domesticDomestic operations are subject to various federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wage requirements, benefits, taxation, working conditions, citizenship requirements, and overtime.

We are subject to Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) regulation and various state laws regulating the offer and sale of franchises. The laws of several states also regulate substantive aspects of the franchisor-franchisee relationship. The FTC requires us to furnish to prospective franchisees a franchise disclosure document containing prescribed information. State laws that regulate the franchisor-franchisee relationship presently exist in a significant number of states, and bills have been introduced in Congress from time to time that would provide for federal regulation of the U.S. franchisor-franchisee relationship in certain respects if such bills were enacted. State laws often limit, among other things, the duration and scope of non-competition provisions and the ability of a franchisor to terminate or refuse to renew a franchise. Some foreign
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countries also have disclosure requirements and other laws regulating franchising and the franchisor-franchisee relationship. National, state and local government regulations or initiatives, including health care legislation, “living wage,” or other current or proposed regulations, and increases in minimum wage rates affect Papa John’s as well as others within the restaurant industry. As we expand internationally, weWe are also subject to applicable laws in each jurisdiction.

non-US jurisdiction in which we operate.

Privacy and Data Protection

We are subject to privacy and data protection laws and regulations globally. The legal and regulatory landscape for privacy and data protection continues to evolve, and there has been an increase in attention given to privacy and data protection issues with the potential to impact our business. This includes recently-enactedrecently enacted laws and regulations in the U.S.United States and in other countries which require notification to individuals and government authorities of breaches involving certain categories of personal information. Any changes in privacy and data protection laws or regulations could also adversely impact the way we use e-mail, text messages and other marketing techniques and could require changes in our marketing strategies. We have a privacy policy posted on our website at www.papajohns.com. The security of our financial data, customer information and other personal information is a priority for us.

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Trademarks, Copyrights and Domain Names

Our

We protect our intellectual property rights arethrough a significant partcombination of our business.patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, foreign intellectual property laws, confidentiality agreements and other contractual provisions. We have also registered, and continue to maintain federal registrations through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”)applied for the registration of, U.S. and international trademarks, service marks, PAPA JOHN’S, PIZZA PAPA JOHN’S & Design (our logo), BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA., PIZZA PAPA JOHN’S BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA., PIZZA PAPA JOHN’S BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. & Design,domain names and PAPA REWARDS.  We also own federal registrations through the USPTO for several ancillary marks, principally advertising slogans. Moreover, we have registrations for and/or have applied for PIZZA PAPA JOHN’S & Design in more than 100 foreign countries and the European Community, in addition to international registrations for PAPA JOHN’S and PIZZA PAPA JOHN’S BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. & Design in various foreign countries.copyrights. From time to time, we are made aware of the use by other persons in certain geographical areas of names and marks that are the same as or substantially similar to our marks. It is our policy to pursue registration of our marks whenever possible and to vigorously oppose any infringement of our marks.

We hold copyrights in authored works used in our business, including advertisements, packaging, training, website, and promotional materials. In addition, we have registered and maintain Internet domain names, including “papajohns.com,” and approximately 83 country code domains patterned as papajohns.cc,“papajohns.cc,” or a close variation thereof, with “.cc” representing a specific country code.

Employees

As

Environmental Matters
We are not aware of December 29, 2019,any federal, state, local or international environmental laws or regulations that we employed approximately 16,500 persons,expect to materially affect our earnings or competitive position or result in material capital expenditures. However, we cannot predict the effect of whom approximately 13,900 were restaurant team members, approximately 700 were restaurant management personnel, approximately 700 were corporate personnelpossible future environment legislation or regulations on our operations. During 2022, we had no material environmental compliance-related capital expenditures, and approximately 1,200 were QC Centerno such material expenditures are anticipated in 2023.
Impact of COVID-19
Please refer to “Recent Business Matters” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Preferred Marketing Solutions personnel. Most restaurant team members work part-timeAnalysis of Financial Condition and are paidResults of Operations” for a discussion of recent business developments, including the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on an hourly basis. Noneour business and results of our team members are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We consider our team member relations to be good.

operations and financial condition.

Additional Information

All of our periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are available, free of charge, through our website located at www.papajohns.com. These reports include our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports. These reports are available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with the SEC. We also make available free of charge on our website our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Board Committee Charters, and our Code of Ethics, which applies to Papa John’s directors, officers and employees. Printed copies of such documents are also available free of charge upon written request to Investor Relations, Papa John’s International, Inc., P.O. Box 99900, Louisville, KY 40269-0900. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us, at www.sec.gov. The references to these website addresses do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the websites, which should not be considered part of this document.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors

We are subject to risks that could have a negative effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks could cause actual operating results to differ from those expressed in certain “forward looking“forward-looking statements” contained in this Form 10-K as well as in other Company communications. You should carefully consider the following risk factors together with all other information included in this Form 10-K and our other publicly filed documents.

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Industry and Macroeconomic Risks
Economic conditions in the U.S. and international markets could adversely affect our business and financial results.

TableOur financial condition and results of Contents

Weoperations are impacted by global markets and economic conditions over which neither we nor our franchisees have experienced negative publicity and consumer sentiment beginningcontrol. An economic downturn or recession, including deterioration in late 2017 which has had andthe economic conditions in the U.S. or international markets where we compete, or a slowing or stalled recovery therefrom, may continue to have a negative impactmaterial adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations, including a reduction in the demand for our products, longer payment cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition. Poor economic conditions have in the past adversely affected and may have a long-term effect on our relationships with our customers, partners and franchisees.

The Company was the subject of significant negative media reports and negative consumer sentiment as a result of certain statements made by the Company’s founder and former spokesperson, John H. Schnatter.  The resultant negative consumer sentiment continued into 2019.

The Company experienced a decline in sales and operating profits in the first half of 2019.  Whilefuture affect the sales decline ended in the second half of 2019, we may experience flat sales growth or another decline if the negative consumer sentiment toward the Company continues or worsens.  If the Company experiences further controversy or reputational harm, from the actions or statements of Mr. Schnatter or otherwise, it may take longer for our sales and consumer perceptionability of our brandfranchisees to improve.  

We have incurredpay royalties or amounts owed and continue to  incur costs related to addressingcould also disrupt our business and remediating the impact of negative consumer sentiments surrounding our brand, which has impacted and may continue to adversely affect our financial performance.

In connection with its efforts to remediateresults. Higher inflation, and improve consumer perception of the Company’s brand, the Company has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant non-recurringa related increase in costs, including costs related to branding initiatives, marketing and advertising expenses, franchise assistance and increased professional fees. For example, in July 2019, the Company announced a new program, developed with the support of the Company’s elected Franchise Advisory Council, to make investments in marketing and brand initiativesrising interest rates, as well as provide scheduled financial assistancecurrency restrictions and changes in foreign exchange rates, have impacted our franchisees and their ability to pay royalties, open new restaurants or operate existing restaurants profitably. As we navigate this environment, we may need to offer support for traditional North America franchisees beginning in the third quarter of 2019 and continuing through 2020. Under the program, the Company is making marketing investments to support the long-term strength of the brand. The Company also extended financial assistance to its traditional North Americacertain franchisees in the form of lower royalties, royalty-based service incentives,royalty relief, loans or other support, close unprofitable restaurants or markets, and/or consider other alternatives such as acquiring or purchasing franchise restaurants, QC Centers or operations to operate them until they can be refranchised. In addition, adverse macroeconomic conditions and targeted relief.other business-related changes in circumstances outside of our control may impact our ability to achieve our net unit development targets.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations have been and could continue to be adversely affected by deteriorating economic and business conditions in the United Kingdom. There are more than 500 franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the United Kingdom, and we also operate an International QC Center in the United Kingdom. During 2022, our business in the United Kingdom was subject to adverse macroeconomic conditions, including high inflation, rising interest rates, an energy crisis, slowing economic growth, volatile exchange rates, and an increased VAT tax rate, which resulted in negative comparable sales and a challenging operating environment for our franchisees. These challenges also impacted the financial condition of our UK franchisees. We expect some of these conditions to continue in 2023. As we navigate this challenging economic environment, we are investing in capabilities to improve our operations and are working to re-position the franchise base to further strengthen our business in the United Kingdom. If our efforts to re-position the franchise base are unsuccessful, we might need to find new operators for certain unprofitable restaurants and/or close them, which could adversely impact the Company’s financial condition and results of operation in the region. In addition, the Company is providing financial support to certain franchisees in the United Kingdom, including in the form of marketing support and loans. This franchisee support may not be sufficient to keep restaurants in the United Kingdom from closing, particularly if current economic conditions worsen. The Company incurred significant costs (defined as “Special charges”)is unable to predict the duration or the extent of approximately $36.8 millionthe macroeconomic deterioration in the United Kingdom or the extent to which franchised restaurants will be impacted.
We are also subject to ongoing risks and uncertainties associated with this programthe United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (referred to as “Brexit”), including implications for the free flow of labor and goods in the United Kingdom and the European Union and other financial, legal, tax and trade implications.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by disruptions in the global economy caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine or other potential conflicts.
The global economy has been negatively impacted by the military conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, governments in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have each imposed export controls on certain products and financial and economic sanctions on certain industry sectors and parties in Russia. The Company has no company-owned restaurants in Russia or Ukraine and has suspended corporate support for its master franchisee in Russia, which operates and supplies all 188 franchised Papa John’s restaurants there. The Company is unable to predict how long the current environment will last six monthsor if it will resume corporate support to impacted franchised restaurants.
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In addition, our international business is subject to the risks of other geopolitical tensions and expectsconflicts, including, for example, the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine described above, and changes in China-Taiwan and United States-China relations. We have franchised restaurants located in China and South Korea. Although we do not do business in North Korea, any future increase in tensions between South Korea and North Korea, such as an outbreak or escalation of military hostilities, or between Taiwan and China could materially adversely affect our operations in Asia or the global economy, which in turn would adversely impact our business.
Our International operations are subject to incur $25 millionincreased risks and other factors that may make it more difficult to $30 million of Special chargesachieve or maintain profitability or meet planned growth rates.
Our International operations could be negatively impacted by volatility and instability in international economic, political, security, or health conditions in the countries in which the Company or our franchisees operate, especially in emerging markets. In addition, there are risks associated with this program in 2020. Thesediffering business and social cultures and consumer preferences. We may face limited availability for restaurant locations, higher location costs and anydifficulties in franchisee selection and financing. We may be subject to difficulties in sourcing and importing high-quality ingredients (and ensuring food safety) in a cost-effective manner, hiring and retaining qualified team members, marketing effectively and adequately investing in information technology, especially in emerging markets.
Our International operations are also subject to additional costsrisk factors, including import and export controls, compliance with anti-corruption and other foreign laws, difficulties enforcing intellectual property and contract rights in foreign jurisdictions, the imposition of increased or new tariffs or trade barriers and potential government seizures or nationalization. We intend to continue to expand internationally, which would make the risks related to our International operations more significant over time.
Our International restaurants’ results, which are completely franchised, depend heavily on the operating capabilities and financial strength of our franchisees. Any changes in the ability of our franchisees to run their restaurants profitably in accordance with our operating standards, or to effectively sub-franchise restaurants, could result in brand damage, a higher number of restaurant closures and a reduction in the number of new restaurant openings (which could cause us to miss our net unit development targets). For example, we currently have a large international franchisee restructuring its financing in Chile.
Sales made by our franchisees in international markets and certain loans we provide to such franchisees are denominated in their local currencies, and fluctuations in the U.S. dollar occur relative to the local currencies. Accordingly, changes in currency exchange rates will cause our revenues, investment income and operating results to fluctuate. We have not historically hedged our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. Our International revenues and earnings may incurbe adversely impacted as the U.S. dollar rises against foreign currencies because the local currency will translate into fewer U.S. dollars. Additionally, the value of certain assets or loans denominated in local currencies may deteriorate. Other items denominated in U.S. dollars, including product imports or loans, may also become more expensive, putting pressure on franchisees’ cash flows. Our International franchisees may also be impacted by currency restrictions imposed by governmental authorities, which could impact their ability to pay royalties in compliance with their franchise agreement. We have experienced situations with franchisees being subject to currency restrictions and unable pay royalties in U.S. dollars.
We are subject to risks related to epidemic and pandemic outbreaks, including COVID-19, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to risks related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has had, and is continuing to have, adverse impacts on economic and market conditions and our business. COVID-19 has created significant volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption in the regions in which we operate. We expect that certain parts of our operations will continue to be impacted by the continuing effects of COVID-19, including resurgences and variants of the virus. Our China market experienced COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions in multiple cities that severely impacted customer mobility. It remains difficult to predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the broader economy and how consumer behavior may change, and whether such change is temporary or permanent.
The potential adverse effects of COVID-19 or from other potential epidemics or outbreaks could also include, but may not be limited to, our ability to meet consumer demand through the continued availability of our workforce and our franchisees’ workforce; other changes in labor markets affecting us, our franchisees and suppliers; supply chain disruptions and increases in operating costs; adverse impacts from new laws and regulations affecting our business; increased cyber risks and reliance on technology infrastructure to support our business and operations, including through remote-work protocols; fluctuations in foreign currency markets; credit risks of our customers and counterparties; and impairment of
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long-lived assets, the carrying value of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets. However, given the evolving health, economic, social, and governmental environments, the specific impact that COVID-19 could have on these initiatives are expectedrisks remains uncertain. To the extent that COVID-19 continues to adversely affect the U.S. and global economy, our profitability andbusiness, financial performance. There is no guarantee that our actions will be effectiveconditions or results of operations, it may also heighten other risks described in attracting customers back to our restaurants and improving sales trends.

Our business and reputation have been negatively affected by the negative publicity resulting from Mr. Schnatter’s statements.  If we are unable to rebuild the trust of our customers, franchisees, business partners and suppliers, and if further negative publicity continues, we could experience a substantial negative impact on our business. We have experienced claims and litigation as a consequence of these matters, including a shareholder class action in connection with a decline in our stock price and litigation with Mr. Schnatter. Related legal expenses of defending these claims have negatively impacted our operating results.  Continuing higher legal fees, potential new claims, liabilities from existing cases and continuing negative publicity could continue to have a negative impact on operating results.

Our Board of Directors has adopted a limited duration stockholder rights agreement, which could delay or discourage a merger, tender offer, or assumption of control of the Company not approved by our Board of Directors.

On April 30, 2019, the Company’s stockholders ratified the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 22, 2018, as amended on February 3, 2019, March 6, 2019, and October 23, 2019 (as amended, the “Rights Agreement”). The original Rights Agreement adopted by the Board of Directors on July 22, 2018 had an expiration date of July 22, 2019 and a beneficial ownership trigger threshold of 15%. On February 3, 2019, in connection with the sale and issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard described above, the original Rights Agreement was amended to exempt Starboard from being considered an “Acquiring Person” under the Rights Agreement solely as a result of its beneficial ownership of (i) shares of common stock beneficially owned by Starboard prior to the sale and issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, (ii) shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued or issuable to Starboard under the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and (iii) shares of the common stock (or in certain circumstances certain series of preferred stock) issuable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock (or certain series of preferred stock issuable on conversion thereof) pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of Designation of Series B Preferred Stock.  On March 6, 2019, the Rights Agreement was further amended to extend the term of the Rights Agreement to March 6, 2022, increase the beneficial

this section.

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ownership trigger threshold at which a person becomes an acquiring person from 15% to 20%, except for a “grandfathered person” provision, and make certain other changes.  The Rights Agreement was further amended on October 23, 2019 to eliminate the “grandfathered person” provision as there are no stockholders that currently beneficially own 20% or more of the Company’s common stock.

The Rights Plan is intended to enable all of our stockholders to realize the full potential value of their investment in the Company and to protect the interests of the Company and its stockholders by reducing the likelihood that any person or group gains control of the Company through open market accumulation or other tactics without paying an appropriate control premium. The Rights Plan could render more difficult, or discourage, a merger, tender offer, or assumption of control of the Company that is not approved by our Board of Directors. The Rights Plan, however, should not interfere with any merger, tender or exchange offer or other business combination approved by our Board of Directors. In addition, the Rights Plan does not prevent our Board of Directors from considering any offer that it considers to be in the best interest of the Company’s stockholders.

Our profitability may suffer as a result of intense competition in our industry.

The QSR Pizza industry in the United States is mature and highly competitive. Competition is based on price, service, location, food quality, convenience, brand recognition and loyalty, product innovation, effectiveness of marketing and promotional activity, use of technology, and the ability to identify and satisfy consumer preferences. We may need to reduce the prices for some of our products to respond to competitive and customer pressures, which may adversely affect our profitability. When commodity and other costs increase, we may be limited in our ability to increase prices. With the significant level of competition and the pace of innovation, we may be required to increase investment spending in several areas, particularly marketing and technology, which can decrease profitability.

In addition to competition with our larger competitors, we face competition from local quick service pizza delivery restaurants and new competitors such as fast casual pizza concepts. We also face competitive pressures from an array of food delivery concepts and aggregators delivering for quick service or dine in restaurants, using new delivery technologies or delivering for competitors who previously did not have delivery capabilities, some of which may have more effective marketing.marketing or delivery service capabilities. The emergence or growth of new competitors, in the pizza category or in the food service industry generally, may make it difficult for us to maintain or increase our market share and could negatively impact our sales and our system-wide restaurant operations. We also face increasing competition from other home delivery services and grocery stores that offer an increasing variety of prepped or prepared meals in response to consumer demand. In addition, if our competitors respond more effectively to changes in consumer preferences or increase their market share, it could have a negative effect on our business. As a result, our sales can be directly and negatively impacted by actions of our competitors, the emergence or growth of new competitors, consumer sentiment or other factors outside our control.

One of our competitive strengths is our “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.®” brand promise. This means we may use ingredients that cost more than the ingredients some of our competitors may use. Because of our investment in higher-quality ingredients, we could have lower profit margins than some of our competitors if we are not able to establish a quality differentiator that resonates with consumers. Our sales may be particularly impacted as competitors increasingly emphasize lower-cost menu options.

Changes in consumer preferences or discretionary consumer spending could adversely impact our results.

Changes in consumer preferences and trends could negatively affect us (for example, changes in consumer perceptions of certain ingredients that could cause consumers to avoid pizza or some of its ingredients in favor of foods that are or are perceived as healthier, lower-calorie, or lower in carbohydrates or otherwise based on their ingredients or nutritional content). Preferences for a dining experience such as fast casual pizza concepts could also adversely affect our restaurant business and reduce the effectiveness of our marketing and technology initiatives. Also, our success depends to a significant extent on numerous factors affecting consumer confidence and discretionary consumer income and spending, such as general economic conditions, customer sentiment and the level of employment.employment levels. Any factors that could cause consumers to spend less on food or shift to lower-priced products could reduce sales or inhibit our ability to maintain or increase pricing, which could adversely affect our operating results.

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Food safety and quality concerns may negatively impact our business and profitability.

Incidents or reports of food- or water-borne illness or other food safety issues, investigations or other actions by food safety regulators, food contamination or tampering, employee hygiene and cleanliness failures, improper franchisee or employee conduct, or presence of communicable disease at our restaurants (Company-owned(both Company-owned and franchised), QC Centers, or suppliers could lead to product liability or other claims. If we were to experience any such incidents or reports, our brand and reputation could be negatively impacted. This could result in a significant decrease in customer traffic and could negatively impact our revenues and profits. Similar incidents or reports occurring at quick service restaurants unrelated to us could likewise create negative publicity, which could negatively impact consumer behavior towards us.

We rely on our domesticDomestic and internationalInternational suppliers, as do our franchisees, to provide quality ingredients and to comply with applicable laws and industry standards. A failure of one of our domesticDomestic or internationalInternational suppliers to meet our quality standards, or meet domesticDomestic or internationalInternational food industry standards, could result in a disruption in our supply chain and negatively impact our brand and our results.

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Failure to preserve the value and relevance of our brand could have a negative impact on our financial results.

Our results depend upon our ability to differentiate our brand and our reputation for quality. Damage to our brand or reputation could negatively impact our business and financial results. Our brand has been highly rated in past U.S. surveys, and we strive to build the value of our brand as we develop international markets.

Consumer perceptions of our brand are affected by a variety of factors, such as the nutritional content and preparation of our food, the quality of the ingredients we use, our marketing and advertising, our corporate culture, our policies and systems related to diversity, equity and inclusion, our business practices, our engagement in local communities and the manner in which we source the commodities we use.
Consumer acceptance of our offerings is subject to change for a variety of reasons, and some changes can occur rapidly. Consumer perceptions may also be affected by third parties, including current or former spokespersons, employees and executives, presenting or promoting adverse commentary or portrayals of our industry, our brand, our suppliers or our franchisees.franchisees, or otherwise making statements, disclosing information or taking actions that could damage our reputation. If we are unsuccessful in managing incidents that erode consumer trust or confidence, particularly if such incidents receive considerable publicity or result in litigation, our brand value and financial results could be negatively impacted.

Our inability or failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media, influencers, and/or shareholder activism could adversely impact our business.

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including blogs, chat platforms, social media websites, and other forms of internet-based communications that allow individuals access to a broad audience of consumers and other persons. The rising popularity of social media and other consumer-oriented technologies has increased the speed and accessibility of information dissemination.dissemination, and could hamper our ability to promptly correct misrepresentations or otherwise respond effectively to negative publicity, whether or not accurate. The dissemination of proprietary Company or negative information, whether or not accurate, by customers, employees, social media influencers, and others via social media could harm our business, brand, reputation, marketing partners, financial condition, and results of operations, regardless of the information’s accuracy.

In addition, we frequently use social media to communicate with consumers and the public in general. Failure to use social media effectively could lead to a decline in brand value and revenue. Other risks associated with the use of social media include improper disclosure of proprietary information, negative comments about our brand, exposure of personally identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes or malicious dissemination of false information.

We may not be ableare also subject to effectively marketthe risk of negative publicity associated with various shareholder proposals, campaigns, and activism, including publicity related to the environment, animal welfare, diversity, responsible sourcing, and other Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) topics. Despite our productsbest efforts relating to ESG policies, initiatives and reporting, media reports and social media campaigns can create a negative opinion or maintain key marketing partnerships.

The successperception of the company’s efforts. Such media reports and negative publicity could impact customer or investor perception of our business dependsCompany or industry and can have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

In addition, we could be criticized for the effectivenessscope or nature of our marketingESG initiatives or goals, or for any revisions to these goals. If our ESG-related data, processes and promotional plans. We may not be ablereporting are incomplete or inaccurate, or if we fail to effectively execute our national or local marketing plans, particularly if lower sales continue to result in reduced levels of marketing funds.  Additionally, the launch of our enhanced rewards program to help increase sales may not meet our expectations and could lower profitability. If these efforts are not effective in increasing sales, we may be required to expend additional funds to effectively improve consumer sentiment and sales, and we may also be required to engage in additional activities to retain customers or attract new customers to the brand. Such marketing expenses and promotional activities, which could include discounting our products, could adversely impact our results.

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Persons or marketing partners who endorse our products could take actions that harm their reputations, which could also cause harmachieve progress with respect to our brand. From time to time, in response to changes ingoals within the scope of ESG on a timely basis, or at all, our reputation, business, environmentfinancial performance and the audience share of marketing channels, we expect to reallocate marketing resources across social media and other channels. That reallocation may notgrowth could be effective or as successful as the marketing and advertising allocations of our competitors, which could negatively impact the amount and timing of our revenues.

adversely affected.

Our franchise business model presents a number of risks.

Our success increasingly relies on the financial success and cooperation of our franchisees, yet we have limited influence over their operations. Our franchisees manage their businesses independently, and therefore are responsible for the day-to-day operation of their restaurants.restaurants and compliance with applicable laws. The revenues we realize from franchised restaurants are largely dependent on the ability of our franchisees to maintain or grow their sales. If our franchisees do not experiencemaintain or grow sales, growth, our revenues and margins could be negatively affected. Also, if sales trends worsen for franchisees, especially in emerging markets and/or high costhigh-cost markets, their financial results may deteriorate, which in the past has resulted in, and could in the future result in, among other things, higher levels of required financial support from us, higher numbers of restaurant closures (which could cause us to miss our net unit development targets), reduced numbers of restaurant openings, franchisee bankruptcies or restructuring activities, delayed or reduced payments to us, or increased franchisee assistance, which reduces our revenues.

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Our success also increasingly depends on the willingness and ability of our franchisees to remain aligned with us on operating, promotional and marketing plans. Franchisees’ ability to continue to grow is also dependent in large part on the availability of franchisee funding at reasonable interest rates and may be negatively impacted by the financial markets in general or by the creditworthiness of our franchisees. Our operating performance could also be negatively affected if our franchisees experience food safety, compliance, or other operational problems or project an image inconsistent with our brand and values, particularly if our contractual and other rights and remedies are limited, costly to exercise or subjected to litigation. If franchisees do not successfully operate restaurants in a manner consistent with our required standards or applicable laws, the brand’s image and reputation could be harmed, which in turn could hurt our business and operating results.

The issuance of shares of our Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard and its permitted transferees dilutes the ownership and relative voting power of holders of our common stock and may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company sold 250,000 shares of our newly designated Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard in 2019.

As of December 29, 2019, the shares held by Starboard represent approximately 14% of our outstanding common stock on an as-converted basis.  The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible at the option of the holders at any time into shares of common stock based on the conversion rate determined by dividing $1,000, the stated value of the Series B Preferred Stock, by $50.06.  

Because holders of our Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, on an as-converted basis, together with holders of our common stock on all matters submitted to a vote of the holders of our common stock, the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard effectively reduces the relative voting power of the holders of our common stock.

In addition, the conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock into common stock would dilute the ownership interest of existing holders of our common stock. Furthermore, any sales in the public market of the common stock issuable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock. Pursuant to a customary registration rights agreement with Starboard, we have registered for resale under the Securities Act of 1933 the shares of Series B Preferred Stock and any shares of common stock issued upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock. This registration may facilitate the resale of such securities into the public market, and any such resale would increase the number of shares of our common stock available for public trading. Sales by Starboard of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales might occur, could have a material adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

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Our Series B Preferred Stock has rights, preferences and privileges that are not held by, and are preferential to, the rights of, our common stockholders, which could adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition, result in the interests of holders of our Series B Preferred Stock differing from those of our common stockholders and delay or prevent an attempt to take over the Company.

Starboard and the other holders of our Series B Preferred Stock have a liquidation preference entitling them to be paid, before any payment may be made to holders of our common stock in connection with a liquidation event, an amount per share of Series B Preferred Stock equal to the greater of (i) the stated value thereof plus accrued and unpaid dividends and (ii) the amount that would have been received had such share of Series B Preferred Stock been converted into common stock immediately prior to such liquidation event.

Holders of Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to a preferential cumulative dividend at the rate of 3.6% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears. On the third anniversary of the date of issuance, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock will have the right to increase the dividend on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to 5.6%, and on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance, each holder will have the right to increase the dividend on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to 7.6% (in each case subject to the Company’s right to redeem some or all of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock for cash).

The holders of our Series B Preferred Stock also have certain redemption rights or put rights, including the right on any date following November 6, 2026 to require us to repurchase all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Stock. Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock also have the right, subject to certain exceptions, to require us to repurchase all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Stock upon certain change of control events.

These dividend and share repurchase obligations could impact our liquidity and reduce the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, growth opportunities, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes. Our obligations to Starboard, as the initial holder of our Series B Preferred Stock, could also limit our ability to obtain additional financing or increase our borrowing costs, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition. The preferential rights could also result in divergent interests between Starboard and holders of our common stock. Furthermore, a sale of our Company, as a change of control event, may require us to repurchase Series B Preferred Stock, which could have the effect of making an acquisition of the Company more expensive and potentially deterring proposed transactions that may otherwise be beneficial to our stockholders.

Starboard may exercise influence over us, including through its ability to designate up to two members of our Board of Directors.

The transaction documents entered into in connection with the sale of the Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard grant to Starboard consent rights with respect to certain actions by us, including:

amending our organizational documents in a manner that would have an adverse effect on the Series B Preferred Stock;
issuing securities that are senior to, or equal in priority with, the Series B Preferred Stock; and
increasing the maximum number of directors on our Board to more than eleven persons or twelve persons, subject to the terms of the Governance Agreement (the “Governance Agreement”) entered into in connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement.

The Securities Purchase Agreement also imposes a number of affirmative and negative covenants on us. As a result, Starboard has the ability to influence the outcome of matters submitted for the vote of the holders of our common stock. Starboard and its affiliates are in the business of making or advising on investments in companies, including businesses that may directly or indirectly compete with certain portions of our business, and they may have interests that diverge from, or even conflict with, those of our other stockholders. They may also pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us.

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In addition, the terms of the Governance Agreement grant Starboard certain rights to designate directors to be nominated for election by holders of our common stock. For so long as certain criteria set forth in the Governance Agreement are satisfied, including that Starboard beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least (i) 89,264 shares of Series B Preferred Stock or (ii) the lesser of 5.0% of the Company’s then-outstanding common stock (on an as-converted basis, if applicable) and 1,783,141 shares of issued and outstanding common stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments), Starboard has the right to designate two directors for election to our Board, consisting of one nominee who is affiliated with Starboard and one independent nominee.

The directors designated by Starboard also are entitled to serve on committees of our Board, subject to applicable law and stock exchange rules. Notwithstanding the fact that all directors will be subject to fiduciary duties to us and to applicable law, the interests of the directors designated by Starboard may differ from the interests of our security holders as a whole or of our other directors.

We may not be able to raise the funds necessary to finance a required repurchase of our Series B Preferred Stock. 

After November 6, 2026, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock will have the right, upon 90 days’ notice, to require the Company to repurchase all or any portion of the Series B Preferred Stock for cash at a price equal to $1,000 per share of Series B Preferred Stock plus all accrued but unpaid dividends. In addition, upon certain change of control events, holders of Series B Preferred Stock can require us, subject to certain exceptions, to repurchase any or all of their Series B Preferred Stock.

It is possible that we would not have sufficient funds to make any required repurchase of Series B Preferred Stock. Moreover, we may not be able to arrange financing to pay the repurchase price.

Changes in privacy or data protection laws could adversely affect our ability to market our products effectively.

We rely on a variety of direct marketing techniques, including email, text messages and postal mailings. Any future restrictions in federal, state or foreign laws regarding marketing and solicitation or domestic or international data protection laws that govern these activities could adversely affect the continuing effectiveness of email, text messages and postal mailing techniques and could force changes in our marketing strategies. If this occurs, we may need to develop alternative marketing strategies, which may not be as effective and could impact the amount and timing of our revenues.

We may not be able to execute our strategy or achieve our planned growth targets, which could negatively impact our business and our financial results.

Our growth strategy depends on our and our franchisees’ ability to open new restaurants and to operate them on a profitable basis. We expect substantially all of our international unit growth and much of our domestic unit growth to be franchised units. Accordingly, our profitability increasingly depends upon royalty revenues from franchisees. If our franchisees are not able to operate their businesses successfully under our franchised business model, our results could suffer. Additionally, we may fail to attract new qualified franchisees or existing franchisees may close underperforming locations. Planned growth targets and the ability to operate new and existing restaurants profitably are affected by economic, regulatory and competitive conditions and consumer buying habits. A decrease in sales, such as what we experienced in 2018 and the first half of 2019, or increased commodity or operating costs, including, but not limited to, employee compensation and benefits or insurance costs, could slow the rate of new store openings or increase the number of store closings. Our business is susceptible to adverse changes in local, national and global economic conditions, which could make it difficult for us to meet our growth targets. Additionally, we or our franchisees may face challenges securing financing, finding suitable store locations at acceptable terms or securing required domestic or foreign government permits and approvals.  Declines in comparable sales, net store openings and related operating profits can impact our stock price.  If we do not continue to improve future sales and operating results and meet our related growth targets or external expectations for net restaurant openings or our other strategic objectives in the future, our stock price could decline.

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Our franchisees remain dependent on the availability of financing to remodel or renovate existing locations, upgrade systems and enhance technology, or construct and open new restaurants. From time to time, the Company may provide financing to certain franchisees and prospective franchisees in order to mitigate store closings, allow new units to open, or complete required upgrades. If we are unable or unwilling to provide such financing, which is a function of, among other things, a franchisee’s creditworthiness, the number of new restaurant openings may be slower or the rate of closures may be higher than expected and our results of operations may be adversely impacted. To the extent we provide financing to franchisees, our results could be negatively impacted by negative performance of these franchisee loans.

We may be adversely impacted by increases in the cost of food ingredients and other costs.

We are exposed to fluctuations in prices of commodities. An increase in the cost or sustained high levels of the cost of cheese or other commodities could adversely affect the profitability of our system-wide restaurant operations, particularly if we are unable to increase the selling price of our products to offset increased costs. We have recently experienced significant inflation in commodities prices, including food ingredients, which has significantly increased our operating expenses. Cheese, representing our largest food cost, and other commodities can be subject to significant cost fluctuations due to weather, availability, global demand and other factors that are beyond our control. Additionally, increases in labor, mileage, insurance, fuel, and other costs could adversely affect the profitability of our restaurant and QC Center businesses. Many of the factors affecting costs in our system-wide restaurant operations are beyond our control, and we may not be able to adequately mitigate these costs or pass along these costs to our customers or franchisees, given the significant competitive pricing pressures we face.

Our dependence on a sole supplierChanges in privacy or a limited number of suppliers for some ingredientsdata protection laws could result in disruptions to our business.

Domestic restaurants purchase substantially all food and related products from our QC Centers. We are dependent on Leprino Foods Dairy Products Company (“Leprino”) as our sole supplier for cheese, one of our key ingredients. Leprino, one of the major pizza category suppliers of cheese in the United States, currently supplies all of our cheese domestically and substantially all of our cheese internationally. We also depend on a sole source for our supply of certain desserts and garlic sauce, which constitute less than 10% of our domestic Company-owned restaurant sales. While we have no other sole sources of supply for key ingredients or menu items, we do source other key ingredients from a limited number of suppliers. Alternative sources of cheese, desserts, other key ingredients or menu items may not be available on a timely basis or may not be available on terms as favorable to us as under our current arrangements.

Our Company-owned and franchised restaurants could also be harmed by supply chain interruptions including those caused by factors beyond our control or the control of our suppliers.  Prolonged disruption in the supply of products from or to our QC Centers due to weather, climate change, natural disasters, crop disease, food safety incidents, regulatory compliance, labor dispute or interruption of service by carriers could increase costs, limit the availability of ingredients critical to our restaurant operations and have a significant impact on results. In particular, adverse weather or crop disease affecting the California tomato crop could disrupt the supply of pizza sauce to our and our franchisees’ restaurants. Insolvency of key suppliers could also cause similar business interruptions and negatively impact our business.

Natural disasters, hostilities, social unrest and other catastrophic events may disrupt our operations or supply chain.

The occurrence of a natural disaster, hostilities, cyber-attack, social unrest, terrorist activity, outbreak of epidemic, pandemic or contagious disease, such as coronavirus, or other catastrophic events may result in the closure of our restaurants (Company-owned or franchised), our corporate office, any of our QC Centers or the facilities of our suppliers, and can adversely affect consumer spending, consumer confidence levels and supply availability and costs, any of which could materially adversely affect our resultsability to market our products effectively.

We rely on a variety of operations.

For example, we are currently susceptible to risks to our operations from the outbreak of the coronavirusdirect marketing techniques, including email, text messages, social media and postal mailings. Any future restrictions in China.  We currently have approximately 50 franchised stores closed in our China market due to the impact of the coronavirus.  Although the impact offederal, state or foreign laws regarding marketing and solicitation or Domestic or International data protection laws that govern these stores is not currently material to our results of operations, at this point in time, there is significant uncertainty relating to the potential effect of coronavirus on our business.  Infections may become more widespread, including to other countries where we have operations, and travel restrictions may remain or worsen, all of which could lead to lower sales, widespread store closures or delays in our supply chain, which could have a negative impact on our business and operating results.

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Changes in purchasing practices by our domestic franchisees could harm our commissary business.

Although our domestic franchisees currently purchase substantially all food products from our QC Centers, the only required QC Center purchases by franchisees are pizza sauce, dough and other items we may designate as proprietary or integral to our system. Any changes in purchasing practices by domestic franchisees, such as seeking alternative approved suppliers of ingredients or other food products,activities could adversely affect the financial resultscontinuing effectiveness of our QC Centersemail, text messages, social media and the Company.

Our current insurance may not be adequatepostal mailing techniques and we may experience claims in excess of our reserves.

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability, property, and health insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention levels under our retention programs. Retention limits generally range from $100,000 to $1.0 million. These insurance programs may not be adequate to protect us, and it may be difficult or impossible to obtain additional coverage or maintain current coverage at a reasonable cost. We also have experienced claims volatility and high costs for our insurance programs.  We estimate loss reserves based on historical trends, actuarial assumptions and other data available to us, but we may not be able to accurately estimate reserves. If we experience claims in excess of our projections, our business could be negatively impacted.  Our franchisees could be similarly impacted by higher claims experience, hurting both their operating results and/or limiting their ability to maintain adequate insurance coverage at a reasonable cost.

Our international operations are subject to increased risks and other factors that may make it more difficult to achieve or maintain profitability or meet planned growth rates.

Our international operations could be negatively impacted by volatility and instability in international economic, political, security or health conditions in the countries in which the Company or our franchisees operate, especially in emerging markets. In addition, there are risks associated with differing business and social cultures and consumer preferences. We may face limited availability for restaurant locations, higher location costs and difficulties in franchisee selection and financing. We may be subject to difficulties in sourcing and importing high-quality ingredients (and ensuring food safety) in a cost-effective manner, hiring and retaining qualified team members, marketing effectively and adequately investing in information technology, especially in emerging markets.

Our international operations are also subject to additional risk factors, including import and export controls, compliance with anti-corruption and other foreign laws, difficulties enforcing intellectual property and contract rights in foreign jurisdictions, and the imposition of increased or new tariffs or trade barriers. We intend to continue to expand internationally, which would make the risks related to our international operations more significant over time.

Our international results, which are completely franchised, depend heavily on the operating capabilities and financial strength of our franchisees. Anyforce changes in the ability of our franchisees to run their stores profitably in accordance with our operating procedures, or to effectively sub-franchise stores, could result in brand damage, a higher number of restaurant closures and a reduction in the number of new restaurant openings.  

Sales made by our franchisees in international markets and certain loans we provide to such franchisees are denominated in their local currencies, and fluctuations in the U.S. dollar occur relative to the local currencies. Accordingly, changes in currency exchange rates will cause our revenues, investment income and operating results to fluctuate. We have not historically hedged our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. Our international revenues and earnings may be adversely impacted as the U.S. dollar rises against foreign currencies because the local currency will translate into fewer U.S. dollars.  Additionally, the value of certain assets or loans denominated in local currencies may deteriorate. Other items denominated in U.S. dollars, including product imports or loans, may also become more expensive, putting pressure on franchisees’ cash flows.

We are subject to risks and uncertainties associated with the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (referred to as “Brexit”), including implications for the free flow of labor and goods in the United Kingdom and the European Union and other financial, legal, tax and trade implications.

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Adverse global economic conditions subject us to additional risk.

Our financial condition and results of operations are impacted by global markets and economic conditions over which neither we nor our franchisees have control. An economic downturn, including deterioration in the economic conditions in the U.S. or international markets where we compete, may result in a reduction in the demand for our products, longer payment cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition.

Poor economic conditions may adversely affect the ability of our franchisees to pay royalties or amounts owed and could also disrupt our business and adversely affect our results.

We are subject to debt covenant restrictions.

Our credit agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants, including financial covenants.marketing strategies. If a covenant violationthis occurs, or is expected to occur, we would be required to seek a waiver or amendment from the lenders under the credit agreement.  The failure to obtain a waiver or amendment on a timely basis would result in our inability to borrow additional funds or obtain letters of credit under our credit agreement and allow the lenders under our credit agreement to declare our loan obligations due and payable, require us to cash collateralize outstanding letters of credit or increase our interest rate. If any of the foregoing events occur, we would need to refinance our debt, or renegotiate or restructure, the terms of the credit agreement.

With our indebtedness, we may have reduced availability of cash flow for other purposes. Increases in interest rates would also increase our debt service costs and could materially impact our profitability as well as the profitability of our franchisees.

Current debt levels under our existing credit facility may reduce available cash flow to plan for or react to business changes, changes in the industry or any general adverse economic conditions.  Under our credit facility, we are exposed to variable interest rates.  We have entered into interest rate swaps that fix a significant portion of our variable interest rate risk.  However, by using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we also expose ourselves to credit risk. Credit risk is due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.  

Higher inflation, and a related increase in costs, including rising interest rates, could also impact our franchisees and their ability to open new restaurants or operate existing restaurants profitably.

In addition, the loans under our credit facility accrue interest at a per annum rate that may include, at the Company’s election, a spread over the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). In July 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced its intention to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of any changes to LIBOR, any phase out of LIBOR or any establishment of alternative benchmark rates. At this time, no consensus exists as to what rate or rates will become accepted alternatives to LIBOR, and it is impossible to predict whether and to what extent banks will continue to provide LIBOR submissions to the administrator of LIBOR, whether LIBOR rates will cease to be published or supported before or after 2021 or whether any additional reforms to LIBOR may be enacted in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Such developments and any other legal or regulatory changes in the method by which LIBOR is determined or the transition from LIBOR to a successor benchmark may result in, among other things, a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in LIBOR, a delay in the publication of LIBOR, and changes in the rules or methodologies applied in calculating LIBOR, which may discourage market participants from continuing to administer or to participate in LIBOR’s determination and, in certain situations, could result in LIBOR no longer being determined and published. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, is considering replacing U.S.-dollar LIBOR with the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or "SOFR", a new index calculated by short-term repurchase agreements, backed by Treasury securities. At this time, it is not possible to definitively predict the effect of any changes to LIBOR, any phase out of LIBOR or any establishment of alternative benchmark rates, including SOFR. If LIBOR ceases to exist, we may need to amenddevelop alternative marketing strategies, which may not be as effective and could impact the termsamount and timing of our credit facility or any future credit agreements extending beyond 2021 and indexed to LIBOR to replace LIBOR with SOFR or such other standard that is established, which could have a material adverse effect on us, including on our cost of funds, access to capital markets and financial results.

revenues.

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Increasingly complex laws and regulations could adversely affect our business.

We operate in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and the cost of regulatory compliance is increasing. Our failure, or the failure of any of our franchisees, to comply with applicable U.S. and international labor, health care, food, health and safety, consumer protection, anti-bribery and corruption, competition, environmental and other laws may result in civil and criminal liability, damages, fines and penalties. Enforcement of existing laws and regulations, changes in legal requirements, and/or evolving interpretations of existing regulatory requirements may result in increased compliance costs and create other obligations, financial or otherwise, that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Increased regulatory scrutiny of food matters and product marketing claims, and increased litigation and enforcement actions may increase compliance and legal costs and create other obligations that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Governments may also impose requirements and restrictions that impact our business. For example, some local government agencies have implemented ordinances that restrict the sale of certain food or drink products.

Compliance with new or additional domestic and international government laws or regulations, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which became effective in May 2018 could increase costs for compliance.  These laws and regulations are increasing in complexity and number, change frequently and increasingly conflict among the various countries in which we operate, which has resulted in greater compliance risk and costs. If we fail to comply with these laws or regulations, we could be subject to reputational damage and significant litigation, monetary damages, regulatory enforcement actions or fines in various jurisdictions. For example, a failure to comply with the GDPR could result in fines up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues.  

Higher labor costs, and increased competition for qualified team members increase the cost of doing business and ensuring adequate staffing in our restaurants.restaurants and QC Centers increase the cost of doing business. Additionally, changes in employment and labor laws, including health care legislation and minimum wage increases, could increase costs for our system-wide operations.

Our success depends in part on our and our franchisees’ ability to recruit, motivate, train and retain a qualified workforce to work in our restaurants in an intensely competitive environment. We and our franchisees have experienced, and could continue to experience, a shortage of labor for restaurant positions due to job market trends and conditions, which could decrease the pool of available qualified talent for key functions. Our ability to attract and retain hourly employees in our restaurants has been impacted by these trends and conditions, and we expect staffing and labor challenges to continue into 2023. Increased costs associated with recruiting, motivating and retaining qualified employees to work in Company-owned and franchised restaurants have had, and may in the future have, a negative impact on our Company-owned restaurant margins and the margins of franchised restaurants. Competition for qualified drivers for both our restaurants and supply-chain function also continues to increase as more companies compete for drivers or enter the delivery space, including third party aggregators. Additionally, economic actions, such as boycotts, protests, work stoppages or campaigns by labor organizations, could adversely affect us (including our ability to recruit and retain talent) or our franchisees and suppliers. Social media may be used to foster negative perceptions of employment with our Company in particular or in our industry generally, and to promote strikes or boycotts.

We are also subject to federal, state and foreign laws governing such matters as minimum wage requirements, overtime compensation, benefits, working conditions, citizenship requirements and discrimination and family and medical leave and employee related litigation. Labor costs and labor-related benefits are primary components in the cost of operation of our restaurants and QC Centers. Labor shortages, increased employee turnover and health care mandates could increase our system-wide labor costs.

A significant number of hourly personnel are paid at rates close toat or above the federal and state minimum wage requirements. Accordingly, the enactment of additional state or local minimum wage increases above federal wage rates or regulations related to exempt employees has increased and could continue to increase labor costs for our domesticDomestic system-wide
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operations.

We depend on A significant increase in the continued servicefederal minimum wage requirement could adversely impact our financial condition and availabilityresults of key management personnel, and failure to successfully execute succession planning and attract talented team members could harmoperations.

Additionally, while we do not currently have a unionized workforce, certain employees of other companies in our Company and brand.  

In August 2019, the Company appointed Robert Lynch to serve as Chief Executive Officer. In addition to the Chief Executive Officer succession in 2019, we executedindustry have recently become unionized. If a reorganizationsignificant portion of our management team in the fall of 2019.  If the new management team is not successful in executing our strategy, our operating resultscorporate or franchisee’s workforce were to become unionized, labor costs could increase and prospects for future growth

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may be adversely impacted.  Failure to effectively identify, develop and retain other key personnel, recruit high-quality candidates and ensure smooth management and personnel transitions could also disrupt our business could be negatively affected by union requirements that increase costs, disrupt business, reduce flexibility and adversely affect the employer-employee relationship.Further, corporate or franchisees’ response to any union organizing efforts could negatively impact how our results.

brand is perceived.

We rely on information technology to operate our businesses and maintain our competitiveness, and any failure to invest in or adapt to technological developments or industry trends could harm our business.

We rely heavily on information systems, including digital ordering solutions, through which over halfa majority of our domesticDomestic sales originate. We also rely heavily on point-of-sale processing in our Company-owned and franchised restaurants for data collection and payment systems for the collection of cash, credit and debit card transactions, and other processes and procedures. Our ability to efficiently and effectively manage our business depends on the reliability and capacity of these technology systems. In addition, we anticipate that consumers will continue to have more options to place orders digitally, both domestically and internationally. We plan to continue to invest in enhancing and improving the functionality and features of our information technology systems. However, we cannot ensure that our initiatives will be beneficial to the extent, or within the timeframes, expected or that the estimated improvements will be realized as anticipated or at all. Our failure to adequately invest in new technology and adapt to technological developments and industry trends, particularly our digital ordering capabilities, could result in a loss of customers and related market share. Notwithstanding adequate investment in new technology, our marketing and technology initiatives may not be successful in improving our comparable sales results. Additionally, we are in an environment where the technology life cycle is short and consumer technology demands are high, which requires continued reinvestment in technology whichthat will increase the cost of doing business and will increase the risk that our technology may not be customer centriccustomer-centric or could become obsolete, inefficient or otherwise incompatible with other systems.

We rely on our internationalInternational franchisees to maintain their own point-of-sale and online ordering systems, which are often purchased from third-party vendors, potentially exposing internationalInternational franchisees to more operational risk, including cyber and data privacy risks and governmental regulation compliance risks.

Company Risks
Our reorganization activities may increase our expenses, may not be successful, and may adversely impact employee hiring and retention.
We opened an office in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2021 and in February 2023, we announced a plan to sell our office building and campus in Louisville and move the office to a new location in Louisville. These plans could also impact the existing location of our QC Center in Louisville. As a result, we have incurred and will incur certain non-recurring corporate reorganization costs, and these expenses have impacted and could adversely impact our results of operations during the relevant period, reduce our cash position and/or result in an impairment risk related to these assets. Additionally, our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of our corporate reorganization are subject to assumptions and uncertainties. If we do not realize the anticipated benefits from these measures, or if we incur costs greater than anticipated, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.
In addition, turnover in our Atlanta, Louisville and Milton Keynes, UK, corporate office support teams could distract our employees, decrease employee morale, harm our reputation, and negatively impact the overall performance of our corporate support teams. As a result of these or other similar risks, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.
We may not be able to effectively market our products or maintain key marketing partnerships.
The success of our business depends on the effectiveness of our marketing and promotional plans. We may not be able to effectively execute our national or local marketing plans, particularly if we experienced lower sales that would result in reduced levels of marketing funds. In addition, our financial results may be harmed if our marketing, advertising, and promotional programs are less effective than those of our competitors, who may have greater resources which enable them to invest more than us in advertising. We may be required to expend additional funds to effectively improve consumer sentiment and sales, and we may also be required to engage in additional activities to retain customers or attract new
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customers to the brand. Such marketing expenses and promotional activities, which could include discounting our products, could adversely impact our results.
Spokespersons or marketing partners who endorse our products could take actions that harm their reputations, which could also cause harm to our brand. From time to time, in response to changes in the business environment and the audience share of marketing channels, we expect to reallocate marketing resources across social media and other channels. That reallocation may not be effective or as successful as the marketing and advertising allocations of our competitors, which could negatively impact the amount and timing of our revenues.
We may not be able to execute our strategy or achieve our planned growth targets, which could negatively impact our business and our financial results.
Our growth strategy depends on our and our franchisees’ ability to open new restaurants and to operate them on a profitable basis. We expect substantially all of our International unit growth and much of our Domestic unit growth to be franchised units. Accordingly, our profitability increasingly depends upon royalty revenues from franchisees. If our franchisees are not able to operate their businesses successfully under our franchised business model, our results could suffer. Additionally, we may fail to attract new qualified franchisees or existing franchisees may close underperforming locations. Planned growth targets and the ability to operate new and existing restaurants profitably are affected by economic, regulatory and competitive conditions and consumer buying habits. A decrease in sales, or increased commodity or operating costs, including, but not limited to, employee compensation and benefits or insurance costs, could slow the rate of new store openings or increase the number of store closings. Our business is susceptible to adverse changes in local, national and global economic conditions, which could make it difficult for us to meet our growth targets. Additionally, we or our franchisees may face challenges securing financing, finding suitable store locations at acceptable terms or securing required Domestic or foreign government permits and approvals. Declines in comparable sales, net store openings and related operating profits can impact our stock price. If we do not continue to grow future sales and operating results and meet our related growth targets or external expectations for net restaurant openings or our other strategic objectives in the future, our stock price could decline.
Our franchisees remain dependent on the availability of financing to remodel or renovate existing locations, upgrade systems and enhance technology, or construct and open new restaurants. From time to time, the Company may provide financing to certain franchisees and prospective franchisees in order to mitigate store closings, allow new units to open, or complete required upgrades. If we are unable or unwilling to provide such financing, which is a function of, among other things, prevailing interest rates and a franchisee’s creditworthiness, the number of new restaurant openings may be slower or the rate of closures may be higher than expected and our results of operations may be adversely impacted. To the extent we provide financing to franchisees, our results could be negatively impacted by negative performance of these franchisee loans.
Our dependence on a sole supplier or a limited number of suppliers for some ingredients and other supplies could result in disruptions to our business.
Domestic restaurants purchase substantially all food and related products from our QC Centers. We are dependent on Leprino Foods Dairy Products Company (“Leprino”) as our sole supplier for mozzarella cheese, one of our key ingredients. Leprino, one of the major pizza category suppliers of cheese in the United States, currently supplies all of our mozzarella cheese domestically and substantially all of our mozzarella cheese internationally. We also depend on a sole source for our supply of certain desserts and garlic sauce, which constitute less than 10% of our Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales. While we have no other sole sources of supply for key ingredients or menu items, we do source other key ingredients from a limited number of suppliers. While we strive to engage in a competitive bidding process for our ingredients, because certain of these ingredients, including meat products, may only be available from a limited number of vendors, we may not always be able to do so effectively. We may be subject to interruptions in supply or shortages of these items due to factors beyond our control or issues with our suppliers from time to time. Alternative sources of mozzarella cheese, desserts, other key ingredients or menu items may not be available on a timely basis or may not be available on terms as favorable to us as under our current arrangements.
Increase in ingredient and other operating costs, including those caused by weather, climate change, COVID-19 and food safety, could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our Company-owned and franchised restaurants could also be harmed by supply chain interruptions including those caused by factors beyond our control or the control of our suppliers. However, prolonged disruption in the supply of products from or to our QC Centers due to weather, climate change, natural disasters, COVID-19, crop disease, food safety incidents, regulatory compliance, labor dispute or interruption of service by carriers could increase costs, limit the availability of
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ingredients critical to our restaurant operations and have a significant impact on results. Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including related to global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients, energy and other materials throughout our supply chain. In particular, adverse weather or crop disease affecting the California tomato crop could disrupt the supply of pizza sauce to our and our franchisees’ restaurants. Insolvency of key suppliers could also cause similar business interruptions and negatively impact our business.
We rely on third parties for certain business processes and services, and failure or inability of such third-party vendors to perform subjects us to risks, including business disruption and increased costs.
We depend on the performance of suppliers, aggregators and other third parties in our business operations. Third-party business processes we utilize include information technology, gift card authorization and processing, other payment processing, benefits, and other accounting and business services. We conduct third-party due diligence and seek to obtain contractual assurance that our vendors will maintain adequate controls, such as adequate security against data breaches. However, the failure of our suppliers to maintain adequate controls or comply with our expectations and standards could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.
Changes in purchasing practices by our Domestic franchisees, or prolonged disruptions in our QC Center operations, could harm our commissary business.
Although our Domestic franchisees currently purchase substantially all food products from our QC Centers, the only required QC Center purchases by franchisees are pizza sauce, dough and other items we may designate as proprietary or integral to our system. Any changes in purchasing practices by Domestic franchisees, such as seeking alternative approved suppliers of ingredients or other food products, could adversely affect the financial results of our QC Centers and the Company. In addition, any prolonged disruption in the operations of any of our QC facilities, whether due to technical, systems, operational or labor difficulties, destruction or damage to the facility, real estate issues, limited capacity or other reasons, could adversely affect our business and operating results.
Our current insurance may not be adequate and we may experience claims in excess of our reserves.
Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability, property, and health insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention levels under our retention programs. Retention limits generally range up to $0.5 million. These insurance programs may not be adequate to protect us, and it may be difficult or impossible to obtain additional coverage or maintain current coverage at a reasonable cost. We also have experienced claims volatility and high costs for our insurance programs. We estimate loss reserves based on historical trends, actuarial assumptions and other data available to us, but we may not be able to accurately estimate reserves. If we experience claims in excess of our projections, our business could be negatively impacted. Our franchisees could be similarly impacted by higher claims experience, hurting both their operating results and/or limiting their ability to maintain adequate insurance coverage at a reasonable cost.
Risks Related to our Indebtedness
We have incurred substantial debt obligations, which could adversely affect our financial condition, and we may be able to incur substantially more indebtedness, including secured debt, and take other actions that could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness or affect our ability to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness.
Our outstanding debt as of December 25, 2022 was $605.0 million, which was comprised of $400.0 million outstanding under our 3.875% senior notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) and $205.0 million under our revolving credit facility (the “PJI Revolving Facility”) that forms part of our amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”). We had approximately $395.0 million of remaining availability under the PJI Revolving Facility as of December 25, 2022.
Our substantial level of indebtedness could have important consequences, including the following:
require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, growth opportunities, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
increase our vulnerability to and limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business, the industry in which we operate, regulatory and economic conditions;
expose us to the risk of increased interest rates as borrowings under our Amended Credit Agreement will be subject to variable rates of interest;
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increase our vulnerability to a downgrade of our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, liquidity and access to capital markets;
place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and
limit our ability to borrow additional funds.
We expect to fund our expenses and to pay the principal of and interest on our indebtedness from cash flow from operations. Our ability to meet our expenses and to pay principal of and interest on our indebtedness when due thus depends on our future performance, which will be affected by financial, business, economic and other factors. We will not be able to control many of these factors, such as economic conditions in the markets where we operate and pressure from competitors.
In addition, subject to restrictions in the agreements governing our existing and future indebtedness, we may be able to incur substantially more indebtedness in the future, resulting in higher leverage. The Indenture and the Amended Credit Agreement allow us to incur additional indebtedness, including secured debt. Such additional indebtedness may be substantial. Our ability to recapitalize, incur additional debt and take a number of other actions that are not prohibited by the Indenture or the Amended Credit Agreement could have the effect of exacerbating the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness or diminishing our ability to make payments on our indebtedness when due, which would reduce the availability of cash flow to fund acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures, other growth opportunities and other general corporate purposes.
The agreements governing our debt, including the Indenture governing our Notes and the Amended Credit Agreement, contain various covenants that impose restrictions on us.
The Indenture and the Amended Credit Agreement impose operating and financial restrictions on our activities. In particular, such agreements limit or prohibit our ability to, among other things:
incur additional indebtedness;
make certain investments;
sell assets, including capital stock of certain subsidiaries;
declare or pay dividends, repurchase or redeem stock or make other distributions to stockholders;
consolidate, merge, liquidate or dissolve;
enter into transactions with our affiliates; and
incur liens.
In addition, our Amended Credit Agreement requires us to maintain compliance with specified leverage ratios under certain circumstances. Our ability to comply with these provisions may be affected by our business performance or events beyond our control, and these provisions could limit our ability to plan for or react to market conditions, meet capital needs or otherwise conduct our business activities and plans.
These restrictions on our ability to operate our business could seriously harm our business by, among other things, limiting our ability to take advantage of financing, merger and acquisition and other corporate opportunities.
Furthermore, various risks, uncertainties and events beyond our control could affect our ability to comply with these covenants. Failure to comply with any of the covenants in our existing or future financing agreements could result in a default under those agreements and under other agreements containing cross-default or cross-acceleration provisions, and could increase the costs of availability of credit for us. Such a default would permit lenders to accelerate the maturity of the debt under these agreements and to foreclose upon any collateral securing the debt. Under these circumstances, we might not have sufficient funds or other resources to satisfy all of our obligations. In addition, the limitations imposed by financing agreements on our ability to incur additional debt and to take other actions might significantly impair our ability to obtain other financing. We cannot assure you that we will be granted waivers or amendments to these agreements if for any reason we are unable to comply with these agreements or that we will be able to refinance our debt on terms acceptable to us, or at all.
We are exposed to variable interest rates under our Amended Credit Agreement, and increases in interest rates would also increase our debt service costs and could materially impact our profitability.
We are exposed to variable interest rates under the Amended Credit Agreement. We have entered into interest rate swaps that fix a portion of our variable interest rate risk. However, by using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we also expose ourselves to credit risk. Credit risk is due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.
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General Risks
Natural disasters, hostilities, social unrest, severe weather and other catastrophic events may disrupt our operations or supply chain.
The occurrence of a natural disaster, hostilities, cyber-attack, social unrest, terrorist activity, outbreak of epidemic, pandemic or other contagious disease, power outages, severe weather (such as tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, floods, heat waves, etc.) or other catastrophic events may disrupt our operations or supply chain and result in the closure of our restaurants (Company-owned or franchised), our corporate offices, any of our QC Centers or the facilities of our suppliers, and can adversely affect consumer spending, consumer confidence levels and supply availability and costs, any of which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
Climate change may have an adverse impact on our business.
We operate in 48 countries globally and recognize that there are inherent climate-related risks wherever business is conducted. For example, as we noted above, the supply and price of our food ingredients can be affected by multiple factors, such as weather and water supply quality and availability, which factors may be caused by or exacerbated by climate change. While we believe this geographic diversity is likely to lessen the impact of individual climate change related events on our financial results, our restaurants and operations may nonetheless be vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, which are predicted to increase the frequency and severity of weather events and other natural cycles such as wildfires and droughts. Such events have the potential to disrupt our and our franchisees’ operations, cause store closures, disrupt the business of our third-party suppliers and impact our customers, all of which may cause us to suffer losses and additional costs to maintain or resume operations.
Increasingly complex laws and regulations could adversely affect our business.
We operate in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and the cost of regulatory compliance is increasing. Our failure, or the failure of any of our franchisees, to comply with applicable U.S. and international labor, health care, food, health and safety, consumer protection, franchise, anti-bribery and corruption, competition, environmental, and other laws may result in civil and criminal liability, damages, fines and penalties. Enforcement of existing laws and regulations, changes in legal requirements, and/or evolving interpretations of existing regulatory requirements may result in increased compliance costs and create other obligations, financial or otherwise, that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Increased regulatory scrutiny of food matters, online advertising, product marketing claims, and increased litigation and enforcement actions may increase compliance and legal costs and create other obligations that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Governments may also impose requirements and restrictions that impact our business. For example, some local government agencies have implemented ordinances that restrict the sale of certain food and drink products, or the type of packaging and utensils that may be used.
Compliance with new or additional Domestic and International government laws or regulations, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), and several other data privacy and biometric laws adopted by U.S. states, which could increase costs for compliance. These laws and regulations are increasing in complexity and number, change frequently and increasingly conflict among the various states and countries in which we operate, which has resulted in greater compliance risk and costs. If we fail to comply with these laws or regulations, it could damage our brand and subject the Company to reputational damage, significant litigation, monetary damages, regulatory enforcement actions or fines in various jurisdictions. For example, a failure to comply with the GDPR could result in fines up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues.
There also has been increased stakeholder focus, including by US and foreign governmental authorities, investors, media and nongovernmental organizations, on environmental sustainability matters, such as climate change, the reduction of greenhouse gases and water consumption. Legislative, regulatory or other efforts to combat climate change or other environmental concerns could result in future increases in taxes, restrictions on or increases in the costs of supplies, transportation and utilities, any of which could increase our operating costs and those of our franchisees, and necessitate future investments in facilities and equipment. These risks also include the increased pressure to make commitments, set targets, or establish additional goals to take actions to meet them, which could expose us and our franchisees to market, operational, execution and reputational costs or risks. These initiatives or goals could be difficult and expensive to implement, the technologies needed to implement them may not be cost effective and may not advance at a sufficient pace, and we could be criticized for the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of any disclosure.
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In addition to the changing rules and regulations related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters imposed by governmental and self-regulatory organizations such as the SEC and the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, a variety of third-party organizations and institutional investors evaluate the performance of companies on ESG topics, and the results of these assessments are widely publicized. These changing rules, regulations and stakeholder expectations have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and increased management time and attention spent complying with or meeting such regulations and expectations. Further, statements about our ESG-related initiatives and goals, and progress against those goals, may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future.
Disruptions of our critical business or information technology systems could harm our ability to compete and conduct our business.

Our critical business and information technology systems have in the past and could in the future be damaged or interrupted by power loss, various technological failures, user errors, cyber-attacks, ransomware sabotage or acts of God. In particular, the Company and our franchisees may experiencehave experienced occasional interruptions of our digital ordering solutions, which make online ordering unavailable or slow to respond, negatively impacting sales and the experience of our customers. If our digital ordering solutions do not perform with adequate speed and security, our customers may be less inclined to return to our digital ordering solutions.

Part of our technology infrastructure, such as our domesticDomestic point-of-sale system, is specifically designed for us and our operational systems, which could cause unexpected costs, delays or inefficiencies when infrastructure upgrades are needed or prolonged and widespread technological difficulties occur. Significant portions of our technology infrastructure, particularly in our digital ordering solutions, are provided by third parties, and the performance of these systems is largely beyond our control. Failure ofOccasionally, we have experienced or could experience temporary disruptions in our business due to third-party systems and backup systemsfailing to adequately perform,perform. Failure to manage future failures of these systems, particularly as our online sales grow, could harm our business and the satisfaction of our customers. Such third-party systems could be disrupted either through system failure or if third party vendor patents and contractual agreements do not afford us protection against similar technology. In addition, we may not have or be able to obtain adequate protection or insurance to mitigate the risks of these events or compensate for losses related to these events, which could damage our business and reputation and be expensive and difficult to remedy or repair.

We rely on third parties for certain business processes and services, and failure or inability of such third-party vendors to perform subjects us to risks, including business disruption and increased costs.

We depend on the performance of suppliers and other third parties in our business operations. Third-party business processes we utilize include information technology, gift card authorization and processing, other payment processing, benefits, and other accounting and business services.  We conduct third-party due diligence and seek to obtain contractual assurance that our vendors will maintain adequate controls, such as adequate security against data breaches.  However, the

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failure of our suppliers to maintain adequate controls or comply with our expectations and standards could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Failure to maintain the integrity of internal or customer data could result in damage to our reputation, loss of sales, and/or subject us to litigation, penalties or significant costs.

We are subject to a number of privacy and data protection laws and regulations. We collect and retain of large volumes of internal and customer data, including credit card data and other personally identifiable information of our employees and customers housed in the various information systems we use. Constantly changing information security threats, particularly persistent cyber security threats, pose risks to the security of our systems and networks, and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data and the availability and integrity of our critical business functions. As techniques used in cyber-attacks evolve, we may not be able to timely detect threats or anticipate and implement adequate security measures. The integrity and protection of the customer, employee, franchisee and Company data are critical to us. Our information technology systems and databases, and those provided by our third-party vendors, including international vendors, have been and will continue to be subject to computer viruses, malware attacks, unauthorized user attempts, phishing and denial of service and other malicious cyber-attacks. The failure to prevent fraud or security breaches or to adequately invest in data security could harm our business and revenues due to the reputational damage to our brand. Such a breach could also result in litigation, regulatory actions, penalties, and other significant costs to us and have a material adverse effect on our financial results. These costs could be significant and well in excess of, or not covered by, our cyber insurance coverage.

We have been and will continue to be subject to various types of investigations and litigation, including collective and class action litigation, which could subject us to significant damages or other remedies.

We are subject to the risk of investigations and litigation from various parties, including vendors, customers, franchisees, state and federal agencies, stockholders and employees. From time to time, we are involved in a number of lawsuits, claims, investigations, and proceedings consisting of securities, antitrust, intellectual property, employment, consumer, personal injury, corporate governance, commercial and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business.

We have been subject to claims in cases containing collective and class action allegations. Plaintiffs in these types of lawsuits often seek recovery of very large or indeterminate amounts, and the magnitude of the potential loss and defense costs relating to such lawsuits may not be accurately estimated. Litigation trends involving personal injury, employment
20


law, intellectual property, data privacy, and the relationship between franchisors and franchisees may increase our cost of doing business. We evaluate all of the claims and proceedings involving us to assess the expected outcome, and where possible, we estimate the amount of potential losses to us. In many cases, particularly collective and class action cases, we may not be able to estimate the amount of potential losses and/or our estimates may prove to be insufficient. These assessments are made by management based on the information available at the time made and require the use of a significant amount of judgment, and actual outcomes or losses may materially differ. Regardless of whether any claims against us are valid, or whether we are ultimately held liable, such litigation may be expensive to defend and may divert resources away from our operations and negatively impact earnings. Further, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance to protect us from these types of litigation matters or extraordinary business losses.

We may be subject to harassment or discrimination claims and legal proceedings. Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct policies prohibit harassment and discrimination in the workplace, in sexual or in any other form. To monitor and enforce these policies, we have ongoing programs for workplace training and compliance, and we investigate and take disciplinary action with respect to alleged violations. Nevertheless, actions by our team members could violate those policies.Franchisees and suppliers are also required to comply with all applicable laws and govern themselves with integrity. Any violations (or perceptions thereof) by our franchisees or suppliers could have a negative impact on consumer perceptions of us and our business and create reputational or other harm to the Company.

We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, which could negatively affect our results of operations.

We depend on the Papa John’s brand name and rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, copyrights, and similar intellectual property rights to protect and promote our brand. We believe the success of our business depends on our

24

Table of Contents

continued ability to exclusively use our existing marks to increase brand awareness and further develop our brand, both domestically and abroad. We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, and we may be required to pursue litigation to prevent consumer confusion and preserve our brand’s high-quality reputation. Litigation could result in high costs and diversion of resources, which could negatively affect our results of operations, regardless of the outcome.

We may be subject to impairment charges.

Impairment charges are possible due to the nature and timing of decisions we make about underperforming assets or markets, or if previously opened or acquired restaurants perform below our expectations. This could result in a decrease in our reported asset value and reduction in our net income.

We operate globally and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our results.

We operate globally and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our results. We have international operations and generate substantial revenues and profits in foreign jurisdictions. The domesticDomestic and internationalInternational tax environments continue to evolve as a result of tax changes in various jurisdictions in which we operate and changes in the tax laws in certain countries, including the United States, could impact our future net income.

operating results. A significant increase in the U.S. corporate tax rate could negatively impact our financial results.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

As of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, there were 5,395 5,706Papa John’s restaurants worldwide. The following tables provide the locations of our restaurants. We define “North America” as the United States and Canada and “domestic”“Domestic” as the contiguous United States.

25

21

Table of Contents


North America Restaurants:

Company (a)
FranchisedTotal
Alabama88 91
Alaska— 10 10
Arizona— 67 67
Arkansas— 28 28
California— 175 175
Colorado— 47 47
Connecticut— 5
Delaware— 17 17
District of Columbia— 10 10
Florida41 259 300
Georgia90 98 188
Hawaii— 17 17
Idaho— 14 14
Illinois72 80
Indiana44 92 136
Iowa— 24 24
Kansas16 19 35
Kentucky42 64 106
Louisiana— 60 60
Maine— 3
Maryland60 42 102
Massachusetts— 7
Michigan— 32 32
Minnesota— 35 35
Mississippi— 34 34
Missouri41 27 68
Montana— 9
Nebraska— 13 13
Nevada— 25 25
New Hampshire— 3
New Jersey— 54 54
New Mexico— 17 17
New York— 85 85
North Carolina104 80 184
North Dakota— 10 10
Ohio— 161 161
Oklahoma— 36 36
Oregon— 14 14
Pennsylvania— 84 84
Rhode Island— 2
South Carolina77 86
South Dakota— 10 10
Tennessee38 80 118
Texas— 302 302
Utah— 32 32
Virginia26 119 145
Washington— 43 43
West Virginia— 23 23
Wisconsin— 25 25
Wyoming— 8
Total U.S. Papa John’s Restaurants5222,6583,180
Canada— 196 196
Total North America Papa John’s Restaurants5222,8543,376
______________________________

    

Company

    

Franchised

    

Total

 

Alabama

 

3

 

77

 

80

Alaska

 

 

11

 

11

Arizona

 

 

69

 

69

Arkansas

 

 

26

 

26

California

 

 

184

 

184

Colorado

 

 

46

 

46

Connecticut

 

 

5

 

5

Delaware

 

 

17

 

17

District of Columbia

 

 

11

 

11

Florida

 

39

 

246

 

285

Georgia

 

82

 

91

 

173

Hawaii

 

 

14

 

14

Idaho

 

 

14

 

14

Illinois

 

8

 

75

 

83

Indiana

 

43

 

92

 

135

Iowa

 

 

24

 

24

Kansas

 

15

 

19

 

34

Kentucky

 

44

 

67

 

111

Louisiana

 

 

59

 

59

Maine

 

 

3

 

3

Maryland

 

60

 

42

 

102

Massachusetts

 

 

8

 

8

Michigan

 

 

36

 

36

Minnesota

 

 

35

 

35

Mississippi

 

 

30

 

30

Missouri

 

42

 

29

 

71

Montana

 

 

9

 

9

Nebraska

 

 

13

 

13

Nevada

 

 

24

 

24

New Hampshire

 

 

2

 

2

New Jersey

 

 

52

 

52

New Mexico

 

 

16

 

16

New York

 

 

83

 

83

North Carolina

 

100

 

81

 

181

North Dakota

 

 

9

 

9

Ohio

 

 

161

 

161

Oklahoma

 

 

36

 

36

Oregon

 

 

13

 

13

Pennsylvania

 

 

79

 

79

Rhode Island

 

 

4

 

4

South Carolina

 

8

 

71

 

79

South Dakota

 

 

13

 

13

Tennessee

 

34

 

81

 

115

Texas

 

94

 

216

 

310

Utah

 

 

32

 

32

Virginia

 

26

 

120

 

146

Washington

 

 

43

 

43

West Virginia

 

 

22

 

22

Wisconsin

 

 

25

 

25

Wyoming

 

 

9

 

9

Total U.S. Papa John’s Restaurants

 

598

 

2,544

 

3,142

Canada

 

 

146

 

146

Total North America Papa John’s Restaurants

 

598

 

2,690

 

3,288

26

Table of Contents(a)

International Restaurants:

Franchised

Azerbaijan

9

    

Bahamas

3

Bahrain

19

Belarus

21

Bolivia

5

Cayman Islands

2

Chile

105

China

210

Colombia

50

Costa Rica

29

Cyprus

8

Dominican Republic

19

Ecuador

19

Egypt

54

El Salvador

25

France

4

Guam

3

Guatemala

14

Iraq

1

Ireland

80

Israel

3

Kazakhstan

6

Korea

170

Kuwait

45

Kyrgyzstan

3

Mexico

100

Morocco

6

Netherlands

28

Nicaragua

4

Oman

8

Pakistan

5

Panama

12

Peru

45

Philippines

18

Poland

6

Portugal

1

Puerto Rico

27

Qatar

25

Russia

197

Saudi Arabia

38

Spain

67

Trinidad

9

Tunisia

9

Turkey

64

United Arab Emirates

46

United Kingdom

446

Venezuela

39

Total International Papa John’s Restaurants

2,107

27

Table of Contents

Company-owned Papa John’s restaurants include restaurantsrestaurants owned by majority-owned subsidiaries. There were 19298 such restaurants at December 29, 201925, 2022 (60 in Maryland, 94 in Texas, 26 in Virginia, and 12 in Georgia)Georgia).

22


International Restaurants:
Franchised
Azerbaijan13 
Bahrain21 
Bolivia
Cambodia
Cayman Islands
Chile148 
China262 
Colombia56 
Costa Rica51 
Cyprus
Dominican Republic19 
Ecuador29 
Egypt74 
El Salvador36 
Germany15 
Guam
Guatemala33 
Honduras
Iraq
Ireland80 
Israel25 
Kazakhstan
Kuwait35 
Kyrgyzstan
Mexico57 
Morocco
Netherlands32 
Nicaragua
Oman21 
Pakistan18 
Panama32 
Peru51 
Philippines15 
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico26 
Qatar50 
Saudi Arabia20 
South Korea241 
Spain88 
Trinidad
Tunisia11 
Turkey62 
United Arab Emirates82 
United Kingdom532 
Venezuela23 
Total International Papa John’s Restaurants2,330 
23


Most Papa John’s Company-owned restaurants are located in leased space. The initial term of most domesticDomestic restaurant leases is five years with most leases providing for one or more options to renew for at least one additional term. Generally, the leases are triple net leases, which require us to pay all or a portion of the cost of insurance, taxes and utilities. As a result of assigning our interest in obligations under property leases as a condition of the refranchising of certain restaurants, we are also contingently liable for payment of approximately 122 domestic53 Domestic leases.

Our corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia, is located in a leased space. Nine of our 12 North America QC Centers are located in leased space.  Ourspaces, with the remaining three locations areQC Centers located in buildings we own. Additionally, ourOur corporate headquartersoffice and our printing operations located in Louisville, KY are in buildings owned by us.

We also maintain a Company-owned office and a full-service QC Center outside of London, UK, where our International operations are managed.

At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, we leased and subleased approximately 380442 Papa John’s restaurant sites to franchisees in the United Kingdom.UK. The initial lease terms on the franchised sites in the United KingdomUK are generally 1015 years. The Company has the option to 15 years.negotiate an extension toward the end of the lease term at the landlord’s discretion. The initial lease terms of the franchisee subleases are generally five to ten years. We own a full-service QC Center in the United Kingdom.  See “Note 4”3. Leases” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The Company is involvedinformation contained in a number of lawsuits, claims, investigations“Note 19. Litigation, Commitments and proceedings, consisting of intellectual property, employment, consumer, commercial and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 450, “Contingencies,” the Company has made accruals with respect to these matters, where appropriate, which are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. We review these provisions at least quarterly and adjust these provisions to reflect the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular case.  We also are a defendant in a securities class action lawsuit.  See “Note 22”Contingencies” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

None.

28

None.

Table of Contents

Information about ourAbout Our Executive Officers

Set forth below are the current executive officers of Papa John’s:

Name
Age (a)
PositionFirst Elected
Executive Officer
Robert M. Lynch46President and Chief Executive Officer2019
Ann B. Gugino50Chief Financial Officer2020
Amanda Clark43Chief International and Development Officer2020
Caroline M. Oyler57Chief Legal and Risk Officer and Corporate Secretary2018
C. Max Wetzel (b)
46Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer2019
(a)Ages are as of January 1, 2023
(b) On February 6, 2023, Mr. Wetzel notified the Company of his intention to resign from his position with the Company, effective March 17, 2023, to assume a chief executive officer position with another company.

First Elected

Name

Age

Position

Executive Officer

Robert M. Lynch

43

President and Chief Executive Officer

2019

Joseph H. Smith IV

56

Chief Financial Officer

2018

Marvin Boakye

46

Chief People and Diversity Officer

2019

James A. Norberg

54

Chief Operating Officer

2019

Amanda Clark

40

Chief Development Officer

2020

Caroline M. Oyler

54

Chief Legal and Risk Officer

2018

Jack H. Swaysland

55

Chief Operating Officer, International

2018

C. Max Wetzel

43

Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer

2019

Steven R. Coke

41

Vice President of Investor Relations and Strategy

2020

(a) Ages are as of January 1, 2020

Robert M. Lynch was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2019. Mr. Lynch joinsjoined Papa John’s fromafter serving as President of Arby’s Restaurant Group where he served as President since August 2017, and served as Brand President and Chief Marketing Officer from August 2013 to August 2017. Prior to Arby’s, he served as Vice President of Marketing at Taco Bell. Mr. Lynch has more than 20 years combined experience in the QSR and consumer packaged goods industries, and also held senior roles at HJ Heinz Company and Procter & Gamble.

Ann B. Gugino

Joseph H. Smith was appointed to Chief Financial Officer in April 2018 after servingOctober 2020. Ms. Gugino joined Papa John’s from Target Corporation where she served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Global SalesFinancing Planning and Development from 2016Analysis since 2018, providing overall strategy, guidance, and direction in the development and execution of Target’s planning, analysis and capital investment portfolios. Prior to April 2018 andTarget, Ms. Gugino spent 18 years at Patterson Companies Inc., including four years as Executive Vice President Global Sales and Development from 2010 to 2016. Mr. Smith served as Vice President of Corporate Finance from 2005 to 2010 and as Senior Director of Corporate Budgeting and Finance from 2000 to 2005. Prior to joining Papa John's, Mr. Smith served as Corporate Controller for United Catalysts, Inc. from 1998 to 2000. Mr. Smith began his career in public accounting in 1985 at Ernst & Young. Mr. Smith is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.  On November 6, 2019, the Company announced that Mr. Smith intends to depart the Company in March 2020.  The Company is currently searching for his successor.

Chief Financial Officer.

Amanda Clark

Marvin Boakye was appointed Chief PeopleInternational and DiversityDevelopment Officer in November 2019May 2022 after previously serving as Papa John’s first Chief PeopleDevelopment Officer since January 2019. Mr. Boakye joinedjoining Papa John’s after serving as Vice President of Human Resources at petroleum company Andeavor, in Texas where he also led diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to Andeavor, he was Chief Human Resources Officer for MTS Allstream, a telecommunications company now part of Bell Canada from June 2015 to March 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Boakye held senior human resources positions for organizations across the United States, Canada and Latin America, including at Goodyear and the Pulte Group, where he also helped start their diversity and inclusion organizations, as well as at The Home Depot.

Amanda Clarkwas appointed as Chief Development OfficerJohns in February 2020. Ms. Clark joinsjoined Papa John’sJohns from Taco Bell where she was responsible for design, consumer facing technology, merchandising, customer marketing, new concepts and company development, servingserved as Executive Vice President of Restaurant Experience from February 2019 to February 2020, 2020. She also served as

24


Senior Vice President, North America Development from May 2017 to February 2019 and the General Manager2019. In addition, Ms. Clark served as general manager for Taco Bell Canada from November 2015 to August 2018. Previously, Ms. Clark served in roles of increasing responsibility in Brand Marketing at Taco Bell since 2013.Canada. Prior to joining Taco Bell, Amandashe worked at Procter and Gamble in various marketing roles for nearly 12 years on some of P&G&G’s biggest brands, includingsuch as Olay, Pampers and Oral-B.

29

Table of Contents

James H. Norberg was named Chief Operating Officer, North America in November 2019 after serving as Chief Restaurant Operations Officer since July 2019. Mr. Norberg, a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry veteran, spent more than 30 years of his career at McDonald’s. His most recent role there was Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer from 2014 to 2015, where he managed operations for 14,000 U.S. restaurants. After his long tenure at McDonald’s, Norberg served as an independent strategic advisor from 2015 to 2019 to organizations in the restaurant, hospitality, entertainment and consumer goods categories. He serves as a member of the board of directors for Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s premier nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer workplace equality.

Caroline M. Oyler was appointed Corporate Secretary in July 2020 and Chief Legal and& Risk Officer in October 2018. Ms. Oyler previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer from May 2018 to October 2018 and Senior Vice President, General Counsel from May 2014 to May 2018. Additionally, Ms. Oyler served as Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs from November 2012 to May 2014.  She joined2014 and as Vice President and Senior Counsel since joining the Company’s legal department in 1999. She also served as interim head of Human Resources from December 2008 to September 2009. Prior to joining Papa John’s,Johns, Ms. Oyler practiced law with the firm Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs LLP.

C. Max Wetzel

Jack H. Swaysland was appointed toExecutive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer International in May 2018 after serving as Senior Vice President, International since April 2016.2022. Mr. SwayslandWetzel previously served as Executive Vice President, InternationalChief Commercial Officer from April 2015 to April 2016, Regional Vice President, International from May 2013 to April 2015, and Vice President, International Operations from April 2010October 2021 to May 2013. Mr. Swaysland has served in various capacities of increasing responsibility in International Operations since joining the Company 13 years ago.

C. Max Wetzel was appointed2022 and as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer infrom November 2019.2019 to October 2021. Mr. Wetzel joinsjoined Papa John’sJohns from PPG Architectural Coatings where he served as Vice President Consumer Brands and Business Transformation – USU.S. and Canada sincefrom July 2018. Also at PPG, Mr. Wetzel served as Vice President Home Centers and Global Strategic Marketing from June 2016 through July 2018 and as General Manager Home Centers and Chief Marketing Officer USU.S. & Canada starting in November 2014. Prior to PPG, Mr. Wetzel worked at H.J. Heinz Company for ten10 years in a variety of domestic and global roles, leading consumer-driven businesses, developing brand marketing strategies and delivering profitable growth.

On February 19, 2020, Steven R. Coke, the Company’s Vice President of Investor Relations and Strategy, was appointed to the position of principal financial and accounting officer of the Company on an interim basis, effective March 9, 2020, following the departure of Joseph H. Smith, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.  Mr. Coke has served as Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategy since 2018, and Vice President, Strategic Planning since January 2015, after serving as Senior Director, Strategy since April 2012 and Senior Director, Restaurant Finance since June 2011.  He has served in various director and manager level positions with increasing responsibility in Finance since joining the Company in May 1998.  He also served as interim principal financial and accounting officer from  February 2018 to April 2018.  Mr. Coke is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

There are no family relationships between any of the directors or executive officers of the Company.

30

25


PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock trades on The NASDAQNasdaq Global Select Market tier of The NASDAQNasdaq Stock Market under the symbol PZZA.“PZZA.” As of February 19, 2020,16, 2023, there were 1,1491,321 record holders of our common stock. However, there are significantly more beneficial owners of our common stock than there are record holders.

On January 29, 2020,26, 2023, our Board of Directors declared a first quarter 2023 dividend of $0.225$0.42 per share of common stock (approximately $7.3 million was paid to common stockholders and $1.1 million was paid as “pass through” dividends to holders of Series B Preferred Stock on an “as converted basis”).share. The first quarter dividend on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock was also declared on January 29, 2020.  The common stock dividend was paid on February 21, 202017, 2023 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 10, 2020.  The first quarter preferred dividend of $2.3 million will be paid to holders of Series B Preferred Stock on April 1, 2020.

6, 2023.

We anticipate continuing the payment of quarterly cash dividends. The actual amount of such dividends is subject to declaration by our Board of Directors and will depend upon future earnings, results of operations, capital requirements, our financial condition, contractual restrictions, including the terms of the agreements governing our debt and any future indebtedness we may incur and other relevant factors. There can be no assurance that the Company will continue to pay quarterly cash dividends at the current rate or at all.

A total

On October 28, 2021, our Board of 115.2Directors approved a share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to $425.0 million of the Company’s common stock. This share repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 million share repurchase authorization, which began on November 4, 2020 and expired on December 26, 2021. In fiscal 2022, approximately 1,343,000 shares with an aggregate cost of $1.81 billion$125.0 million and an average price of $15.66$93.07 per share were repurchased under aour share repurchase program. Funding for the share repurchase program was provided through our operating cash flows and our $600.0 million PJI Revolving Facility.
The following table summarizes our repurchase activity by fiscal period during the fourth quarter ended December 25, 2022 (in thousands, except per share amounts):
Fiscal PeriodTotal
Number
of Shares
Purchased
Average
Price
Paid per
Share
Total Number
of Shares Purchased
as Part of Publicly
Announced Plans
or Programs
Maximum Dollar
Value of Shares
that May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
9/26/2022 - 10/23/2022$— $329,800 
10/24/2022 - 11/20/20228882.51 88322,559 
11/21/2022 - 12/25/202227383.34 273299,800 
Total361$83.14 361$299,800 
Subsequent to year-end, we acquired an additional 319,307 shares at an aggregate cost of $27.6 million. Approximately $272.2 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of February 16, 2023.
The Company utilizes a written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, from time to time to facilitate the repurchase of shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program. There can be no assurance that began on December 9, 1999 and expired February 27, 2019.  There were no share repurchases in 2019. See Management’s Discussion and Analysiswe will repurchase shares of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K for additional information.

our common stock either through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan or otherwise.

The information required by Item 5 with respect to securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans is incorporated herein by reference to Part III, Item 12 of this Form 10-K.

31

26

Table of Contents


Stock Performance Graph

The following performance graph compares the cumulative shareholder return of the Company’s common stock for the five-year period between December 28, 201431, 2017 and December 29, 201925, 2022 to (i) the NASDAQ Stock Market (U.S.)Nasdaq U.S. Benchmark TR Index and (ii) a group of the Company’s peers consisting of U.S. companies listed on NASDAQNasdaq with standard industry classification (SIC) codes 5800-5899 (eating and drinking places). Management believes the companies included in this peer group appropriately reflect the scope of the Company’s operations and match the competitive market in which the Company operates. The graph assumes the value of thehypothetical investments in the Company’s common stock and in each index was $100 on December 28, 2014,31, 2017, and that all dividends were reinvested.

Graphic

reinvested on the day of issuance. The returns shown are based on historical results and are not intended to suggest future performance.

32

Comparison of Cumulative 5-Year Total Shareholder Return
Stock Price Plus Reinvested Dividends
pzza-20221225_g2.jpg
pzza-20221225_g3.jpgPapa Johns International, Inc. pzza-20221225_g4.jpgNASDAQ U.S. Benchmark TR Index pzza-20221225_g5.jpgNASDAQ Stocks (SIC 5800-5899 U.S. Companies) Eating and Drinking

Dec. 30, 2018Dec. 29, 2019Dec. 27, 2020Dec. 26, 2021Dec. 25, 2022
Papa John’s International, Inc.$73.35$119.07$163.58$250.26$161.12
NASDAQ U.S. Benchmark, TR Index$93.73$124.34$149.05$188.05$152.08
NASDAQ Stocks - Eating and Drinking$108.91$144.93$169.49$190.64$168.88

Item 6. Intentionally Omitted
27

Table of Contents

��   

Item 6. Selected Financial Data


The selected financial data presented for each of the past five fiscal years were derived from our audited Consolidated Financial Statements. The selected financial data below should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the “Consolidated Financial Statements” and Notes thereto included in Item 7 and Item 8, respectively, of this Form 10-K.

Year Ended(1)

    

Dec. 29,

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 31,

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 25,

(In thousands, except per share data)

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 

52 weeks

 

52 weeks (6)

 

53 weeks

 

52 weeks

 

52 weeks

Income Statement Data

Revenues:

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

652,053

$

692,380

$

816,718

$

815,931

$

756,307

North America franchise royalties and fees (2)

 

71,828

 

79,293

 

106,729

 

102,980

 

96,056

North America commissary

 

612,652

 

609,866

 

673,712

 

623,883

 

680,321

International (3)

 

102,924

 

110,349

 

114,021

 

100,904

 

104,691

Other revenues

 

179,791

 

170,983

 

72,179

 

69,922

 

Total revenues

 

1,619,248

 

1,662,871

 

1,783,359

 

1,713,620

 

1,637,375

Refranchising and impairment gains/(losses), net

4,739

(289)

(1,674)

10,222

Operating income (4)

 

24,535

 

31,553

 

151,017

 

164,523

 

136,307

Legal settlement

 

 

 

 

898

 

(12,278)

Investment income

 

1,104

 

817

 

608

 

785

 

794

Interest expense

 

(20,593)

 

(25,673)

 

(11,283)

 

(7,397)

 

(5,676)

Income before income taxes

 

5,046

 

6,697

 

140,342

 

158,809

 

119,147

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

(611)

 

2,624

 

33,817

 

49,717

 

37,183

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

 

5,657

 

4,073

 

106,525

 

109,092

 

81,964

Income attributable to noncontrolling interests (5)

 

(791)

 

(1,599)

 

(4,233)

 

(6,272)

 

(6,282)

Net income attributable to the Company

$

4,866

$

2,474

$

102,292

$

102,820

$

75,682

Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders

$

(7,633)

$

2,474

$

103,288

$

102,967

$

75,422

Basic (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.86

$

2.76

$

1.91

Diluted (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.83

$

2.74

$

1.89

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,083

 

36,083

 

37,253

 

39,458

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,299

 

36,522

 

37,608

 

40,000

Dividends declared per common share

$

0.90

$

0.90

$

0.85

$

0.75

$

0.63

Balance Sheet Data

Total assets

$

730,721

$

595,897

$

555,553

$

512,565

$

494,058

Total debt

 

370,000

 

625,009

 

470,000

 

300,575

 

256,000

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

251,133

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

 

5,785

 

5,464

 

6,738

 

8,461

 

8,363

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

 

(316,656)

 

(304,013)

 

(105,954)

 

9,801

 

42,206

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(1)We operate on a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the last Sunday of December of each year. The 2017 fiscal year consisted of 53 weeks and all other years above consisted of 52 weeks. The additional week resulted in additional revenues of approximately $30.9 million and additional income before income taxes of approximately $5.9 million, or $0.11 per diluted share for 2017.
(2)North America franchise royalties were derived from franchised restaurant sales of $2.10 billion in 2019, $2.13 billion in 2018, $2.30 billion in 2017 ($2.25 billion on a 52-week basis), $2.20 billion in 2016, and $2.13 billion in 2015.
(3)Includes international royalties and fees, restaurant sales for international Company-owned restaurants, and international commissary revenues.  International royalties were derived from franchised restaurant sales of $884.4 million in 2019, $832.3 million in 2018, $761.3 million in 2017 ($744.0 million on a 52-week basis), $648.9 million in 2016, and $592.7 million in 2015. Restaurant sales for international Company-owned restaurants were $6.2 million in 2018, $13.7 million in 2017 ($13.4 million on a 52-week basis), $14.5 million in 2016, and $19.3 million in 2015 (none in 2019).
(4)The Company incurred $60.8 million of special costs (defined as “Special charges”) in 2019 compared to $50.7 million in 2018. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information.
(5)Represents the noncontrolling interests’ allocation of income for our joint venture arrangements.
(6)The Company restated the 2018 audited consolidated financial statements to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Notes 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Introduction

and Overview

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data and the Risk Factors set forth in Item 1A. Risk Factors.
This section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K generally discusses fiscal 2022 and 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between the years ended December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021. Discussion of 2020 items and year-to-year comparisons between the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021.
Papa John’s International, Inc. (referred to as the “Company,” “Papa John’s”John’s,” “Papa Johns” or in the first-person notations of “we,” “us” and “our”) began operations in 1984. At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, there were 5,3955,706 Papa John’s restaurants in operation, consisting of 598522 Company-owned and 4,7975,184 franchised restaurants. Our revenues are derived from retail sales of pizza and other food and beverage products to the general public by Company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties, and sales of franchise and development rights. Additionally, approximately 43%48% to 47%52% of our North America revenues in each of the last threetwo fiscal years were derived from sales to franchisees of various items including food and paper products from our Domestic Quality Control Centers (“QC Centers”), operation of our International QC Center in the UK, contributions received by Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”) which is our national marketing fund, printing and promotional items and information systems equipment, and software and related services.  In the last three years, we have also derived revenues from the operation of international Quality Control Centers (“QC Centers”); one of which was divested in 2018 and one of which was divested in 2019. We will continue to derive revenues from the remaining international commissary in the United Kingdom. We believe that in addition to supporting both Company and franchised profitability and growth, these activities contribute to product quality and consistency throughout the Papa John’s system.

Recent Business Matters
In 2022, the Company focused on executing strategic priorities and building a foundation for long-term success, while navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment. Our progress and significant transactions during the year are described below.
Growth Strategy

We strive. The Company delivered its fourteenth consecutive quarter of Global system-wide restaurant sales growth and continues to obtain high-qualityexpand both domestically and internationally, as evidenced by our comparable sales and restaurant sites with good accessunit growth.

Our menu and visibility and to enhance the appearance and qualitydigital innovations are an important part of our restaurants.long-term strategy to drive new customers and ticket sales. We focus our menu innovations on products that add both value and variety for our customers but do not add complexity to our restaurant operations or to our supply chain. Our menu innovation calendar is expansive, flexible and differentiated and allows us to adjust our offerings depending on what customers want – whether that is extending a Limited-Time-Offer or building upon existing platforms. We believe these factors improve our imagedigital innovations, like our website, digital app, third-party aggregator partnerships and brand awareness. Our expansion strategy is to cluster restaurants in targeted markets, thereby increasing consumer awareness and enabling us to take advantage of operational, distribution and advertising efficiencies.

Detailed below isPapa Call call centers are a progression of new unit growth (decline)differentiator for our customers and provide attractive channels that promote customer retention and help us grow our customer base. In 2022, approximately 85% of our Domestic transactions came through these digital channels.

Our expanding development pipeline is also a key long-term growth driver as there remains significant opportunity to offer our differentiated, premium position to more customers globally and International restaurants:

domestically. In 2022, we expanded our global footprint by 4.5%, with 244 net new units (excluding the 188 restaurants suspended in Russia in the first quarter of 2022 and discussed below). We expect this growth to accelerate in 2023 with global development to be between 270 to 310 net new units. Our view of our long-term unit opportunity, both domestically and internationally, continues to expand as we sign historic deals to develop within key areas. In 2022, we announced that we expect 1,400 to 1,800 net new Papa Johns restaurants worldwide from 2022 through the end of 2025. We plan to continue focusing on our strategic innovative products and restaurant development across our platforms to drive sustainable growth this year and beyond.

Global Market Conditions.

Domestic Company-owned

Franchised North America

Total North America

International

System-wide

Beginning - December 30, 2018

645

2,692

3,337

1,966

5,303

Opened

3

76

79

233

312

Closed

(5)

(123)

(128)

(92)

(220)

Acquired

1

46

47

-

47

Sold

(46)

(1)

(47)

-

(47)

Ending - December 29, 2019

598

2,690

3,288

2,107

5,395

Net unit growth (decline) - 2019

(47)

(2)

(49)

141

92

The average cash investmentdifferentiated brand positioning of Papa Johns and the agility of our business model have been critical to our success as we have had to navigate a constantly changing environment in recent years. Our brand positioning and ability to adapt are no less important today as we continue to adjust to a more inflationary and uncertain environment and consumers are increasingly seeking out value. As consumer demand for dining has softened over the three domestic traditional Company-owned restaurants opened during 2019 was approximately $322,000, exclusive of land and any tenant improvement allowancespast year, pizza offers tremendous value relative to other quick service restaurants. Using Papa Rewards, our loyalty program, we received, comparedare able to $345,000 average investment fortarget more price-sensitive customers with high-value promotions. At the six domestic traditional units opened in 2018.  Average annual Company-owned sales forsame time, we have continued our most recent domestic comparable restaurant base were $1.05 million for 2019, compared to $1.07 million for 2018 and $1.19 million ($1.17 million on a 52-week basis) for 2017.  The comparable sales for Company-owned restaurants were negative 2.7% in 2019, negative 9.0% in 2018 and positive 0.4% in 2017.  “Comparable sales” represents sales generated by traditional restaurants open for the entire twelve-month period reported.  The comparable sales for North America franchised units decreased 2.0% in 2019, 6.7% in 2018 and 0.1% in 2017.  The comparable sales for system-wide International units increased 1.1% in 2019, decreased 1.6% in 2018, and increased 4.4% in 2017.

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Strategy


We

successful strategy of letting our customers, especially those who are less price sensitive, self-select into our premium priced menu innovations. While we have increased pricing in response to inflation, partially offsetting higher food, labor and fuel costs in our supply chain and at our restaurants, our ticket growth has predominantly come through new premium products and add-ons over the past few years.
Macroeconomic conditions in the United Kingdom,the largest region in our International segment, have declined in light of ongoing inflation, rising interest rates and the recent energy crisis. Against this backdrop, the Company has experienced increasing declines in sales and profitability in the UK market. While uncertain how long these conditions will last, the Company is committed to delivering on our brand promise “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.” with a strategic focus in five key areas:

Building a culture of leaders who believe in inclusivity, diversity and winning.
Improving unit-level profitability and viability of our operations and franchisees.
Establishing our pizza as a high-quality pizza in the marketplace via commercial platforms.
Leveraging our technology infrastructure to position our business operations for success.
Expanding our footprint both domestically and internationally.

Recent Business Matters

In 2019, the Company continued to focus on a strategic turnaround effort that includes the specific actions described below.

Starboard Investment.  Beginningits presence in the third quarter of 2018, the Company began evaluating a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in the strategic investment in the Company by certain funds affiliated with, or managed by, Starboard Value LP (“Starboard”). On February 3, 2019, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with Starboard pursuant to which Starboard made a $200 million strategic investmentUK and is invested in the Company’s newly designated Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”)long-term success in this region. As we navigate this challenging economic environment, we will be investing in capabilities to improve our operations and will work to re-position the franchise base to further strengthen our UK business. The next step in our commitment includes a variety of support to help franchisees through this difficult time, including targeted marketing incentives of approximately $2 million to $3 million.

Refranchising. In addition, onOn March 28, 2019, Starboard made an additional $50 million investment2022, the Company sold its 51 percent controlling interest in a joint venture between Papa Johns and Blue and Silver Ventures, Ltd. (“Blue and Silver Ventures”). Sun Holdings, Inc. (“Sun Holdings”), a leading multi-brand franchisee operator and one of Papa John’s largest Domestic franchise partners, assumed control of the 90 Papa John’s restaurants in Texas that operated under the joint venture. By strategically refranchising its controlling interests in its joint venture with Blue and Silver Ventures to Sun Holdings, the Company provided Sun Holdings substantial scale to support new restaurant openings under its current, 100-restaurant development agreement with the Company. This commitment is in addition to the 90 refranchised restaurants. As a result, the deal is expected to accelerate the Company’s Domestic development, contributing to long-term earnings via high-margin franchise royalty growth. The restaurants were consolidated in the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to an option that wasCompany’s results through the date of the transaction, and their results are included in the Securities Purchase Agreement.Company’s North America franchise royalties and fees beginning March 29, 2022. See “Note 8”22. Divestitures” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”Statements for more informationfurther information.
Suspension of Franchisee Support in Russia. The Company has no Company-owned restaurants in Russia or Ukraine. At the end of fiscal year 2021, 188 franchised restaurants were located in Russia, all of which were operated and supplied through a master franchisee. As of March 2022, Papa John’s suspended its corporate operations and support for franchised restaurants in Russia, and fully reserved all receivables from the aforementioned master franchisee. The Company recognized $17.4 million in one-time, non-cash charges related to reserves for certain loans and impairments of reacquired franchised rights due to the conflict in Ukraine and subsequent international government actions and sanctions, which were recorded as Refranchising and impairment loss of $2.8 million and General and administrative expenses of $14.6 million. All assets related to the Series B Preferred Stock andfranchised operations in Russia have been fully reserved or impaired, so there are no additional Russia related transaction costs.  The Company also issued $2.5 millioncharges for reserves, write-offs, or impairments of Series B Preferred Stockamounts recorded on the same terms as Starboard to certain franchisees ofConsolidated Balance Sheet.
Coronavirus Pandemic and Related Market Impact. The restaurant industry has faced and managed staffing challenges since long before the Company.  In connectionpandemic. These challenges intensified with Starboard’s investment, Starboard was granted certain corporate governance rights, including the right to appoint two new independent directors, including Jeffrey C. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Starboard, who was appointed Chairman of the Board.

Franchisee Assistance and Marketing Investment.  Beginningincreased demand for employees in the third quarterservice industry as the economy recovered last year. In early 2022, the Omicron variant further exacerbated the situation, given the spike in infection rates and number of 2018, the Company began providing various forms of increased support and financial assistance to the North America franchise system in response to declining North America sales.  In July 2019, the Company announced a new program, developed with the support of the Company’s elected Franchise Advisory Council, to make investments in marketing and brand initiatives as well as to provide scheduled financial assistance for traditional North America franchisees beginning in the third quarter of 2019 and expectedpeople out sick or quarantined at home. Our team members have been working harder than ever to continue to safely serve their customers and communities and we have benefited from their dedication to manage through 2020. Understaffing constraints. We will continue to strive to be the program, the Company is making marketing investmentsemployer of choice in our industry and have taken many actions to create a strong culture and support the long-term strength of the brand. The Company has also extended financial assistance to its traditional North America franchisees in the form of lower royalties, royalty-based service incentives, and targeted relief through 2020, thus providing franchisees with certainty on the schedule of remaining royalty relief.  The Company incurred significant costs (defined as “Special charges”) of approximately $36.8 million associated with this program in the last six months of 2019 and expects to incur $25 million to $30 million of Special charges associated with this program in 2020. For more details, see the Special charges detailed in “Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional information.

our people.

New Management Restructure. In August 2019, the Company appointed Robert Lynch as the Company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. On November 6, 2019, the Company also announced an executive management restructure.   The updated management structure is intended to align with the Company’s strategic focus.

Positive Comparable Sales. As the Company continues to focus on its strategic priorities previously discussed, the Company has experienced recent improvement in North America restaurant comparable sales trends, with positive North America comparable sales for the last two fiscal quarters of 2019.  Prior to the third quarter of 2019, North America comparable sales had been negative since the fourth quarter of 2017.

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Presentation of Financial Results

Immaterial Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements to include the Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”)

During the first quarter of 2019, the Company reassessed the governance structure and operating procedures of PJMF, a nonstock corporation designed to operate at break-even for the purpose of designing and administering advertising and promotional programs for all participating domestic restaurants, and determined the Company has the power to control certain significant activities of PJMF, a variable interest entity (“VIE”) in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 810 (“ASC 810”), Consolidations.  Therefore, the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE and per ASC 810 must consolidate PJMF.  Prior to 2019, the Company did not consolidate PJMF.  The Company has concluded the previous accounting policy to not consolidate was an immaterial error.  The Company has corrected this immaterial error by restating the 2018 consolidated financial statements included herein to include PJMF. Fiscal 2017 was not restated as consolidating PJMF was not material to the results of operations.  See “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”, respectively, for additional information.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The results of operations are based on our Consolidated Financial Statements, which were prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to select accounting policies for critical accounting areas as well as estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company’s significant accounting policies, including recently issued accounting pronouncements, are more fully described in “Note 2”2. Significant Accounting Policies” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.” A number of our significant accounting policies are critical due to the fact that they involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Significant changes in assumptions and/or conditions in our critical accounting policies could materially impact the operating results. We have identified the following accounting policies and related judgments as critical to understanding the results of our operations:

Revenue Recognition and Statement of Operations Presentation

Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in contracts with customers and excludes waivers or incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties, primarily sales tax.  The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer.  Taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, that are collected by the Company from a customer, are excluded from revenue.  Delivery costs, including freight associated with our domestic commissary and other sales, are accounted for as fulfillment costs and are included in operating costs.

The Company adopted ASC Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“Topic 606”), in the first quarter of 2018. Our 2017 revenue recognition follows ASC Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition.”

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Franchisee Notes Receivable

We establish reserves for uncollectible accounts receivable based on overall receivable aging levels and a specific evaluation of accounts receivable for franchisees and other customers with known financial difficulties. Balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.

We establish reserves for franchisee notes receivables to reduce the outstanding notes receivable to their net realizable values based on a review of each franchisee’s economic performance and market conditions after consideration of the fair value of the Company’s collateral rights (e.g., underlying franchisee business, property and equipment) and any guarantees.    

Preferred Stock

On February 3, 2019, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Starboard Value LP (together with its affiliates, “Starboard”) pursuant to which Starboard made a $200 million strategic investment in the Company’s newly

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designated Series B Preferred Stock, at a purchase price of $1,000 per share. In addition, on March 28, 2019, Starboard made an additional $50 million investment in the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to an option that was included in the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Company also issued $2.5 million of Series B Preferred Stock on the same terms as Starboard to certain franchisees that represented to the Company that they qualify as an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.  The cash proceeds from the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock was bifurcated between the option and preferred stock at the time of issuance based on a relative fair value allocation approach.


In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company recorded a one-time mark-to-market temporary equity adjustment for the increase in fair value for the option exercised by Starboard and the shares purchased by franchisees for the period of time the option was outstanding.  

Since the holders have the option to redeem their shares of Series B Preferred Stock from and after the eight-year anniversary of issuance, which right may or may not be exercised, the stock is considered contingently redeemable and, accordingly, is classified as temporary equity. This amount is reported net of related issuance costs. Over the initial eight-year term, the investment will be accreted to the related redemption value as an adjustment to Retained Earnings.

Insurance Reserves

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability property, and healthproperty insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention levels under our retention programs.levels. Retention limits generally range from $100,000up to $1.0$0.5 million.

Losses are accrued We record the liability for losses based upon undiscounted estimates of the liability for claims incurred and for events that have occurred but have not been reported using certain third-party actuarial projections and our historical claims loss experience.

As of December 25, 2022, our insurance reserves were $67.3 million compared to $88.1 million at December 26, 2021. Reserves are included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our insurance reserves primarily relate to auto liability and workers’ compensation claims and include the gross up of claims above our retention levels, with a corresponding receivable recorded in Prepaid and other current assets and Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The insurance reserves represent the mid-point of the range as determined by our actuarial analysis, which considered various actuarial valuation methodologies. The determination of the recorded insurance reserves is highly judgmental and complex due to the significant uncertainty in the potential value of reported claims and the number and potential value of incurred but not reported claims.
Allowance for Credit Losses on Franchisee Notes Receivable
The Company has provided financing (recorded as notes receivable) to select Domestic and International franchisees principally for use in the construction and development of their restaurants and for the purchase of restaurants from the Company or other franchisees. Most notes receivable bear interest at fixed or floating rates and are generally secured by not report claims, the applicationassets of each restaurant and the ownership interests in the franchise. The Company has also provided long-term financing to certain franchisees with royalty payment plans.
The Company establishes an allowance for credit losses on franchisee notes receivables based on management’s estimate of the lifetime expected loss on the notes. The allowance for credit losses on notes receivable is judgmental and subjective based on management’s evaluation of historical collection experience, external market data and other factors, including those related to current market conditions and events. The Company is provided collateral rights of the franchisee’s restaurants (e.g., underlying franchise business, property and equipment) and personal guarantees from the operators to recover the carrying value of the outstanding note receivable in the event collectability concerns arise. Therefore, the Company considers the fair value of the underlying collateral rights (e.g., underlying franchisee business, property and equipment) and any guarantees when assessing the allowance for credit losses (which may require third-party valuations of fair value). Notes receivable balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.
Franchisee notes receivable was $42.6 million with an allowance for credit losses of $14.5 million as of December 25, 2022 compared to $49.4 million with an allowance for credit losses of $1.5 million as of December 26, 2021. The increase in the allowance for credit losses was primarily due to an increase for certain notes receivable primarily associated with a master franchisee with operations principally in Russia and the termination of significant judgmentfranchisees in making those estimates and the use of various actuarial valuation methods. The estimated insurance claims losses could be significantly affected should the frequency or ultimate cost of claims differ significantly from historical trends used to estimate the insurance reserves recorded by the Company. The Company records estimated losses above retention within its reserve with a corresponding receivable for expected amounts due from insurance carriers.  

Noncontrolling Interests

At December 29, 2019, the Company has four joint ventures consisting of 192 restaurants, which have noncontrolling interests as compared to three joint ventures in 2018.  Consolidated net income is required to be reported separately at amounts attributable to both the parent and the noncontrolling interests. Additionally, disclosures are required to clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent company and the interests of the noncontrolling owners, including a disclosure on the face of the Consolidated Statements of Operations of income attributable to the noncontrolling interest holder.

The following summarizes the redemption feature, location and related accounting within the Consolidated Balance Sheets for these four joint venture arrangements:

Type of Joint Venture Arrangement

Location within the Balance Sheets

 Recorded Value

Joint ventures with no redemption feature

Permanent equity

Carrying value

Option to require the Company to purchase the noncontrolling interest - not currently redeemable or redemption not probable

Temporary equity

Carrying value

UK. See “Note 11”10. Allowance for Credit Losses” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”Statements for additionalfurther information.

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Intangible Assets — Goodwill

We evaluate goodwill annually in the fourth quarter or whenever we identify certain triggering events or circumstances that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Such tests are completed separately with respect to the goodwill of each of our reporting units, which includes our domestic Company-owned restaurants, United Kingdom (“PJUK”), China, and Preferred Marketing Solutions operations.  We may perform a qualitative assessment or move directly to the quantitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period if we believe that it is more efficient or if impairment indicators exist.

We elected to perform a qualitative assessment for our domestic Company-owned restaurants, United Kingdom, China, and Preferred Marketing Solutions operations in the fourth quarter of 2019.  As a result of our qualitative analyses, we determined that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair values of our reporting units were greater than their carrying amounts.  Subsequent to completing our goodwill impairment tests, no indicators of impairment were identified.  See “Note 13” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Income Tax Accounts and Tax Reserve

Reserves

Papa John’s is subject to income taxes in the United States and several foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining Papa John’s provision for income taxes and the related assets and liabilities. The provision for income taxes includes income taxes paid, currently payable or receivable and those deferred.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences reverse. Deferred tax assets are also recognized for the estimated future effects of tax attribute carryforwards (e.g., net operating losses, capital losses, and foreign tax credits). The effect on deferred taxes of changes in tax rates is recognized in the period in which the new tax rate is enacted.

Valuation allowances are established when necessary on a jurisdictional basis to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts we expect to realize.

realize and were $32.1 million and $28.6 million

On as of December 22, 2017,25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. The determination as to whether a deferred tax asset will be realized is based on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was enacted, significantly decreasingevaluation of historical profitability, future market growth, future taxable income, the U.S. federal income tax rate for corporations effective January 1, 2018.  On that same date, the Securities and Exchange Commission also issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118, which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effectsexpected timing of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.”  As a result, we remeasured our deferredreversals of existing temporary differences and tax assets, liabilities and related valuation allowances in 2017.  This remeasurement yielded a 2017 benefit of approximately $7.0 million due to the lower income tax rate.planning strategies. The Company completed its analysisassesses deferred taxes and the adequacy or need for a valuation allowance on a quarterly basis.

30


Tax authorities periodically audit the Company. We record reserves and related interest and penalties for identified exposures as income tax expense. We evaluate these issues and adjust for events, such as statute of limitations expirations, court rulings or audit settlements, which may impact our ultimate payment for such exposures. We recognized
In the event the Company is unable to generate future taxable income, there is a decreasematerial change in the actual effective tax rates, the time period within which the underlying temporary differences become taxable or deductible, or if the tax laws change unfavorably, then we could be required to increase the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets, resulting in an increase in income tax expense of $400,000 and $1.7 millionthe effective tax rate. We estimate that a one percent change in 2019 and 2017, respectively, associated with the finalization of certaineffective income tax matters.  There were no amounts recognized in 2018 as there were no related events.rate would impact the 2022 income tax expense by $0.8 million. See “Note 20”17. Income Taxes” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.
Global Restaurant Sales and Unit Information
“Comparable sales” represents the change in year-over-year sales for the same base of restaurants for the same fiscal periods. Comparable sales excludes sales of restaurants that were not open during both the current and prior fiscal periods and franchisees for which we suspended corporate support. “Global system-wide restaurant sales” represents total restaurant sales for all Company-owned and franchised restaurants open during the comparable periods, and “Global system-wide restaurant sales growth (decline)” represents the change in total system restaurant sales year-over-year. Global system-wide restaurant sales and global system-wide sales growth (decline) exclude franchisees for which we suspended corporate support.
“Equivalent units” represents the number of restaurants open at the beginning of a given period, adjusted for restaurants opened, closed, acquired or sold during the period on a weighted average basis.
We believe North America, International and global restaurant and comparable sales growth and Global system-wide restaurant sales information is useful in analyzing our results since our franchisees pay royalties and marketing fund contributions that are based on a percentage of franchise sales. Comparable sales and Global system-wide restaurant sales results for restaurants operating outside of the United States are reported on a constant dollar basis, which excludes the impact of foreign currency translation. Franchise sales also generate commissary revenue in the United States and in certain international markets. Franchise restaurant and comparable sales growth information is also useful for comparison to industry trends and evaluating the strength of our brand. Management believes the presentation of franchise restaurant sales growth, excluding the impact of foreign currency, provides investors with useful information regarding underlying sales trends and the impact of new unit growth without being impacted by swings in the external factor of foreign currency. Franchise restaurant sales are not included in the Company’s revenues.
Year Ended
Amounts below exclude the impact of foreign currencyDecember 25, 2022December 26, 2021
Comparable sales growth (decline):
Domestic Company-owned restaurants(1.0)%11.3 %
North America franchised restaurants1.2 %12.0 %
North America restaurants0.7 %11.8 %
International restaurants(5.3)%13.0 %
Total comparable sales growth (decline)(0.8)%12.1 %
System-wide restaurant sales growth:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants1.3 %11.1 %
North America franchised restaurants2.5 %13.0 %
North America restaurants2.3 %12.6 %
International restaurants (a)
4.8 %24.4 %
Total global system-wide restaurant sales growth (a)
2.9 %15.4 %

(a)    The twelve months ended December 25, 2022 excludes the impact of franchisee suspended restaurants.
31


Restaurant ProgressionYear Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
North America Company-owned:
Beginning of period600 588 
Opened10 11 
Acquired— 
Refranchised(90)
End of period522 600 
North America franchised:
Beginning of period2,739 2,701 
Opened76 74 
Closed(49)(35)
Refranchised90 — 
Sold(2)(1)
End of period2,854 2,739 
International franchised:
Beginning of period2,311 2,111 
Opened292 304 
Closed(85)(104)
Suspended (a)
(188)— 
End of period2,330 2,311 
Total restaurants – end of period5,706 5,650 
Full year net store growth (b)
244 250 

(a)

    As previously disclosed, the Company has suspended corporate support for all franchised restaurants located in Russia. These suspended restaurants are excluded from net unit growth calculations.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December of each year. All fiscal years presented in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements consist of 52 weeks exceptweeks.
32


Results of Operations
Revenues
The following table sets forth the various components of Revenues from the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(Dollars in thousands)December 25, 2022December 26, 2021Increase
(Decrease)
Revenues:
Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales$708,389 $778,323 (9.0)%
North America franchise royalties and fees137,399 129,310 6.3 %
North America commissary revenues869,634 761,305 14.2 %
International revenues129,903 150,771 (13.8)%
Other revenues256,778 248,712 3.2 %
Total revenues$2,102,103 $2,068,421 1.6 %
For the year ended December 25, 2022, the discussion of changes in revenues below for Domestic Company-owned restaurants and North America franchised restaurants include an explanation of the impact of refranchising 90 restaurants during the second quarter of 2022 (the “2022 refranchising”). See “Refranchising” above and “Note 22. Divestitures” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.
Total revenues increased $33.7 million, or 1.6% to $2.10 billion for the 2017 fiscal year which consists of 53 weeks.

39

Table of Contents

Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures

The below table reconciles our GAAP financial resultsended December 25, 2022, as compared to our adjusted (non-GAAP) financial results, excluding identified “Special items,” as detailed below.  We present these non-GAAP measures because we believe the Special items impact the comparability of our results of operations. Additionally,prior year. Excluding the impact of the Company’s 53 week fiscal2022 refranchising, total revenues increased $86.9 million, or 4.4%, for the year ended December 25, 2022.

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales decreased $69.9 million, or 9.0% for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year. Excluding the impact of the 2022 refranchising, Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales increased $8.7 million, or 1.3% for the year ended December 25, 2022, primarily due to innovations and strategic pricing actions to help offset food and labor inflation. Equivalent units also increased 3.7% for the year ended December 25, 2022, excluding the 2022 refranchising, and the related increase was partially offset by a comparable sales decline of 1.0%.
North America franchise royalties and fees increased $8.1 million, or 6.3% for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year. Excluding the impact of 2022 refranchising, North America franchise royalties and fees increased $4.2 million, or 3.1% for the year ended December 25, 2022, primarily due to an increase in 2017comparable sales of 1.2% and equivalent units of 1.4%.
North America franchise restaurant sales, excluding the impact of the 2022 refranchising, increased 2.3% to $2.99 billion for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year. North America franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our North America franchise royalties are derived from these sales.
North America commissary revenues increased $108.3 million or 14.2% for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year. North America commissaries have increased prices in line with rising commodity prices driven by inflation, principally in cheese, soy oil, proteins and wheat.
International revenues decreased $20.9 million, or 13.8% for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower UK commissary revenues. The overall declines in our International revenue performance were largely attributable to a decrease in comparable sales of 5.3% for the year ended December 25, 2022 related to inflationary pressures in the PJUK market.
International franchise restaurant sales decreased to $1.17 billion for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $1.27 billion for the year ended December 26, 2021. Excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations and the previously disclosed franchisee suspended restaurants, International franchise restaurant sales increased $58.2 million or 4.8% for the year ended December 25, 2022. International franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our International royalty revenue is derived from these sales.
Other revenues, which primarily includes our national marketing funds, online and mobile ordering business and our wholly-owned print and promotions subsidiary, increased $8.1 million, or 3.2% in 2022 primarily due to higher revenues
33


from our technology services from higher equivalent units and higher revenues from Preferred Marketing, our wholly-owned print and promotions company as they return to pre-pandemic levels.
Costs and Expenses
The following table sets forth the various components of Costs and expenses from the Consolidated Statements of Operations, expressed as a percentage of the associated revenue component.
(Dollars in thousands)Year Ended
December 25, 2022% of Related
Revenues
December 26, 2021% of Related
Revenues
Increase (Decrease) in % of Revenues
Costs and expenses:
Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses$585,307 82.6 %$621,871 79.9 %2.7 %
North America commissary expenses811,446 93.3 %703,622 92.4 %0.9 %
International expenses76,001 58.5 %87,286 57.9 %0.6 %
Other expenses238,810 93.0 %226,320 91.0 %2.0 %
General and administrative expenses217,412 10.3 %212,265 10.3 %— %
Depreciation and amortization52,032 2.5 %48,816 2.4 %0.1 %
Total costs and expenses1,981,008 94.2 %1,900,180 91.9 %2.3 %
Refranchising and impairment loss(12,065)(0.6)%— — %(0.6)%
Operating income$109,030 5.2 %$168,241 8.1 %(2.9)%
Total costs and expenses were approximately $1.98 billion, or 94.2% of total revenues in 2022, as compared to 52 weeks$1.90 billion, or 91.9% of total revenues for the prior year. The increase in 2019total costs and 2018expenses, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily due to the following:
Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses were $585.3 million, or 82.6% of related revenues in 2022, compared to expenses of $621.9 million, or 79.9% of related revenues for the prior year. The expenses, as a percentage of revenues, increased 2.7% primarily due to increased food cost attributable to higher commodity prices driven by inflation and labor expenses as staffing levels recover at increased cost. Our strategic pricing actions implemented in 2022 helped reduce the impact of the underlying cost pressures.
North America commissary expenses were $811.4 million, or 93.3% of related revenues in 2022, compared to $703.6 million, or 92.4% of related revenues, for the prior year. The expenses, as a percentage of revenues, increased 0.9% primarily due to rising commodity prices driven by inflation, principally in cheese, soy oil, proteins and wheat, and higher delivery costs.
International expenses were $76.0 million, or 58.5% of related revenues, for 2022 compared to $87.3 million, or 57.9% of related revenues for the prior year. International expenses were flat as a percentage of revenues as lower labor costs and lower food costs from negative comparable sales were offset by higher distribution costs as a percentage of revenues.
Other expenses were $238.8 million, or 93.0% of related revenues in 2022, as compared to $226.3 million, or 91.0% of related revenues for the prior year. The expenses, as a percentage of related revenues, increased 2.0% primarily due to timing of expenditures on technology platform initiatives to further enhance our digital capabilities and the customer experience.
34


General and Administrative Expenses General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses were $217.4 million, or 10.3% of total revenues for 2022 compared to $212.3 million, or 10.3% of total revenues for the prior year. G&A expenses consisted of the following (in thousands):
Year Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
Administrative expenses (a)
$181,538 $199,452 
Strategic corporate reorganization costs (b)
— 13,094 
Legal settlement accruals (c)
15,000 — 
Additional specific accounts receivable and notes receivable provisions (d)
18,376 — 
Other general expenses (e)
2,498 (281)
General and administrative expenses$217,412 $212,265 

(a)    The decrease in administrative expenses of $17.9 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year was primarily due to lower incentive compensation linked to Company performance, which was partially offset by higher labor costs as well as travel and occupancy costs associated with the re-opening of corporate headquarters in the first quarter of 2022.
(b)    Represents strategic reorganization costs associated with our new corporate office in Atlanta which concluded at the end of 2021. See “Note 16. Strategic Corporate Reorganization for Long-term Growth” to our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
(c)    Expense of $15.0 million related to certain legal settlements. See “Note 19. Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies” to our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
(d)    Represents 2022 expenses for the following:
1.One-time, non-cash provision of $14.6 million on accounts receivable and notes receivable in connection with the conflict in Ukraine and related government actions,
2.One-time, non-cash provision of $3.7 million for certain accounts receivable and notes receivable in the United Kingdom.
(e)    Included in the Other general expenses for the year ended December 25, 2022 is highlighted below.  For$1.5 million related to advisory fees and severance costs associated with the transition of certain executives.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization expense was $52.0 million, or 2.5% of revenues in 2022, as compared to $48.8 million, or 2.4% of revenues for the prior year, primarily due and increase in capital expenditures for our technology platforms and new restaurants.
Refranchising and Impairment Loss
Refranchising and impairment loss was $12.1 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 as compared to zero for the prior year. The 2022 amount was comprised of an $8.4 million loss on our 2022 refranchising, an impairment loss of $2.8 million for reacquired franchise rights due to the financial and operational impact of the conflict in Ukraine and lease impairment charges of $0.9 million related to the termination of a significant franchisee in the UK. See “Note 22. Divestitures” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information abouton the special2022 refranchising and the charge related to the conflict in Ukraine.

35


Operating Income by Segment
Operating income is summarized in the following table on a reporting segment basis. Adjusted operating income, a non-GAAP measure, is presented below. See “Non-GAAP Measures” for a reconciliation to the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure. We believe this non-GAAP measure is important for comparability purposes.
 (In thousands)
Year Ended December 25, 2022Year Ended December 26, 2021
Reported
(a)
Adjustments
AdjustedReported
(a)
Adjustments
AdjustedReported
Increase
(Decrease)
Adjusted
Increase
(Decrease)
Domestic Company-owned restaurants$15,966 $8,412 $24,378 $49,628 $— $49,628 $(33,662)$(25,250)
North America franchising127,882 — 127,882 120,949 — 120,949 6,933 6,933 
North America commissaries42,531 — 42,531 39,873 — 39,873 2,658 2,658 
International17,891 9,644 27,535 34,896 — 34,896 (17,005)(7,361)
All others10,084 — 10,084 17,704 — 17,704 (7,620)(7,620)
Unallocated corporate expenses(104,419)30,376 (74,043)(94,114)13,094 (81,020)(10,305)6,977 
Elimination of intersegment (profits)(905)— (905)(695)— (695)(210)(210)
Total$109,030 $48,432 $157,462 $168,241 $13,094 $181,335 $(59,211)$(23,873)

(a)    See “Non-GAAP Measures” below for a detail of the adjustments in each year and for a reconciliation to the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure.
Operating income was $109.0 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $168.2 million for the prior year, a decrease of $59.2 million. Adjusted operating income was $157.5 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $181.3 million for the prior year, a decrease of $23.9 million, or 13.2%. The decrease in adjusted operating income in 2022 compared to 2021 was primarily due to the following:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants decreased $25.3 million for the year ended December 25, 2022. Excluding the impact of the 2022 refranchising in the second quarter, Domestic Company-owned restaurants decreased $21.3 million, primarily due to higher commodity and labor costs, partially offset by lower bonuses and higher revenues related to strategic pricing actions.
North America franchising increased $6.9 million for the year ended December 25, 2022. Excluding the impact of the 2022 refranchising, North America franchising increased $4.3 million, due to an increase in comparable sales of 1.2% and higher equivalent units of 1.4%.
North America commissaries increased $2.7 million for the year ended December 25, 2022. North America commissaries have increased prices in line with inflation, which has been partially offset with lower margins due to lower volume of items seesold.
International decreased $7.4 million for the year ended December 25, 2022, primarily due to significant inflation and high energy prices in the UK that attributed to lower comparable sales, which declined 5.3%.
All Others, which primarily includes our online and mobile ordering business and our marketing funds, decreased $7.6 million for the year ended December 25, 2022, compared to the prior year, primarily due to timing of expenditures for technology support initiatives.
Unallocated corporate expenses decreased $7.0 million for the year ended December 25, 2022, primarily due to lower incentive compensation costs, partially offset by higher labor, travel, professional fees and occupancy cost associated with the re-opening of corporate headquarters in the first quarter of 2022.
36


Items Below Operating Income
The following table sets forth the various items below Operating income from the Consolidated Statements of Operations:
(Dollars in thousands)Year Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021Change
Operating income$109,030 $168,241 $(59,211)
Net interest expense(25,261)(17,293)(7,968)
Income before income taxes83,769 150,948 (67,179)
Income tax expense14,420 25,993 (11,573)
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests69,349 124,955 (55,606)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests(1,577)(4,939)3,362 
Net income attributable to the Company$67,772 $120,016 $(52,244)
Calculation of net income for earnings per share:
Net income attributable to the Company$67,772 $120,016 $(52,244)
Dividends on redemption of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock— (109,852)109,852 
Dividends paid to participating securities(306)(6,091)5,785 
Net income attributable to participating securities(104)— (104)
Net income attributable to common shareholders$67,362 $4,073 $63,289 
— 
Basic earnings per common share$1.90 $0.12 $1.78 
Diluted earnings per common share$1.89 $0.12 $1.77 
Net Interest Expense
Interest expense increased approximately $8.0 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to the prior year, primarily due to higher average outstanding debt on our revolving credit facility. Total debt outstanding was $605.0 million and $490.0 million as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively.
Income Tax Expense
The effective income tax rate was 17.2% for both 2022 and 2021. The effective rate was flat due to the income mix and items impacting tax expense being proportional to the pre-tax income year-over-year.
(Dollars in thousands)Year Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
Income before income taxes$83,769 $150,948 
Income tax expense$14,420 $25,993 
Effective tax rate17.2 %17.2 %
See “Note 2”, “Note 8”, “Note 12”, “Note 19” and “Note 20”17. Income Taxes” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” respectively.

for additional information.

37

Table of Contents

Year Ended

Dec. 29,

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 31,

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

2019

2018

2017

(Note)

GAAP income before income taxes

$

5,046

$

6,697

$

140,342

Special items:

 

 

 

Special charges (1)

60,817

50,732

Refranchising (gains) losses, net (2)(4)

(4,739)

289

1,674

Adjusted income before income taxes

61,124

57,718

142,016

53rd week of operations

(5,900)

Adjusted income before income taxes - 52 weeks

$

61,124

$

57,718

$

136,116

GAAP net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders

$

(7,633)

$

2,474

$

102,292

Special items, net of income taxes: (3)

Special charges (1)

48,519

38,957

Refranchising (gains) losses, net (2)(4)

(3,677)

222

1,323

Tax impact of China refranchising (4)

2,435

U.S. tax legislation effect on deferred taxes (5)

(7,020)

Equity compensation tax benefit (6)

(1,879)

Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders

37,209

44,088

94,716

53rd week of operations

(3,900)

Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders - 52 weeks

$

37,209

$

44,088

$

90,816

GAAP diluted (loss) earnings per share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.83

Special items:

Special charges (1)

1.53

1.21

Refranchising (gains) losses, net (2)(4)

(0.12)

0.01

0.04

Tax impact of China refranchising (2)

0.07

U.S. tax legislation effect on deferred taxes (5)

(0.20)

Equity compensation tax benefit (6)

(0.05)

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$

1.17

$

1.37

$

2.62

53rd week of operations

(0.11)

Adjusted diluted earnings per share - 52 weeks

$

1.17

$

1.37

$

2.51


Note:  The year ended December 30, 2018 has been restated

Net Income Attributable to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the operations of PJMF, as discussed in more detail inNoncontrolling Interests - see “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27”9. Noncontrolling Interests” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.  

40

Table of Contents

(1)The Company incurred $60.8 million of special costs (defined as “Special charges”) in 2019 compared to $50.7 million for the prior year comparable periods, including the following (in thousands):

Year Ended

December 29,

December 30,

2019

2018

Special charges before income taxes:

Royalty relief (a)

$

19,097

$

15,416

Marketing fund investments (b)

27,500

10,000

Legal and advisory fees (c)

5,921

19,475

Reimaging costs and write-off of branded assets (d)

-

5,841

Other costs (e)

2,385

-

Mark to market adjustment on option valuation (f)

5,914

-

Total Special charges before income taxes

$

60,817

$

50,732

(a)Represents financial assistance provided to the North America system in the form of royalty reductions that are above and beyond the level of franchise support the Company would incur in the ordinary course of its business.Statements,” for information.
(b)Represents marketing fund investments as partDiluted Earnings Per Share
Diluted earnings per common share was $1.89 for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $0.12 for the year ended December 26, 2021, representing an increase of our support package$1.77. Diluted earnings per common share for the year ended December 26, 2021 was reduced by $3.10 from a reduction in net income attributable to our franchisees.
(c)Represents advisory and legal costs primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard. The costs in 2018 also include a third-party audit of the culture at Papa John’s commissioned by a special committee of the Board of Directors.
(d)2018 includes re-imaging costs at nearly all domestic restaurants and costs to replace or write-off certain branded assets.
(e)2019 includes severance costs for our former CEO and costscommon shareholders related to the terminationrepurchase and conversion of a license agreement for intellectual property no longer being utilized.
(f)Represents aall of the shares of the Company’s previously outstanding Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”) during the second quarter of 2021. This reduction reflected the excess of the one-time mark-to-market adjustment of $5.9 million in 2019 related tocash payment over the increase in the faircarrying value of the Starboard option to purchase Series B preferred stockPreferred Stock. See “Note 6. Stockholders’ Deficit” and “Note 7. Earnings per Share” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” for additional information. Adjusted diluted earnings per common share, a non-GAAP measure, was $2.94 for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $3.51 for the year ended December 26, 2021, representing a decrease of $0.57. See “Non-GAAP Measures” for additional information.
38

Non-GAAP Measures
In addition to the results provided in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we provide certain non-GAAP measures, which present results on an adjusted basis. These are supplemental measures of performance that culminatedare not required by or presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and include the purchasefollowing: adjusted operating income, adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders and adjusted diluted earnings per common share. We believe that our non-GAAP financial measures enable investors to assess the operating performance of an additional $52.5 millionour business relative to our performance based on U.S. GAAP results and relative to other companies. We believe that the disclosure of preferred stock in late March 2019.

(2)The refranchising and impairment (gains)/losses, net gain of $4.7 million before tax and $3.7 million after tax in 2019 are primarily associated with the refranchise of 46 domestic restaurants, including 19 restaurants in Georgia and 23 restaurants in South Florida.
(3)Tax effect was calculated using the Company's full year marginal rate of 22.4% for 2019, 23.2% for 2018 and 21.0% for 2017.
(4)The refranchising and impairment (gains)/losses, net loss of $289,000 before tax and $222,000 net loss after tax in 2018 are primarily due to the loss associated with the China refranchise of the 34 Company-owned restaurants and the QC Center in China with an impairment loss of $1.7 million related to these stores in 2017, substantially offset by refranchising gains related to the refranchising of 62 Company-owned restaurants in North America in 2018. We also had $2.4 million of additional tax expense associated with the China refranchise. This additional tax expense is primarily attributable to the required recapture of operating losses previously taken by Papa John’s International.
(5)The U.S. income tax legislation effect on deferred taxes is related to the remeasurement of the net deferred tax liability due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in 2017.
(6)The favorable impact of adopting the new guidance for accounting for share-based compensation is included in 2017.  This guidance requires excess tax benefits recognized on stock-based awards to be recorded as a reduction of income tax expense rather than stockholders’ equity.  Beginning in 2018, and on a go-forward basis, the benefit or reduction in income from this change will not be shown as an adjustment in GAAP results.

these non-GAAP measures is useful to investors as they reflect metrics that our management team and Board of Directors utilize to evaluate our operating performance, allocate resources and administer employee incentive plans. The most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures to adjusted operating income, adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders and adjusted diluted earnings per common share are operating income, net income attributable to common shareholders and diluted earnings per common share, respectively. These non-GAAP results previously shown and within this document, which exclude Special items,measures should not be construed as a substitute for or a better indicator of the Company’s performance than the Company’s U.S. GAAP results. Management believes presenting certainThe table below reconciles our GAAP financial information withoutresults to our non-GAAP financial measures.

Year Ended
(In thousands, except per share amounts)December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
Operating income$109,030$168,241
Refranchising and impairment losses (a)
26,702
Legal settlements (b)
15,000
Costs associated with the termination of significant franchisees (c)
5,223
Strategic corporate reorganization costs (d)
13,094
Other costs (e)
1,507
Adjusted operating income$157,462$181,335
Net income attributable to common shareholders$67,362$4,073
Refranchising and impairment losses (a)
26,702
Legal settlements (b)
15,000
Costs associated with the termination of significant franchisees (c)
5,223
Strategic corporate reorganization costs (d)
13,094
Other costs (e)
1,507
Repurchase and conversion of Series B Preferred Stock (f)
— 109,852 
Tax effect of adjustments (g)
(10,897)(2,946)
Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders (h)
$104,897$124,073
Diluted earnings per common share$1.89$0.12
Refranchising and impairment losses (a)
0.75
Legal settlements (b)
0.42
Costs associated with the termination of significant franchisees (c)
0.15
Strategic corporate reorganization costs (d)
0.37
Other costs (e)
0.04
Repurchase and conversion of Series B Preferred Stock (f)
— 3.10 
Tax effect of adjustments (g)
(0.31)(0.08)
Adjusted diluted earnings per common share (h)
$2.94$3.51
______________________________
39


(a)Refranchising and impairments losses consisted of the Special items is important for purposesfollowing pre-tax adjustments:
Year Ended
(In thousands)December 25, 2022
Refranchising impairment loss (1)
$8,412
Ukraine-related charge (2)
17,385
UK lease impairment (3)
905
Total adjustment$26,702
(1)Represents a one-time, non-cash charge of comparison to prior year results. In addition, management uses these metrics to evaluate$8.4 million ($0.24 loss per diluted share) recorded in the first quarter of 2022 associated with the refranchising of the Company’s underlying operating performancecontrolling interest in a 90-restaurant joint venture, recorded as Refranchising and impairment loss;
(2) Represents a one-time non-cash charge of $17.4 million ($0.49 loss per diluted share) recorded in the first quarter of 2022 related to analyze trends.the reserve of certain loans and impairment of reacquired franchised rights related to the conflict in Ukraine and subsequent international government actions and sanctions, which were recorded as Refranchising and impairment loss of $2.8 million and General and administrative expenses of $14.6 million;
(3) An impairment charge of $0.9 million on the right-of-use assets on leases recorded in the third quarter of 2022 associated with the termination of a significant franchisee in the UK, which was recorded in Refranchising and impairment loss.
(b)    Represents an accrual of certain legal settlements, recorded in General and administrative expenses. See “Results“Note 19. Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies” of Operations”“Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further analysis regardinginformation.
(c)    Represents costs associated with the termination of significant franchisees in the UK, including costs related to the reserve of certain accounts and notes receivable.
(d)    Represents strategic corporate reorganization costs associated with our new corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia. See "Note 16. Strategic Corporate Reorganization for Long-term Growth of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
(e)    Represents advisory fees and severance costs associated with the transition of certain executives.
(f)    Represents the one-time charge related to the repurchase and conversion of all shares of Series B Preferred Stock and includes related professional fees incurred as part of the transaction. See “Note 6. Stockholders’ Deficit” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” for additional information.
(g)    The tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments was calculated by applying the marginal tax rate of 22.5% for both years ended December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021.
(h)Amounts shown exclude the impact of the Special items.

allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities.

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In addition, we present free cash flow in this report, which is a non-GAAP measure. We definePlease see “Liquidity and Capital Resources – Free Cash Flow” for a discussion of why we believe free cash flow provides useful information regarding our financial condition and results of operations, and a reconciliation of free cash flow to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure.

40


Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our primary sources of liquidity and capital resources are cash flows from operations and borrowings under our credit facility. Our principal uses of cash are operating expenses, capital expenditures, and returning value to our shareholders in the form of cash dividends and share repurchases. Our capital priorities are:
investing for growth
maintaining a strong balance sheet, and
returning capital to shareholders
The Company believes that its balances of cash and cash equivalents and borrowing capacity, along with cash generated by operations, will be sufficient to satisfy its cash requirements, cash dividends, interest payments and share repurchases over the next twelve months and beyond.
Cash Flows
The table below summarizes our cash flows for each of the last two fiscal years (in thousands):
20222021
Total cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities$117,808 $184,675 
Investing activities(62,793)(63,512)
Financing activities(76,240)(180,526)
Change in cash and cash equivalents, excluding the effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents$(21,225)$(59,363)
Operating Activities
Total cash provided by operating activities was $117.8 million for the year ended December 25, 2022 compared to $184.7 million for the prior year. The decrease of $66.9 million primarily reflects lower net income in 2022 and a reduction in working capital. The working capital reduction is driven by lower accrued expenses at December 25, 2022 as compared to the prior year, primarily related to lower incentive compensation payable and lower taxes payable at December 25, 2022. The decrease in incentive compensation payable is linked to Company performance while the decrease in taxes payable is linked to the timing of payments related to the CARES Act. These decreases were partially offset by the provision for allowance for credit losses of $20.5 million (See “Note 10. Allowance for Credit Losses” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”) and refranchising and impairment losses of $12.1 million (discussed above in “Results of Operations”).
Investing Activities
Total cash used in investing activities was $62.8 million in 2022 compared to $63.5 million in 2021, a decrease of $0.7 million. 2022 cash flows included $13.6 million in proceeds, net of transaction costs, from the impact of the 2022 refranchising in the first quarter of 2022. Repayments of notes, net of issuances were $3.7 million in 2022 as compared to $2.4 million in 2021, an increase in inflows of $1.3 million for the year. The increased inflows from refranchising and notes were offset by larger purchases of property and equipment of $9.8 million in 2022, as the Company improved its digital infrastructure. Cash flows for 2021 also included an inflow of $3.3 million related to the sale of land that did not recur in 2022.
Financing Activities
Total cash used in financing activities was $76.2 million in 2022 compared to $180.5 million in 2021, an decrease of $104.3 million. In 2022, cash used for financing activities includes outflows of $125.0 million in share repurchases and $54.8 million of common dividends paid, offset by net borrowings of $115.0 million from the credit facility. In 2021, outflows include $340.0 million in repayments of the term loan, $188.6 million in payment of cash consideration for the repurchase and conversion of all of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock outstanding, and dividends to common and preferred shareholders of $40.4 million, offset by inflows of $400.0 million in proceeds from the issuance of senior notes and net borrowings from the credit facility of $80.0 million.
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Debt
On September 14, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million of 3.875% senior notes (the “Notes”) which will mature on September 15, 2029. Concurrently with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”) replacing the previous credit agreement (“Previous Credit Agreement”). The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate available principal amount of $600.0 million (the “PJI Revolving Facility”), of which up to $40.0 million is available as swingline loans and up to $80.0 million is available as letters of credit. The PJI Revolving Facility will mature on September 14, 2026.
The net proceeds from the Notes, together with borrowings under the PJI Revolving Facility, were used to repay outstanding revolver and term loan borrowings under the Company’s Previous Credit Agreement.
Our outstanding debt as of December 25, 2022 was $605.0 million, which was comprised of $400.0 million outstanding under the Notes and $205.0 million outstanding under the PJI Revolving Facility. Remaining availability under the PJI Revolving Facility was $395.0 million as of December 25, 2022.
The Amended Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants that, among other things, require customary reporting obligations, and restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens, the consummation of certain mergers, consolidations, sales of assets and similar transactions, the making of investments, equity distributions and other restricted payments, and transactions with affiliates. The Company is also subject to certain financial covenants, as shown in the following table, that could restrict or impose constraints on the liquidity of our business:
Permitted RatioActual Ratio for the
Year Ended
December 25, 2022
Leverage ratioNot to exceed 5.25 to 1.02.6 to 1.0
Interest coverage ratioNot less than 2.00 to 1.04.1 to 1.0
Our leverage ratio is defined as outstanding debt divided by Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in our credit agreement), for the most recent four fiscal quarters. Our interest coverage ratio is defined as the sum of Consolidated EBITDA and consolidated rental expense for the most recent four fiscal quarters divided by the sum of consolidated interest expense and consolidated rental expense for the most recent four fiscal quarters. We were in compliance with all financial covenants as of December 25, 2022.
In addition, the Indenture governing the Notes contains customary covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, limit our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness; pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem our capital stock; prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt; issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities; make loans and investments; sell assets; incur liens; enter into transactions with affiliates; enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends; and consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets.
PJMF, our national marketing fund, has a $20.0 million revolving line of credit (the “PJMF Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Revolving Loan Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 with U.S. Bank National Association, as lender. The PJMF Revolving Facility is secured by substantially all assets of PJMF. The PJMF Revolving Facility matures on September 30, 2023, but is subject to annual amendments. The borrowings under the PJMF Revolving Facility accrue interest at a variable rate of the one-month LIBOR plus 1.60%. There was no debt outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 25, 2022 or December 26, 2021. The PJMF operating results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants under the Amended Credit Agreement.
See “Note 12. Debt” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.
Share Repurchases
As part of our long-term growth and capital allocation strategy, we are committed to investing in share repurchases to provide ongoing value and enhanced returns to our shareholders. On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to $425.0 million of the Company’s common stock. This share
42


repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 million share repurchase authorization, which began on November 4, 2020 and expired on December 26, 2021.
The following table summarizes our repurchase activity for the years ended December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021:
(In thousands, except average price per share)

Year Ended
Total
Number
of Shares
Purchased
Average
Price
Paid per
 Share
Aggregate
Cost of
Shares
Purchased
Maximum Dollar
Value of Shares
that May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
December 25, 20221,343$93.07 $125,000 $299,800 
December 26, 2021594$121.96 $72,499 $424,800 
Subsequent to year-end, we acquired an additional 319,307 shares at an aggregate cost of $27.6 million. Approximately $272.2 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of February 16, 2023.
The Company utilizes a written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, from time to time to facilitate the repurchase of shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program. There can be no assurance that we will repurchase shares of our common stock either through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan or otherwise.
Dividends
The Company paid aggregate dividends to common stockholders of $54.8 million ($1.54 per share) for the year ended December 25, 2022.
The Company paid dividends of approximately $46.0 million for the year ended December 26, 2021, consisting of the following:
$40.4 million paid to common stockholders ($1.15 per share);
$3.0 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock (3.6% of the investment per annum)
$1.5 million of common stock deemed dividend distributions in conjunction with the repurchase and conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock;
$1.1 million in common stock “pass-through” dividends to Series B Preferred Stockholders on an as-converted basis ($0.45 per share).
On January 26, 2023, our Board of Directors declared a first quarter 2023 dividend of $0.42 per common share, representing a $14.6 million aggregate dividend that was paid on February 17, 2023 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 6, 2023. The declaration and payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors.
Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities (from the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows) less the purchases of property and equipment and dividends paid to preferred shareholders.stockholders. We view free cash flow as an important financial measure because it is one factor that management uses in determining the amount of cash available for discretionary investment. Free cash flow is not a term defined by GAAP, and as a result, our measure of free cash flow might not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Free cash flow should not be construed as a substitute for or a better indicator of ourthe Company’s performance than the Company’s GAAP measures. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” for a reconciliation of free cash flow to the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

The presentation of the non-GAAP measures in this report is made alongside the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

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Percentage Relationships and Restaurant Data and Unit Progression


The following tables set forth the percentage relationship to total revenues, unless otherwise indicated, of certain income statement data, and certain restaurant data for the years indicated.  

Year Ended(1)

 

    

Dec. 29,

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 31,

 

2019

2018

2017

 

(52 weeks)

(52 weeks)

(53 weeks)

Income Statement Data:

(Note)

Revenues:

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

 

40.3

%  

41.6

%  

45.8

%  

North America franchise royalties and fees

 

4.4

4.8

6.0

North America commissary

 

37.8

36.7

37.8

International

 

6.4

6.6

6.4

Other revenues

 

11.1

10.3

4.0

Total revenues

 

100.0

100.0

100.0

Costs and expenses:

Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):

 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant operating expense (2)

 

80.7

83.4

81.4

North America commissary (3)

 

92.9

94.3

93.7

International operating expense (4)

 

56.1

61.4

61.9

Other expenses (5)

 

97.7

99.8

96.1

General and administrative expenses

 

13.8

11.6

8.5

Depreciation and amortization

 

2.9

2.8

2.4

Total costs and expenses

 

98.8

98.1

91.4

Refranchising and impairment gains (losses), net

0.3

(0.1)

Operating income

 

1.5

1.9

8.5

Net interest expense

 

(1.2)

(1.5)

(0.6)

Income before income taxes

 

0.3

0.4

7.9

Income tax expense

 

0.2

1.9

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

 

0.3

0.2

6.0

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

(0.1)

(0.3)

Net income attributable to the Company

 

0.3

%  

0.1

%  

5.7

%  

Note:  The year ended December 30, 2018 has been restated to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the operations of PJMF, as discussed in more detail in “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.  

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Year Ended (1)

    

Dec. 29,

Dec. 30,

Dec. 31,

 

2019

2018

2017

(52 weeks)

(52 weeks)

(53 weeks)

Restaurant Data:

Percentage (decrease) increase in comparable domestic Company-owned restaurant sales (6)

 

(2.7)

%  

(9.0)

%  

0.4

%

Number of domestic Company-owned restaurants included in the most recent full year’s comparable restaurant base

 

609

637

676

Average sales for domestic Company-owned restaurants included in the most recent comparable restaurant base

$

1,046,000

$

1,072,000

$

1,192,000

Papa John’s Restaurant Progression:

North America Company-owned:

Beginning of period

 

645

 

708

 

702

Opened

 

3

 

6

 

9

Closed

 

(5)

 

(7)

 

(3)

Acquired from franchisees

 

1

 

 

1

Sold to franchisees (7)

(46)

(62)

(1)

End of period

 

598

 

645

 

708

International Company-owned:

Beginning of period

 

 

35

 

42

Closed

 

 

(1)

 

(7)

Sold to franchisees (7)

 

 

(34)

 

End of period

 

 

 

35

North America franchised:

Beginning of period

 

2,692

 

2,733

 

2,739

Opened

 

76

 

83

 

110

Closed

 

(123)

 

(186)

 

(116)

Acquired from Company (7)

46

62

1

Sold to Company

 

(1)

 

 

(1)

End of period

 

2,690

 

2,692

 

2,733

International franchised:

Beginning of period

 

1,966

 

1,723

 

1,614

Opened

 

233

 

304

 

257

Closed

 

(92)

 

(95)

 

(148)

Acquired from Company (7)

 

 

34

 

End of period

 

2,107

 

1,966

 

1,723

Total restaurants - end of period

 

5,395

 

5,303

 

5,199

(1)We operate on a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the last Sunday of December of each year.  The 2019 and 2018 fiscal years consisted of 52 weeks and the 2017 fiscal year consisted of 53 weeks.  The additional week in 2017 resulted in additional revenues of approximately $30.9 million and additional income before income taxes of approximately $5.9 million, or $0.11 per diluted share.  
(2)As a percentage of domestic Company-owned restaurant sales.
(3)As a percentage of North America commissary sales.
(4)As a percentage of international sales.
(5)As a percentage of other revenues.
(6)Represents the change in year-over-year sales for Company-owned restaurants open throughout the periods being compared.

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(7)In 2019, the Company refranchised 46 Company-owned North America restaurants primarily located in Georgia and Florida.  In 2018, the Company refranchised 62 Company-owned North America restaurants located in Minnesota and Denver and 34 international restaurants located in China.  See Items Impacting Comparability and “Note 12” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Results of Operations

2019 Compared to 2018

Discussion of Revenues.  Consolidated revenues decreased $43.6 million, or 2.6%, to $1.62 billion in 2019, compared to $1.66 billion in 2018.  Revenues are summarized in the following table (dollars in thousands).

 

Year Ended

    

Dec. 29,

Dec. 30,

    

Increase

    

Percent

2019

2018

(Decrease)

Change

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

652,053

$

692,380

$

(40,327)

(5.8)

%

North America franchise royalties and fees

 

71,828

 

79,293

 

(7,465)

(9.4)

%

North America commissary

 

612,652

 

609,866

 

2,786

0.5

%

International

 

102,924

 

110,349

 

(7,425)

(6.7)

%

Other revenues

 

179,791

 

170,983

 

8,808

5.2

%

Total Revenues

$

1,619,248

$

1,662,871

$

(43,623)

(2.6)

%

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales decreased $40.3 million, or 5.8%, in 2019 primarily due to the refranchising of 46 restaurants in 2019 primarily located in South Florida and Georgia and 62 restaurants in Denver and Minnesota in 2018. Excluding the impact of refranchising, Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales decreased $10.3 million primarily due to negative comparable sales of 2.7%, partially offset by the favorable impact of the expiration of rewards associated with our Papa Rewards loyalty program.  “Comparable sales” represents the change in year-over-year sales for the same base of restaurants for the same fiscal periods.

North America franchise royalties and fees decreased $7.5 million, or 9.4%, in 2019.  Excluding the impact of refranchising, North American franchise royalties and fees decreased $8.2 million primarily due to higher royalty relief of $6.0 million over the comparable period, including $3.7 million in higher Special charges.  The remaining decrease was primarily due to a decrease in comparable sales and equivalent units of 2.0% and 0.9%, respectively.  

North America franchise restaurant sales decreased 1.6% to $2.10 billion for 2019. North America franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our North America franchise royalties are derived from these sales. “Equivalent units” represents the number of restaurants open at the beginning of a given period, adjusted for restaurants opened, closed, acquired or sold during the period on a weighted average basis.

North America commissary sales increased $2.8 million, or 0.5%, primarily due to higher pricing associated with higher commodities costs.  This increase was partially offset by lower restaurant sales volumes.    

International revenues decreased $7.4 million, or 6.7%, in 2019.  The decrease compared to the prior year was primarily due to reduced revenues from the refranchising of a QC Center in Mexico in the first quarter of 2019 and the Company-owned stores and the QC Center in China, which occurred during the second quarter of 2018.  Excluding the impact of refranchising, International revenues increased $3.0 million primarily due to higher royalties and higher United Kingdom (“PJUK”) commissary revenue on higher comparable sales and increased equivalent units.  These increases were partially offset by unfavorable foreign exchange rates of approximately $4.2 million.  

International franchise restaurant sales increased 9.9% to $921.4 million in 2019, excluding the impact of foreign currency, primarily due to increases in equivalent units. International franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our international royalty revenue is derived from these sales.

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Other revenues increased $8.8 million, or 5.2% in 2019 due to higher marketing fund revenue primarily due to an increase in the PJMF contribution rate, higher online revenues and higher PJUK marketing fund revenues and head lease rental income, partially offset by lower revenues for Preferred Marketing Solutions, our print and promotions subsidiary.

Discussion of Operating Results

Income before income taxes is summarized in the following table on a reporting segment basis.  Income before income taxes decreased approximately $1.7 million, or 24.7%, for the year ended December 29, 2019 as compared to the prior year. Excluding the previously discussed Special items, income before income taxes was $61.1 million, or a decrease of $3.4 million. Alongside the GAAP income before income taxes data, we have included “adjusted” income before income taxes for 2019 to exclude Special items. We believe this non-GAAP measure is important for purposes of comparison to prior year results.

Year Ended

 

Reported

Adjusted

Reported

Adjusted

Adjusted

    

Dec. 29,

Special

Dec. 29,

Dec. 30,

Special

Dec. 30,

    

Increase

 

(In thousands)

2019

Items

2019

2018

Items

2018

(Decrease)

 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

33,957

$

(4,739)

$

29,218

$

18,988

$

(1,624)

$

17,364

$

11,854

North America commissaries

 

30,439

 

 

30,439

 

27,961

 

 

27,961

 

2,478

North America franchising

 

64,362

 

19,097

 

83,459

 

70,732

 

15,416

 

86,148

 

(2,689)

International

 

19,110

 

 

19,110

 

14,399

 

1,913

 

16,312

 

2,798

All others

 

(2,500)

 

 

(2,500)

 

(6,082)

 

 

(6,082)

 

3,582

Unallocated corporate expenses

 

(139,355)

 

41,720

 

(97,635)

 

(118,296)

 

35,316

 

(82,980)

 

(14,655)

Elimination of intersegment profits

 

(967)

 

 

(967)

 

(1,005)

 

 

(1,005)

 

38

Adjusted income before income taxes

$

5,046

$

56,078

$

61,124

$

6,697

$

51,021

$

57,718

$

3,406

The increase in adjusted income before income taxes of $3.4 million, or 5.9% for 2019 excluding Special items, was primarily due to the following:

Domestic Company-owned Restaurants Segment. Domestic Company-owned restaurants income before income taxes increased $11.9 million for 2019 as compared to prior year primarily due to improved operating costs including lower advertising spend, lower workers’ compensation, automobile and general insurance costs, and the favorable impact of the expiration of rewards associated with our Papa Rewards loyalty program.  These increases were partially offset by lower comparable sales of 2.7%.

North America Commissaries Segment. North America commissaries income before income taxes increased $2.5 million in 2019, as 2018 included additional franchise support in the form of lower commissary pricing.

North America Franchising Segment. North America Franchising income before income taxes decreased $2.7 million in 2019 primarily due to negative comparable sales of 2.0% and additional royalty reductions of $2.3 million, not included in Special items, partially offset by favorable G&A costs.

International Segment. International income before income taxes increased $2.8 million for 2019 compared to the prior year primarily due to increased royalties and lower PJUK marketing fund expenses.  These increases were partially offset by unfavorable foreign exchange rates of approximately $1.3 million and higher legal costs.

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All Others. All Others income before income taxes, which primarily includes our online and mobile ordering business, our wholly-owned print and promotions subsidiary and our North America marketing funds,  increased $3.6 million primarily due to higher online revenues and the timing of marketing spend.

Unallocated Corporate Expenses. Unallocated corporate expenses increased approximately $14.7 in 2019 compared to 2018 primarily due to higher management incentive costs, including equity compensation, as well as increased legal and professional fees not associated with the Special charges.  These increases were partially offset by a $5.6 million decrease in interest expense due to lower outstanding debt.

Review of Consolidated Results

Revenues.  For the reasons discussed above, consolidated revenues decreased $43.6 million, or 2.6%, to $1.62 billion in 2019, compared to $1.66 billion in 2018.  

Year Ended

December 29, 2019

December 30, 2018

% of Related

% of Related

Increase

($ in thousands)

Revenues

Revenues

(Decrease)

Revenues:

(Note)

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

652,053

$

692,380

North America franchise royalties and fees

71,828

79,293

North America commissary revenues

612,652

609,866

International revenues

102,924

110,349

Other revenues

179,791

170,983

Total revenues

1,619,248

1,662,871

Costs and expenses:

Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses

526,237

80.7%

577,658

83.4%

(2.7%)

North America commissary expenses

569,180

92.9%

575,103

94.3%

(1.4%)

International expenses

57,702

56.1%

67,775

61.4%

(5.3%)

Other expenses

175,592

97.7%

170,556

99.8%

(2.1%)

General and administrative expenses

223,460

13.8%

193,534

11.6%

2.2%

Depreciation and amortization

47,281

2.9%

46,403

2.8%

0.1%

Total costs and expenses

1,599,452

98.8%

1,631,029

98.1%

0.7%

Refranchising and impairment gains (losses), net

4,739

0.3%

(289)

0.0%

0.3%

Operating income

24,535

1.5%

31,553

1.9%

(0.4%)

Investment income

1,104

0.1%

817

0.0%

0.0%

Interest expense

(20,593)

(1.3%)

(25,673)

(1.5%)

0.2%

Income before income taxes

$

5,046

0.3%

$

6,697

0.4%

(0.1%)

Note:  The year ended December 30, 2018 has been restated to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the operations of PJMF, as discussed in more detail in “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.  

Costs and expenses. Total costs and expenses were approximately $1.60 billion, or 98.8% of total revenues in 2019 compared to $1.63 billion, or 98.1%, in 2018.  The increase in total costs and expenses, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily due to the following:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants expenses were $526.2 million in 2019, or 80.7% of related revenues, as compared to the prior year expenses of $577.7 million, or 83.4% of related revenues, in 2018 primarily due to a 1.0% benefit from lower food costs including the favorable impact of current year promotions, a 0.4% benefit from lower workers’

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compensation, automobile and general insurance costs and a 0.5% benefit from lower advertising costs.  In addition, restaurant expenses as percentage of revenues benefited from lower loyalty program costs due to the expiration of rewards.

North America commissary expenses were $569.2 million in 2019, or 92.9% of related revenues compared to $575.1 million in 2018, or 94.3% of related revenues in 2018.  The 1.4% decrease in expenses, as a percent of related revenues, was primarily due to additional franchise support given to restaurants through lower pricing in 2018 that did not occur in 2019.

International expenses were $57.7 million in 2019, or 56.1% of related revenues, compared to prior year expenses of $67.8 million, or 61.4% of related revenues in 2018.  The decrease of 5.3% in expenses, as a percent of related revenues, was primarily due to higher royalties and the divestiture of our China operations in the second quarter of 2018.  

Other expenses were $175.6 million in 2019, or 97.7% of related revenues, compared to prior year expenses of $170.6 million, or 99.8% of related revenues in 2018. The 2.1% decrease in expenses, as a percentage of related revenues, is primarily due to higher revenues from our online and mobile ordering business as well as lower labor costs for Preferred Marketing Solutions. Other revenues and other expenses also include the revenues and expenses associated with the consolidations of PJMF, as previously discussed.  See “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” respectively for additional information.

General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses were $223.5 million, or 13.8% of revenues for 2019 compared to $193.5 million, or 11.6% of revenues for 2018. G&A expenses consisted of the following (dollars in thousands):

Year Ended

December 29,

December 30,

2019

2018

Provision for uncollectible accounts and notes receivable (a)

$

2,764

$

3,338

Loss on disposition of fixed assets

1,130

2,233

Other (income) expense

(915)

(1,691)

Other general expenses

2,979

3,880

Special charges (b)(c)

41,322

35,316

Administrative expenses (d)

179,159

154,338

General and administrative expenses

$

223,460

$

193,534

(a)Bad debt recorded on accounts receivable and notes receivable.
(b)The Special charges for the year ended December 29, 2019 include the following:
(1)$27.5 million of marketing fund investments;
(2)$5.9 million of legal and advisory fees primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard;
(3)$5.6 million related to a one-time mark-to-market adjustment from the increase in value of the Starboard option to purchase Series B Preferred Stock that culminated in the purchase of $50.0 million of Series B Preferred Stock in late March (See “Note 8” to the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information); and
(4)$2.4 million that includes severance costs for the Company’s former CEO as well as costs related to the termination of a license agreement for intellectual property no longer being utilized.
(c)The Special charges for the year ended December 30, 2018 include the following:
(1)$10.0 million of marketing fund investments;
(2)$19.5 million of advisory and legal costs primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard and a third-party audit of the culture at Papa John’s commissioned by a special committee of the Board of Directors; and
(3)$5.8 million of reimaging costs at nearly all domestic restaurants including costs to replace or write-off certain branded assets.
(d)The increase in administrative expenses of $24.8 million for the year ended December 29, 2019 compared to the prior year comparable period, was primarily due to higher management incentive costs, including equity compensation, and higher legal and professional fees not associated with the Special charges.

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See “Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Note 19” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional Special charges details.  

Depreciation and amortization was $47.3 million, or 2.9% of revenues in 2019, as compared to $46.4 million, or 2.8% of revenues for 2019.  

Refranchising and impairment gains/(losses), net.  Refranchising gains of $4.7 million in 2019 were primarily associated with the refranchising of 19 Company-owned restaurants in Georgia and 24 Company-owned restaurants in South Florida.  Net refranchising losses of $289,000 in 2018 were primarily due to the China refranchise of the 34 Company-owned restaurants and the QC Center in China, substantially offset by refranchising gains related to the refranchising of 62 Company-owned restaurants in North America in 2018. See “Note 12” of “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.    

Interest expense. Interest expense decreased approximately $5.1 million for the year ended December 29, 2019 primarily due to a decrease in the average outstanding debt balance. Total debt outstanding was $370.0 million as of December 29, 2019.  Outstanding debt at December 29, 2019 decreased $255.0 million from December 30, 2018 primarily due to the repayment of outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility using proceeds from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock.

Income (loss) before income taxes. For the reasons discussed above, income before income taxes decreased $1.7 million, or 24.7%, for the year ended December 29, 2019 over the prior year comparable periods. Excluding Special items, consolidated income before income taxes totaled $61.1 million, an increase of $3.4 million or 5.9%, for the year ended December 29, 2019.

Income tax (benefit) expense.  The effective income tax rate for the year ended December 29, 2019 was negative 12.1%, compared to positive 39.2% for the year ended December 30, 2018.

Year Ended

December 29, 2019

December 30, 2018

Income before income taxes

$

5,046

$

6,697

Income tax (benefit) / expense

$

(611)

$

2,624

Effective tax rate

(12.1%)

39.2%

The income tax benefit of $611,000 for 2019 is primarily related to higher excess tax benefits from equity-based compensation and other favorable tax credits. In 2018, income tax expense was $2.6 million, or an effective income tax rate of 39.2%. This included a significant tax impact from the China divestiture, as previously detailed in the Special items.

See “Items Impacting Comparability” and “Note 8”, “Note 12” and “Note 20” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements,” respectively, for additional information.

Diluted (loss) earnings per share. Diluted loss per share was $0.24 for 2019 compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.08 in 2018. Excluding Special items, adjusted diluted earnings per share in 2019 was $1.17, a decrease of 14.6% versus 2018 adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.37.

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2018 Compared to 2017

Discussion of Revenues.  Consolidated revenues decreased $120.5 million, or 6.8%, to $1.66 billion in 2018, compared to $1.78 billion in 2017.  Excluding the revenues for the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $30.9 million, consolidated revenues decreased $89.6 million, or 5.1%.  Revenues are summarized in the following table (dollars in thousands).

Year Ended

 

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 31,

    

Increase

 

(In thousands)

2018

2017

(Decrease)

 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

692,380

$

816,718

$

(124,338)

(15.2)

%

North America franchise royalties and fees

 

79,293

 

106,729

 

(27,436)

(25.7)

%

North America commissary

 

609,866

 

673,712

 

(63,846)

(9.5)

%

International

 

110,349

 

114,021

 

(3,672)

(3.2)

%

Other revenues

 

170,983

 

72,179

 

98,804

136.9

%

Total Revenues

$

1,662,871

$

1,783,359

$

(120,488)

(6.8)

%

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales decreased $124.3 million, or 15.2% in 2018.  Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations of $15.6 million in 2017, the Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales decreased $108.7 million, or 13.6% in 2018. These decreases were primarily due to the negative comparable sales of 9.0% and a reduction of revenues of $42.2 million from the refranchising of 62 Company-owned restaurants in 2018.“Comparable sales” represents the change in year-over-year sales for the same base of restaurants for the same fiscal periods.  

North America franchise royalties and fees decreased $27.4 million, or 25.7% in 2018.  Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations of $1.9 million in 2017, the decrease was $25.5 million, or 24.4%, primarily due to short-term royalty reductions granted to the entire North America system as part of the franchise assistance program of approximately $15.4 million, which is included in the Special charges previously discussed. Royalties were further reduced by negative comparable sales of 6.7% in 2018. North America franchise restaurant systemwide sales decreased 7.4% or $169.6 million to $2.1 billion (5.4% or $120.9 million on a 52 week basis) primarily due to the negative comparable sales.  North America franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our North America franchise royalties are derived from these sales.

North America commissary sales decreased $63.8 million, or 9.5% in 2018.  Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations of $10.8 million in 2017, the decrease was $53.0 million, or 8.0% primarily due to lower sales volumes attributable to lower restaurant sales. In addition, North America commissary revenues were reduced approximately $2.6 million due to required reporting of franchise new store equipment incentives as a reduction of revenue under Topic 606.  These incentives were previously recorded as General and administrative expenses.

International revenues decreased approximately $3.7 million, or 3.2% in 2018.  Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations of $2.2 million in 2017, the decrease was $1.5 million, or 1.3%.  These decreases are net of the favorable impact of foreign currency rates of approximately $2.7 million.  The decrease was primarily due to the refranchising of the Company-owned restaurants and QC Center in China of approximately $8.1 million in 2018, lower franchise fees, development fees and lower revenues due to required reporting of franchise new store equipment incentives as a reduction of revenue after adoption of Topic 606, partially offset by higher royalties due to an increase in equivalent units.  “Equivalent units” represents the number of restaurants open at the beginning of a given period, adjusted for restaurants opened, closed, acquired or sold during the period on a weighted average basis.

International franchise restaurant systemwide sales increased 14.6% to $832.3 million in 2018, excluding the impact of foreign currency, due to the increase in equivalent units. International franchise restaurant sales are not included in Company revenues; however, our international royalty revenue is derived from these sales.

Other revenues increased $98.8 million, or 136.9% in 2018 primarily due to the required reporting of franchise marketing fund revenues and expenses on a gross basis for the various funds we control, including PJMF, in accordance with Topic 606. The franchise marketing fund amounts were previously reported on a net basis. As we did not restate the 2017 amounts

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in accordance with our adoption of Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach, comparability between 2018 and 2017 amounts is reduced. See “Note 6” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for more details. Additionally, PJMF was not a consolidated entity in 2017, as previously discussed, which impacts comparability.  This increase was partially offset by lower revenues for Preferred Marketing Solutions, our print and promotions subsidiary.

Discussion of Operating Results

Income before income taxes is summarized in the following table on a reportable segment basis.  Income before income taxes decreased approximately $133.6 million, or 95.2%, for the year ended December 30, 2018 as compared to the prior year. Excluding the previously discussed Special items for 2018 and 2017 as well as the 53rd week of operations in 2017, income before income taxes was $57.7 million, or a decrease of $78.4 million.

    

Year Ended

Dec. 30,

 

Dec. 31

Increase

(In thousands)

    

2018

  

2017

    

    

(Decrease)

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

18,988

$

47,548

$

(28,560)

North America commissaries

 

27,961

 

47,844

 

(19,883)

North America franchising

70,732

96,298

(25,566)

International

14,399

15,888

(1,489)

All others

(6,082)

(179)

(5,903)

Unallocated corporate expenses

(118,296)

(66,099)

(52,197)

Elimination of intersegment profits

(1,005)

(958)

(47)

Total income (loss) before income taxes

$

6,697

$

140,342

$

(133,645)

The decrease in total income before income taxes of $133.6 million was primarily due to the following:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants segment. Domestic company-owned restaurants income before income taxes decreased $28.6 million in 2018. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $2.4 million, the Domestic Company-owned restaurant income before income taxes decreased $26.2 million in 2018. The decrease in income was primarily driven by the negative comparable sales of 9.0% and higher operating costs, including labor and non-owned automobile costs of $5.4 million.  Additionally, the adoption of Topic 606 reduced restaurant income before income taxes due to the revised method of accounting for the customer loyalty program. These decreases were somewhat offset by 2018 refranchising gains of approximately $1.6 million.
North America commissaries segment. North America commissaries income before income taxes decreased $19.9 million in 2018. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $1.7 million, the North America commissaries income before income taxes decreased $18.2 million in 2018 compared to 2017. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in income due to negative North America comparable sales and the Company’s commitment to reduce its overall profit margin as additional support to franchisees. Additionally, the results are impacted by an increase in depreciation expense associated with the Georgia QC Center, an increase in general and administrative overhead cost allocations of $7.9 million, with no impact on consolidated income before income taxes, and the required reporting of $2.6 million in new store franchise equipment incentives as a revenue reduction under Topic 606. This $10.5 million reduction in income before income taxes was offset by a corresponding reduction in Unallocated corporate expenses and North America franchising expenses, with no impact on consolidated income before income taxes.
North America franchising segment. North America franchising income before income taxes decreased $25.6 million in 2018. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of approximately $1.9 million, the North America franchising income before income taxes decreased $23.7 million in 2018. The decrease was primarily driven by reduced royalty revenue. This decrease was partially offset by a reclassification of franchise equipment incentive costs of $2.6 million to the North America commissary segment, as previously noted.
International segment. International income before income taxes decreased $1.5 million in 2018. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $700,000, the International income before income taxes

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decreased $800,000.  In 2018, this was primarily due to the impact of lower new store opening fees after the adoption of Topic 606, higher advertising expenses in the United Kingdom and higher general and administrative expenses. These decreases were somewhat offset by higher royalties from increased equivalent units.
All others. All others income before income taxes decreased $5.9 million in 2018. Excluding the benefit of the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $300,000, the All others income before income taxes decreased $5.6 million. The decrease was primarily driven by higher allocated overhead costs related to various technology initiatives, with no impact on consolidated income before income taxes, and higher depreciation expense on technology investments.
Unallocated Corporate Expenses. Unallocated corporate expenses increased $52.2 million. Excluding the higher costs from the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $1.2 million, Unallocated corporate expenses increased $53.4 million. The increase in expenses was primarily driven by Special charges of $35.3 million, an increase in interest expense of approximately $14.0 million and higher general and administrative expenses including $3.6 million in higher bad debt expense and a $1.5 million contribution to our newly formed Papa John’s Foundation, a separate legal entity that is not consolidated in the Company’s financial statements. These higher costs were somewhat offset by the favorability from increased overhead expense allocation to certain operating segments, as previously discussed, which had no consolidated impact on income before income taxes.

Review of Consolidated Results

Revenues.  For the reasons discussed above, consolidated revenues decreased $120.5 million, or 6.8%, to $1.66 billion in 2018, compared to $1.78 billion in 2017.  Excluding the revenues for the 53rd week of operations in 2017 of $30.9 million, consolidated revenues decreased $89.6 million, or 5.1% primarily due to lower comparable sales as previously discussed. See Discussion of Revenues for additional information.

Year Ended

December 30, 2018

December 31, 2017

% of Related

% of Related

��

Increase

($ in thousands)

Revenues

Revenues

(Decrease)

Revenues:

(Note)

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

692,380

$

816,718

North America franchise royalties and fees

79,293

106,729

North America commissary revenues

609,866

673,712

International revenues

110,349

114,021

Other revenues

170,983

72,179

Total revenues

1,662,871

1,783,359

Costs and expenses:

Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses

577,658

83.4%

664,640

81.4%

2.0%

North America commissary expenses

575,103

94.3%

631,537

93.7%

0.6%

International expenses

67,775

61.4%

70,622

61.9%

(0.5%)

Other expenses

170,556

99.8%

69,335

96.1%

3.7%

General and administrative expenses

193,534

11.6%

150,866

8.5%

3.1%

Depreciation and amortization

46,403

2.8%

43,668

2.4%

0.4%

Total costs and expenses

1,631,029

98.1%

1,630,668

91.4%

6.7%

Refranchising and impairment gains (losses), net

(289)

0.0%

(1,674)

(0.1%)

0.1%

Operating income

31,553

1.9%

151,017

8.5%

(6.6%)

Investment income

817

0.0%

608

0.0%

0.0%

Interest expense

(25,673)

(1.5%)

(11,283)

(0.6%)

(0.9%)

Income before income taxes

$

6,697

0.4%

$

140,342

7.9%

(7.5%)

Note:  The year ended December 30, 2018 been restated to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the operations of PJMF, as discussed in more detail in “Note 2”, “Note 5” and “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.  

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Costs and expenses.  Total costs and expenses were approximately $1.63 billion, or 98.1% of total revenues in 2018 compared to $1.63 billion, or 91.4% in 2017.  Excluding the 53rd week of operations in 2017, total costs and expenses were $1.61 billion, or 91.6% of related revenues.  

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses were $577.7 million in 2018, or 83.4% of related revenues, compared to prior year expenses of $664.6 million, or 81.4% of related revenues.  Excluding the 53rd week of operations in 2017, Domestic Company-owned restaurants expenses were $651.4 million, or 81.3% of related revenues.  The 2.0% increase in expenses as a percent of related revenues, on a 52-week basis, was primarily attributable to the impact of negative comparable sales of 9.0%, higher labor costs including higher minimum wages, and increased non-owned automobile costs.  Additionally, the adoption of Topic 606 increased restaurant expenses as a percentage of revenues due to the revised method of accounting for the customer loyalty program.

North America commissary expenses were $575.1 million in 2018, or 94.3% of related revenues, compared to $631.5 million, or 93.7% of related revenues in 2017.  Excluding the 53rd week of operations in 2017, North America commissary expenses were $622.4 million, or 93.9% of related revenues.  The 0.4% increase in expenses as a percent of related revenues, on a 52-week basis, was primarily due to the Company’s commitment to reduce its overall profit margin as additional support to franchisees.  In addition, commissary expenses as a percent of revenues in 2018 were impacted 0.3% due to the required reporting of new store franchise equipment incentives as a revenue reduction under Topic 606.  The impact of the equipment incentives is offset by a reduction in General and administrative costs.

International expenses were $67.8 million, or 61.4% of related revenues in 2018, compared to $70.6 million, or 61.9% of related revenues in 2017.  Excluding the 53rd week of operations in 2017, International expenses were $69.1 million, or 61.8% of related revenues.  The 0.4% decrease in expenses as a percent of related revenues, on a 52-week basis, was primarily due to the divestiture of our China operations in the second quarter of 2018.  

Other expenses, including the impact of the 2018 consolidation of PJMF, were $170.6 million, or 99.8% of related revenues in 2018 compared to $69.3 million, or 96.1% of related  revenues in 2017.  Excluding the 53rd week of operations in 2017, Other expenses were $68.3 million, or 95.2% of related revenues. The consolidation of PJMF in 2018 increased other expenses $86.5 million in comparison to 2017, which also increased other expenses as a percentage of sales as PJMF operates at or near breakeven.  The increase in expenses as a percent of related revenues, on a 52-week basis, was also due to higher costs related to various technology initiatives and increased advertising spend in the United Kingdom in 2018.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $193.5 million, or 11.6% of revenues for 2018, compared to $150.9 million, or 8.5% of revenues for 2017.  The 53rd week of operations in 2017 increased general and administrative expenses by approximately $900,000. G&A costs consisted of the following (dollars in thousands):

Year Ended

December 30,

December 31,

2018

2017

Provision (credit) for uncollectible accounts and notes receivable (a)

$

3,338

$

(1,441)

Loss on disposition of fixed assets

2,233

2,493

Papa Rewards (b)

-

1,046

Franchise support initiative (c)

34

2,986

Other (income) expense

(1,725)

343

Other general expenses

3,880

5,427

Special charges (d)

35,316

-

Administrative expenses (e)

154,338

145,439

General and administrative expenses

$

193,534

$

150,866

(a)Bad debt recorded on accounts receivable and notes receivable.
(b)Online customer loyalty program in 2017.  In 2018, the Company adopted Topic 606 with updated accounting guidelines for loyalty programs.  

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(c)Franchise incentives include incentives to franchisees for opening new restaurants.  In 2018, the Company adopted Topic 606 with updated accounting guidelines for new store equipment incentives, which are now recorded as a reduction of commissary revenues.
(d)The year ended December 30, 2018 includes a $10.0 million marketing fund investment, $19.5 million of advisory and legal costs primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard and a third-party audit of the culture at Papa John’s commissioned by a special committee of the Board of Directors as well as $5.8 million of reimaging costs at nearly all domestic restaurants including costs to replace or write-off certain branded assets.
(e)The increase in administrative expenses of $8.9 million for the year ended December 30, 2018 compared to the prior year comparable period is mainly due to higher technology initiative costs and a $1.5 million contribution to our newly formed Papa John’s Foundation, a separate legal entity that is not consolidated in the Company’s results. In addition, administrative expenses increased due to higher legal and professional fees not associated with the Special charges.

Depreciation and amortization was $46.4 million, or 2.8% of revenues in 2018, as compared to $43.7 million, or 2.4% of revenues for 2017.  This increase of $2.7 million from 2017 was primarily due to additional depreciation on technology related investments and the impact associated with our Georgia QC Center, which opened in July of 2017.

Refranchising and impairment gains/(losses), net.  The year ended December 30, 2018 includes a $289,000 loss primarily due to the China refranchise of the 34 Company-owned restaurants and the QC Center in China that occurred in 2018, substantially offset by refranchising gains related to the refranchising of 62 Company-owned restaurants in North America in 2018.  The full year 2017 amount includes an impairment charge of $1.7 million related to our Company-owned stores in China.  See “Note 12” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.  

Interest expense. Interest expense increased approximately $14.4 million primarily due to higher average outstanding debt balances, which is primarily due to share repurchases, as well as higher interest rates.  The 53rd week of operations in 2017 increased interest expense for the year by approximately $300,000.

Income before income taxes.For the reasons discussed above, income before income taxes decreased approximately $133.6 million for the year ended December 30, 2018 over the prior year comparable period. Excluding Special items, consolidated income before income taxes totaled $57.7 million, a decrease of $84.3 million or 59.4%, for the year ended December 30, 2018.

Income tax expense.  The effective income tax rates were 39.2% in 2018 and 24.1% in 2017.  The increase in the effective income tax rate for 2018 was primarily attributable to the rate increase related to the China divestiture, as previously detailed in the Special items. Additionally, the rate for 2017 was decreased by the one-time benefit of approximately $7.0 million for the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities after the Tax Act was signed into law. See “Items Impacting Comparability” and “Note 12” and “Note 20” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Year Ended

December 30, 2018

December 31, 2017

Income before income taxes

$

6,697

$

140,342

Income tax expense

$

2,624

$

33,817

Effective tax rate

39.2%

24.1%

Diluted earnings per share. Diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) were $0.08 for 2018 compared to $2.83 in 2017. Excluding Special items, adjusted EPS in 2018 was $1.37, a decrease of 45.4% versus 2017 adjusted EPS of $2.51.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Debt

The Company has a secured revolving credit facility with available borrowings of $400.0 million (the “Revolving Facility”), of which $10.0 million was outstanding as of December 29, 2019, and a secured term loan facility with an outstanding balance of $360.0 million (the “Term Loan Facility”) and together with the Revolving Facility, the “PJI Facilities”.  The PJI Facilities mature on August 30, 2022.  The loans under the PJI Facilities accrue interest at a per annum rate equal to, at the Company’s election, either LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 125 to 250 basis points or a base rate (generally determined by a prime rate, federal funds rate or LIBOR plus 1.00%) plus a margin ranging from 25 to 150 basis points. In each case, the actual margin is determined according to a ratio of the Company’s total indebtedness to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) for the then most recently ended four-quarter period (the “Leverage Ratio”).  The Credit Agreement governing the PJI Facilities (the “PJI Credit Agreement”) places certain customary restrictions upon the Company based on its financial covenants. These include limiting the repurchase of common stock and not increasing the cash dividend above the lesser of $0.225 per share per quarter or $35 million per fiscal year if the Company’s leverage ratio is above 3.75 to 1.0. Quarterly amortization payments are required to be made on the Term Loan Facility in the amount of $5.0 million.  Loans outstanding under the PJI Facilities may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, subject to customary breakage costs in the case of borrowings for which a LIBOR rate election is in effect.  Up to $35.0 million of the Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, and Mexican Pesos.

The PJI Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including financial covenants requiring the maintenance of the Leverage Ratio and a specified fixed charge coverage ratio.  The PJI Credit Agreement allows for a permitted Leverage Ratio of 5.25 to 1.0 beginning in the third quarter of 2018, decreasing over time to 4.00 to 1.0 by 2022; and a fixed charge coverage ratio of 2.00 to 1.0 beginning in the third quarter of 2018 and increasing over time to 2.50 to 1.0 in 2021 and thereafter. We were in compliance with these financial covenants at December 29, 2019.

Under the PJI Credit Agreement, we have the option to increase the Revolving Facility or the Term Loan Facility in an aggregate amount of up to $300.0 million, subject to the Leverage Ratio of the Company not exceeding 4.00 to 1.00.  The Company and certain direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries are required to grant a security interest in substantially all of the capital stock and equity interests of their respective domestic and first tier material foreign subsidiaries to secure the obligations owed under the PJI Facilities.  

Our outstanding debt of $370.0 million at December 29, 2019 under the PJI Facilities was composed of $360.0 million outstanding under the Term Loan Facility and $10.0 million outstanding under the Revolving Facility.  Including outstanding letters of credit, the Company’s remaining availability under the PJI Facilities at December 29, 2019 was approximately $343.8 million.

As of December 29, 2019, the Company had approximately $2.7 million in unamortized debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense over the term of the PJI Facilities. 

We attempt to minimize interest risk exposure by fixing our rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative financial instruments. Our swaps are entered into with financial institutions that participate in the PJI Credit Agreement. By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves to credit risk due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.

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We use interest rate swaps to hedge against the effects of potential interest rate increases on borrowings under our PJI Facilities. In April 2019, we reduced the notional value of our swaps by $50.0 million as a result of paying down a substantial portion of debt under our Revolving Facility using the proceeds received from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock. The termination of $50.0 million of notional swap value was not significant to our results of operations.

As of December 29, 2019, we have the following interest rate swap agreements with a total notional value of $350 million:

Effective Dates

Floating Rate Debt 

Fixed Rates

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

55 million

2.33

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35 million

2.36

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35 million

2.34

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

100 million

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

75 million

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

50 million

2.00

%

Our Credit Agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants, including the following financial covenants, as defined by the Credit Agreement:

Actual Ratio for the

Year Ended

Permitted Ratio

December 29, 2019

Leverage ratio

Not to exceed 5.25 to 1.0

3.5 to 1.0

Interest coverage ratio

Not less than 2.0 to 1.0

2.7 to 1.0

As stated above, our leverage ratio is defined as outstanding debt divided by consolidated EBITDA for the most recent four fiscal quarters.  Our interest coverage ratio is defined as the sum of consolidated EBITDA and consolidated rental expense for the most recent four fiscal quarters divided by the sum of consolidated interest expense and consolidated rental expense for the most recent four fiscal quarters. We were in compliance with all financial covenants as of December 29, 2019.

PJMF has a $20.0 million revolving line of credit (the “PJMF Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Revolving Loan Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 (as amended, the “PJMF Loan Agreement”) with U.S. Bank National Association, as lender (“U.S. Bank”).  The PJMF Revolving Facility is secured by substantially all assets of PJMF.  The PJMF Revolving Facility matures on September 30, 2020.  The borrowings under the PJMF Revolving Facility accrue interest at a variable rate of the one-month LIBOR plus 1.75%.  The applicable interest rates on the PJMF Revolving Facility were 4.1%, 3.4%, and 2.5% in fiscal 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.  There was no balance outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 29, 2019.  The PJMF operating results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants under the PJI Credit Agreement.

Cash Flows

Cash flow provided by operating activities was $61.7 million for 2019 as compared to $92.4 million in 2018. The decrease of approximately $30.7 million was primarily due to unfavorable working capital changes compared to the previous year including timing of payments of liabilities.  The decrease in cash flow provided by operating activities in 2018 compared to 2017 was primarily due to lower net income, offset by favorable changes in working capital items.

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The Company’s free cash flow for the last threetwo years was as follows (in thousands):

Year Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
Net cash provided by operating activities$117,808$184,675
Purchases of property and equipment(78,391)(68,559)
Dividends paid to preferred stockholders (a)
(6,394)
Free cash flow$39,417$109,722
______________________________

Year Ended

 

Dec. 29,

    

Dec. 30,

    

Dec. 31,

 

 

2019

2018

2017

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

61,749

$

92,454

$

134,975

Purchases of property and equipment

(37,711)

(42,028)

(52,593)

Dividends paid to preferred shareholders

 

(10,020)

 

 

Free cash flow (a)

$

14,018

$

50,426

$

82,382

(a)Free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities (from the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows) less the purchases of property and equipment and less the payment of dividends to preferred stockholders. We view free cash flow as an important liquidity measure because it is one factor that management uses in determining the amount of cash available for discretionary investment. However, it does not represent residual cash flows available for discretionary expenditures.  Free cash flow is not a term defined by GAAP, and as a result, our measure of free cash flow might not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Free cash flow should not be construed as a substitute for or a better indicator of our liquidity or performance than the Company’s GAAP measures.

(a)

Cash flow used in investing activities was $32.6    Excludes $188.6 million in 2019 as compared to $38.8 millionof cash consideration paid for the same period in 2018. The decrease in cash flow used in investing activities was primarily due to $7.7 million in proceeds from the refranchising of our joint ventures in Denverrepurchase and Minnesota in 2018 as compared to $13.5 million in proceeds from the refranchising of stores mainly in the Florida and Georgia markets in 2019.

Cash flow used in financing activities was $34.6 million in 2019 as compared to $48.1 million for the same period in 2018.  We require capital for the payment of cash dividends and share repurchases, which are funded by cash flow from operations, borrowings from our Credit Agreement and proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock. In the first quarter of 2019, we received gross proceeds of $252.5 million from the issuance of Series B Preferred Stock and incurred $7.5 million of direct costs associated with the issuance. The net proceedsconversion of the Series B Preferred Stock were primarily used to pay down our Revolving Facilities.  The additional borrowing availability under the Revolving Facility as a result of the debt repayment is expected to provide financial flexibility that enables the Company to make investments in the businesssecond quarter of 2021.

Contractual Obligations

The Company’s cash requirements greater than twelve months from contractual obligations and use for general corporate purposes.  In 2019, we had net repayments of $240.0 million on the PJI Revolving Facilities.  There were no share repurchases in 2019.  In 2018, we had net proceeds of approximately $163.6 million from the issuance of additional debt under our PJI Revolving Facilitiescommitments include:
Debt Obligations and used $158.0 million on share repurchases.  

Interest Payments

Funding for our share repurchase program that expired on February 27, 2019 was provided through our credit facilities, operating cash flow, stock option exercises and cash and cash equivalents. There were no share repurchases during 2019.  For the year ended December 30, 2018, the Company purchased $158.0 million of stock comprising approximately 2.7 million shares.  

The following is a summary of our repurchases of common stock for the last three years (in thousands, except average price per share):

    

Number of

    

Dollar

    

Average

 

Fiscal 

Shares

Amount

Price Per

Year

Repurchased

Repurchased

Share

2017

 

2,960

$

209,586

$

70.80

2018

 

2,698

$

158,049

$

58.57

2019

 

$

$

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The Company recorded dividends of approximately $40.9 million for the year ended December 29, 2019 consisting of the following:

$28.6 million paid to common stockholders ($0.90 per share);
$4.3 million in common stock “pass-through” dividends paid to Series B Preferred Stockholders on an as-converted basis ($0.90 per share);
$5.7 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock (3.6% of the investment per annum); and
$2.3 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock were declared with a record date of December 16, 2019 and paid on December 30, 2019.

The Company paid common stock dividends of $29.0 million in 2018 ($0.90 per share) and $30.7 million in 2017 ($0.85 per share).

On January 29, 2020, our Board of Directors declared a first quarter dividend of $0.225 per share of common stock (approximately $7.3 million was paid Refer to common stockholders and $1.1 million was paid as “pass through” dividends to holders of Series B Preferred Stock on an “as converted basis”).  The first quarter dividend on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock was also declared on January 29, 2020.  The common stock dividend was paid on February 21, 2020 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 10, 2020.  The first quarter preferred dividend of $2.3 million will be paid to holders of Series B Preferred Stock on April 1, 2020.

On February 3, 2019, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Starboard pursuant to which Starboard made a $200 million strategic investment in Series B Preferred Stock.  In addition, on March 28, 2019, Starboard made an additional $50 million investment in the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to an option that was included in the Securities Purchase Agreement.  See “Note 8”12. Debt” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for morefurther information related to the Series B Preferred Stock and related transaction costs.  The Company also issued $2.5 million of Series B Preferred Stock on the same terms as Starboard to certain franchisees of the Company.  

Contractual Obligations

Contractualour obligations and paymentsthe timing of expected payments.

Operating and Finance Leases: Refer to “Note 3 Leases” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for further information on our obligations and the timing of expected payments.
We estimate that our capital expenditures during 2023 will be approximately $80 million to $90 million. This estimate includes development of Company-owned restaurants and technology enhancements. We intend to fund our capital expenditures with cash generated by operations and borrowings under our senior secured revolving credit facility, as of December 29, 2019 due by year are as follows (in thousands):

Payments Due by Period

 

    

Less than

    

    

    

After 5

    

 

1 Year

1-3 Years

3-5 Years

Years

Total

 

Contractual Obligations:

Term Loan Facility (1)

$

20,000

$

340,000

$

$

$

360,000

Revolving Facilities (1)

10,000

10,000

Interest payments (2)

 

14,290

 

24,280

 

1,706

 

 

40,276

Total debt

 

34,290

 

374,280

 

1,706

 

 

410,276

Operating leases (3)

 

32,809

 

59,961

 

39,221

 

61,629

 

193,620

Finance leases (3)

2,323

4,646

3,830

55

10,854

Total contractual obligations

$

69,422

$

438,887

$

44,757

$

61,684

$

614,750

(1)We utilize interest rate swaps to hedge our variable rate debt. At December 29, 2019, we had an interest rate swap liability of $6.2 million recorded in other current and other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(2)Interest payments assume an outstanding debt balance of $370.0 million. Interest payments are calculated based on LIBOR plus the applicable margin in effect at December 29, 2019, and considers the interest rate swap agreements in effect. The actual interest rates on our variable rate debt and the amount of our indebtedness could vary from those used to compute the above interest payments. See “Note 14” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information concerning our debt and credit arrangements.
(3)See “Note 4” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.  The above amounts exclude future expected sub-lease income in the United Kingdom.  

necessary.

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The above table does not include the following:

Unrecognized tax benefits of $1.6 million since we are not able to make reasonable estimates of the period of cash settlement with respect to the taxing authority.
Redeemable noncontrolling interests of $5.8 million as we are not able to predict the timing of the redemptions.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We guarantee leases for certain Papa John’sJohns North American franchisees who have purchased restaurants that were previously Company-owned. We are contingently liable on these leases. TheseThe leases have varying terms, the latest of which expires in 2036. As of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, the estimatedestimate maximum amount of undiscounted payments the Company could be required to make in the event of nonpayment by the primary lessees was approximately $19.2$9.2 million.

We have certain other commercial commitments where payment is contingent upon the occurrence of certain events. With our insurance programs, we are party to standby letters of creditsurety bonds with off-balance sheet risk for a total of $26.3 million as follows byof December 25, 2022. The surety bond arrangements expire within one year (in thousands):

Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period

 

    

Less than

    

1-3

    

3-5

    

After

    

    

 

1 Year

Years

Years

5 Years

Total

 

Other Commercial Commitments:

Standby letters of credit

$

46,200

$

$

$

$

46,200

but have automatic renewal clauses. See “Note 14”12. Debt” and “Note 22”19. Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information related to contractual and other commitments.

Impact of Inflation
We experienced price increases in food items and other commodities, labor and benefits, and fuel and other energy costs during 2022 and expect further inflationary pressure during 2023. Inflationary pressures affect our profitability both directly, in our company-owned restaurants and delivery mechanisms and through gross margins experienced by sales of food and supply items via our Quality Control Centers, as well as indirectly, through higher food ingredient and paper and supply costs, rising fees from delivery aggregators driven by higher wage demands and increases in the cost of gasoline that, once reflected in upward price adjustments on their fees, can exert downward pressure on unit sales, reducing royalty fees we realize from our Domestic and International franchisees. Compensating menu price increases are subject to competitive pressure in the markets in which we operate. Expense control measures are also deployed to offset higher costs when possible. Food costs, in particular the cost of cheese, are managed to an extent by pricing agreements with suppliers and forward purchase contracts we enter into, as discussed in “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other Company communications that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Generally, the use of words such as “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “will,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” or similar words identify forward-looking statements that we intend to be included within the safe harbor protections provided
44


by the federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include or may relate to projections or guidance concerning business performance, revenue, earnings, cash flow, earnings per share, contingent liabilities, resolutionshare repurchases, the current economic environment, the continuing impact of litigation,the coronavirus pandemic, commodity and labor costs, currency fluctuations, profit margins, net unit growth, unit level performance, capital expenditures, restaurant and franchise development, labor shortages and price increases, inflation, royalty relief, franchisee support, the effectiveness of our strategic turnaround effortsmenu innovations and other business initiatives, investments in product and digital innovation, marketing efforts, liquidity, compliance with debt covenants, stockholder and other stakeholder engagement,impairments, strategic decisions and actions, share repurchases, dividends, effective tax rates, regulatory changes and impacts, adoption of new accounting standards, and other financial and operational measures. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those matters expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are involved in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

increased costs for branding initiatives and launching new advertising and marketing campaigns and promotions to improve consumer sentiment and sales trends, and the risk that such initiatives will not be effective;
the ability of the Company to ensure the long-term success of the brand through significant investments committed to our U.S. franchise system, including marketing fund investments and royalty relief;  
the ability of the Company to improve customer sentiment and sales trends through advertising, marketing, and promotional activities;
risks related to social media, including publicity adversely and rapidly impacting our brand and reputation;
aggressive changes in pricing or other marketing or promotional strategies by competitors, which may adversely affect sales and profitability; and new product and concept developments by food industry competitors;

59

the ability of the Company to manage challenging macroeconomic conditions in the United States and internationally, including the United Kingdom;
the ability of the Company to manage staffing and labor shortages at Company and/or franchised restaurants and our quality control centers;
increases in labor costs, food costs or sustained higher other operating costs, including as a result of supply chain disruption, inflation or climate change;
the potential for delayed new store openings, both domestically and internationally;
the increased risk of phishing, ransomware and other cyber-attacks;
risks to the global economy and our business related to the conflict in Ukraine and other international conflicts;
increased costs for branding initiatives and launching new advertising and marketing campaigns and promotions to boost consumer sentiment and sales trends, and the risk that such initiatives will not be effective;
risks related to social media, including publicity adversely and rapidly impacting our brand and reputation;
aggressive changes in pricing or other marketing or promotional strategies by competitors, which may adversely affect sales and profitability; and new product and concept developments by food industry competitors;
changes in consumer preferences or consumer buying habits, including the growing popularity of delivery aggregators, as well as changes in general economic conditions or other factors that may affect consumer confidence and discretionary spending, including higher unemployment;
the adverse impact on the Company or our results caused by global health concerns, product recalls, food quality or safety issues, incidences of foodborne illness, food contamination and other general public health concerns about our Company-owned or franchised restaurants or others in the restaurant industry;
the effectiveness of our technology investments and changes in unit-level operations;
the ability of the Company and its franchisees to meet planned growth targets and operate new and existing restaurants profitably, including difficulties finding qualified franchisees, store level employees or suitable sites;
increases in insurance claims and related costs for programs funded by the Company up to certain retention limits, including medical, owned and non-owned vehicles, workers’ compensation, general liability and property;
disruption of our supply chain or commissary operations which could be caused by our sole source of supply of mozzarella cheese, desserts, garlic cups or limited source of suppliers for other key ingredients or more generally due to weather, natural disasters including drought, disease, or geopolitical or other disruptions beyond our control, including the coronavirus pandemic;
increased risks associated with our International operations, including economic and political conditions and risks associated with the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, instability or uncertainty in our international markets, especially emerging markets, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, difficulty in meeting planned sales targets and new store growth;
the impact of current or future claims and litigation and our ability to comply with current, proposed or future legislation that could impact our business including compliance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation;
the Company’s ability to continue to pay dividends to stockholders based upon profitability, cash flows and capital adequacy if restaurant sales and operating results decline;
continuing risks related to the outbreak of COVID-19 and other health crises;
disruption of critical business or information technology systems, or those of our suppliers, and risks associated with systems failures and data privacy and security breaches, including theft of confidential Company, employee and customer information, including payment cards; and
changes in Federal or state income, general and other tax laws, rules and regulations and changes in generally accepted accounting principles.

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Table of Contents

changes in consumer preferences or consumer buying habits, including the growing popularity of delivery aggregators, as well as changes in general economic conditions or other factors that may affect consumer confidence and discretionary spending;  
the adverse impact on the Company or our results caused by global health concerns, such as coronavirus, product recalls, food quality or safety issues, incidences of foodborne illness, food contamination and other general public health concerns about our Company-owned or franchised restaurants or others in the restaurant industry;
the effectiveness of our technology investments and changes in unit-level operations;
the ability of the Company and its franchisees to meet planned growth targets and operate new and existing restaurants profitably, including difficulties finding qualified franchisees, store level employees or suitable sites;
increases in food costs or sustained higher other operating costs. This could include increased employee compensation, benefits, insurance, tax rates, new regulatory requirements or increasing compliance costs;
increases in insurance claims and related costs for programs funded by the Company up to certain retention limits, including medical, owned and non-owned vehicles, workers’ compensation, general liability and property;
disruption of our supply chain or commissary operations which could be caused by our sole source of supply of cheese or limited source of suppliers for other key ingredients or more generally due to weather, natural disasters including drought, disease, or geopolitical or other disruptions beyond our control;
increased risks associated with our international operations, including economic and political conditions and risks associated with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, instability or uncertainty in our international markets, especially emerging markets, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, difficulty in meeting planned sales targets and new store growth;
the impact of current or future claims and litigation and our ability to comply with current, proposed or future legislation that could impact our business including compliance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation;
the Company's ability to continue to pay dividends to shareholders based upon profitability, cash flows and capital adequacy if restaurant sales and operating results decline;
failure to effectively manage recent transitions within our executive leadership team or to otherwise successfully execute succession planning;
disruption of critical business or information technology systems, or those of our suppliers, and risks associated with systems failures and data privacy and security breaches, including theft of confidential Company, employee and customer information, including payment cards; and
changes in Federal or state income, general and other tax laws, rules and regulations and changes in generally accepted accounting principles.

These and other risk factors are discussed in detail in “Part I. Item 1A. — Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.10-K, and they may be updated from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise, except as required by law.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Interest Rate Risk

The Company has a secured revolving credit facility with available borrowings of $400.0 million (the “Revolving Facility”), of which $10.0 million was outstanding as of December 29, 2019, and a secured term loan facility with an outstanding balance of $360.0 million (the “Term Loan Facility”) and together with the Revolving Facility, the “PJI Facilities”.  The PJI Facilities mature on August 30, 2022.  The loans under the PJI Facilities accrue interest at a per annum rate equal to, at the Company’s election, either LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 125 to 250 basis points or a base rate (generally determined by a prime rate, federal funds rate or LIBOR plus 1.00%) plus a margin ranging from 25 to 150 basis points. In each case, the actual margin is determined according to a ratio of the Company’s total indebtedness to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) for the then most recently ended four-quarter period (the “Leverage Ratio”).  The Credit Agreement governing the PJI Facilities (the “PJI Credit Agreement”) places certain customary restrictions upon the Company based on its financial covenants. These include limiting the repurchase of common stock and not increasing the cash dividend above the lesser of $0.225 per share per quarter or $35 million per fiscal year if the Company’s leverage ratio is above 3.75 to 1.0. Quarterly amortization payments

We are required to be made

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on the Term Loan Facility in the amount of $5.0 million.  Loans outstanding under the PJI Facilities may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, subject to customary breakage costs in the case of borrowings for which a LIBOR rate election is in effect.  Up to $35.0 million of the Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, and Mexican Pesos.

The PJI Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including financial covenants requiring the maintenance of the Leverage Ratio and a specified fixed charge coverage ratio.  The PJI Credit Agreement allows for a permitted Leverage Ratio of 5.25 to 1.0 beginning in the third quarter of 2018, decreasing over time to 4.00 to 1.0 by 2022; and a fixed charge coverage ratio of 2.00 to 1.0 beginning in the third quarter of 2018 and increasing over time to 2.50 to 1.0 in 2021 and thereafter. We were in compliance with these financial covenants at December 29, 2019.

Under the PJI Credit Agreement, we have the option to increase the Revolving Facility or the Term Loan Facility in an aggregate amount of up to $300.0 million, subjectexposed to the Leverage Ratioimpact of the Company not exceeding 4.00 to 1.00.  The Company and certain direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries are required to grant a security interest in substantially all of the capital stock and equity interests of their respective domestic and first tier material foreign subsidiaries to secure the obligations owed under therate changes on our PJI Facilities.  

Our outstanding debt of $370.0 million at December 29, 2019 under the PJI Facilities was composed of $360.0 million outstanding under the Term Loan Facility and $10.0 million outstanding under the Revolving Facility. Including outstanding letters of credit, the Company’s remaining availability under the PJI Facilities at December 29, 2019 was approximately $343.8 million.

As of December 29, 2019, the Company had approximately $2.7 million in unamortized debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense over the term of the PJI Facilities. 

We attempt to minimize interest rate risk exposure by fixing our interest rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative financial instruments. The interest rate swaps were eligible for hedge accounting for part of the period. Our swaps are entered into with financial institutions that participate in the PJI Credit Agreement.Revolving Facility. By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves to credit risk due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.

We do not enter into contracts for trading purposes and do not use interest rate swapsleveraged instruments. See “Note 12. Debt” of “Notes to hedge against the effects of potential interest rate increases on borrowings under our PJI Facilities. In April 2019, we reduced the notional value of our swaps by $50.0 million as a result of paying down a substantial portion of debt under our Revolving Facility using the proceeds received from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock. The termination of $50.0 million of notional swap value was not significant to our results of operations.  

As of December 29, 2019, we have the following interest rate swap agreements with a total notional value of $350 million:

Effective Dates

Floating Rate Debt 

Fixed Rates

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

55 million

2.33

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35 million

2.36

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35 million

2.34

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

100 million

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

75 million

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

50 million

2.00

%

The gain or loss on the swaps is recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense in the same period or periods during which the swaps affect earnings. Gains or losses on the swaps representing hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings.  

The weighted average interest ratesConsolidated Financial Statements” for additional information on our PJI Facilities, including the impact of the interest rate swap agreements, were 4.1%,  3.9%,debt obligations and 2.7% in fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.  Interest paid, including payments made or received under the swaps, was $18.1 million in 2019, $23.5 million in 2018, and $10.8 million in 2017.  As of December

derivative instruments.

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29, 2019, the portion of the aggregate $6.2 million interest rate swap liability that would be reclassified into net interest expense during the next twelve months approximates $2.3 million.  

PJMF has a $20.0 million revolving line of credit (the “PJMF Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Revolving Loan Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 (as amended, the “PJMF Loan Agreement”) with U.S. Bank National Association, as lender (“U.S. Bank”).  The PJMF Revolving Facility is secured by substantially all assets of PJMF.  The PJMF Revolving Facility matures on September 30, 2020.  The borrowings under the PJMF Revolving Facility accrue interest at a variable rate of the one-month LIBOR plus 1.75%.  The applicable interest rates on the PJMF Revolving Facility were 4.1%, 3.4%, and 2.5% in fiscal 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.  There was no balance outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 29, 2019.  The PJMF operating results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants under the PJI Credit Agreement.

In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee ("ARRC") has proposed that the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") is the rate that represents best practice as the alternative to LIBOR for use in derivatives and other financial contracts that are currently indexed to LIBOR. ARRC has proposed a paced market transition plan to SOFR from LIBOR and organizations are currently working on industry wide and company specific transition plans as it relates to derivatives and cash markets exposed to LIBOR. The Company has material contracts that are indexed to LIBOR and is monitoring this activity and evaluating the related risks.  

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations from our operations outside of the United States, which can adversely impact our revenues, net (loss) income and cash flows. Our internationalInternational operations principally consist of distribution sales to franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the United KingdomUK and our franchise sales and support activities, which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our internationalInternational franchisees. Approximately 7.8%6.2% of our 20192022 revenues, 8.3%7.3% of our 20182021 revenues and 7.1%6.8% of our 2020 revenues for 2017 were derived from these International operations.

We have not historically hedged our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations had an unfavorable impact of approximately $5.1$13.3 million on our consolidatedtotal revenues in 20192022, compared to a favorable impact of $3.3approximately $8.1 million in 2018.2021 and an unfavorable impact of approximately $0.6 million in 2020. Foreign currency exchange ratesrate fluctuations had an unfavorable impact of $1.3$2.0 million on our operating income before income taxes in 20192022 compared to a favorable impact of $1.4 million in 2021 and did not have a significantan unfavorable impact on 2018. An additionalof $1.0 million in 2020. A 10% adverse change in the foreign currency rates for our internationalInternational markets would result in an additional negative impact on annual revenue and operating income before income taxes of approximately $10.0$13.6 million and $2.3$1.5 million, respectively.

respectively, based on annual revenue and operating income for the year ended December 25, 2022.

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Commodity Price Risk

In the ordinary course of business, the food and paper products we purchase, including cheese (our largest ingredient cost), are subject to seasonal fluctuations, weather, availability, demand and other factors that are beyond our control. We have pricing agreements with some of our vendors, including forward pricing agreements for a portion of our cheese purchases for our domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurants, which are accounted for as normal purchases; however, we still remain exposed to on-going commodity volatility.

The following table presents the actual average block price for cheese by quarter in 2019, 20182022, 2021 and 2017.2020. Also presented is the projected 20202023 average block price by quarter (based on the February 19, 202016, 2023 Chicago Mercantile Exchange cheese futures prices for 2020)prices):

    

2020

    

2019

    

2018

    

2017

 

Projected

Block

Block

Block

 

Market

Price

Price

Price

 

Quarter 1

$

1.811

$

1.490

$

1.522

$

1.613

Quarter 2

 

1.780

 

1.696

 

1.607

 

1.566

Quarter 3

 

1.825

 

1.898

 

1.592

 

1.642

Quarter 4

 

1.815

 

1.984

 

1.487

 

1.639

Full Year

$

1.808

$

1.767

$

1.552

$

1.615

63

2023202220212020
Projected
Market
Block
Price
Block
Price
Block
Price
Quarter 1$1.951$1.966$1.676$1.857
Quarter 21.9342.2961.6801.679
Quarter 32.0661.9381.6762.262
Quarter 42.0622.0661.7862.235
Full Year$2.003$2.067$1.705$2.008
46


Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

(PCAOB ID: 42)

Consolidated Financial Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
47


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheetsheets of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 29, 2019,25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, stockholders' deficit and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 29, 2019 and December 31, 2017,25, 2022, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a) (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”).  We have not audited the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 30, 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a), as it relates to 2018. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 29, 2019,25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 29, 2019 and December 31, 2017,25, 2022, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework)Framework), and our report dated February 26, 2020,23, 2023, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Adoption of Accounting Standards Updates

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method of accounting for leases in 2019 due to the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, as amended, and changed its method of accounting for revenue from contracts with customers in 2018 due to the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as amended.  

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

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Table of Contents

Critical Audit Matters

Matter

The critical audit mattersmatter communicated below are mattersis a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit mattersmatter below, providing a separate opinionsopinion on the critical audit mattersmatter or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

Preferred stock and option issuance

Description of the Matter

As described in Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements, on February 3, 2019, the Company issued 200,000 shares (“Initial Issuance”) of newly designated Series B convertible preferred stock at a price of $1,000 per share (“Preferred Stock”) along with an option to the purchaser to purchase up to an additional 50,000 shares of Preferred Stock (“Option”), which was exercised prior to its maturity.  The $200.0 million of cash proceeds from the Initial Issuance was bifurcated between the Option and Preferred Stock at the time of issuance based on a relative fair value allocation approach.  

Auditing the valuation of the Preferred Stock and Option was complex and required the involvement of specialists due to the judgmental nature of the assumptions (e.g., stock price volatility, maturity, discount of the conversion option) and the fair value model (e.g., lattice-model) used in the measurement process.  These assumptions have a significant effect on the fair value measurement of the Option.  

How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

We tested controls related to the measurement and valuation of the Option and Preferred Stock.  For example, we tested controls over management’s review of the valuation estimate, the significant valuation assumptions, and the data inputs (e.g., coupon rate, conversion ratio).  The procedures included testing controls over management’s evaluation of the assumptions, including reviews of the stock price volatility and the discount rate.  Our control testing also considered management’s review over the completeness and accuracy of the underlying data used in evaluating the measurement and valuation of the Option and Preferred Stock.

To test the measurement and valuation of the Option and Preferred Stock, our audit procedures included, among others, evaluating the valuation methodology used, the significant assumptions discussed above, and the underlying data used by management.  We involved a valuation specialist to assist with these procedures.  For example, to evaluate the volatility rate, we recalculated the mathematical accuracy of the lookback period of the Company’s publicly traded equity for the various terms, and, to evaluate the discount rate we calculated a synthetic credit rating using a regression analysis.

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48

Table of Contents


Measurement and valuation of reserve for franchisee notes receivable

Description of the Matter

As described in Note 2 and 16 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has a reserve for franchisee notes receivable of $3.6 million (“Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables”) against a gross balance of franchisee notes receivables of $44.4 million at December 29, 2019.  The Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables is recorded to reduce the outstanding notes receivable to their net realizable values based on a review of each franchisee’s economic performance and market conditions after consideration of the fair value of the Company’s collateral rights (e.g., underlying franchisee business, property and equipment) and any guarantees.    

Auditing the valuation of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables is challenging due to the judgment inherent in estimating the fair value of the Company’s collateral rights, which has a significant effect on the measurement of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables.  

How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

We tested management’s controls related to the measurement and valuation of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables.  For example, we tested controls over management’s review of the progression of outstanding notes receivable and the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivable and the overall review of the adequacy of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivable.  Where judgment was exercised by management, our audit procedures included testing controls over management’s evaluation of the assumptions, including the fair value of the collateral rights and guarantees where collateral was taken or personal guarantee given in connection with issuance of the applicable note.  Our control testing also considered management’s review over the completeness and accuracy of the underlying data used in evaluating the measurement and valuation of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables.

To test the measurement and valuation of the Reserve for Franchisee Notes Receivables, our audit procedures included, among others, evaluating the status of collection of scheduled payments for outstanding notes receivables, analyzing unit economics for franchisees to identify indicators of their financial health, evaluating the estimates of collateral value, and the underlying data used by management.  For example, to evaluate the estimates of collateral value, we compared management’s estimates to those of recently executed market transactions to understand potential market adjustments within the estimation process.  

Measurement and valuation of insurance reserves

Description of the Matter

As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, as of December 29, 2019, the Company has $75.2 million accrued for self-insurance reserves (“Insurance Reserves”).  The Company is self-insured for certain obligations up to stated retention levels under its retention programs related to workers’ compensation, automobile, property and general liability programs and judgmentsprograms. As of December 25, 2022, the Company has $67.3 million accrued for self-insurance reserves (“Insurance Reserves”). Judgments and estimates are used by the Company in determining the potential value associated with incurred but not reported claims and for events that have occurred but have not been reported.  

claims.


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Table of Contents

Auditing the measurement and valuation of the Insurance Reserves wasis highly judgmental and complex due to the significant uncertainty in estimating the potential value of reported claims, estimating the number and potential value of incurred but not reported claims and the use of actuarial valuation methods. The reserve estimate is sensitive to actuarial assumptions (e.g., future emergence of losses, incurred but not reported claims) used to estimate the ultimate liability for reported claims and to estimate the fair value of claims that have been incurred but have not been reported.


How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

We tested controls related to the measurement and valuation of the Insurance Reserves. For example, we tested controls over management’s review of the assumptions and methods used to establish the estimate, the underlying data, significant actuarial assumptions and the related reconciliations.


To test the measurement and valuation of the Insurance Reserves, our audit procedures included, among others, performing transactional testingtests of details over the completeness and accuracy of claims data and vouching payments made to third parties. Furthermore, we involved our actuarial specialists to assist in the evaluation of the key assumptions and methodologies used by management to determine the Insurance Reserves.



/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor consecutively since 2019.

Louisville, Kentucky

February 26, 2020

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Table of Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Papa John’s International, Inc.:

Opinion on the ConsolidatedFinancial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Papa John’s International, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 30, 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the year ended December 30, 2018, and the related notes and financial statement schedule II (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 30, 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 30, 2018, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Change in Accounting Principle

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for revenue from contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018 due to the adoption of Topic 606.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We served as the Company’s auditor from 2018 tosince 2019.

Louisville, Kentucky

March 8, 2019, except for Notes 2 (third paragraph), 5, and 27, as to which the date is

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

68


49


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Balance Sheets


Year ended

    

December 29,

    

December 30,

    

December 31,

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

    

2019

2018

2017

(Note)

Revenues:

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales

$

652,053

$

692,380

$

816,718

North America franchise royalties and fees

 

71,828

 

79,293

 

106,729

North America commissary revenues

 

612,652

 

609,866

 

673,712

International revenues

 

102,924

110,349

114,021

Other revenues

179,791

170,983

72,179

Total revenues

 

1,619,248

 

1,662,871

 

1,783,359

Costs and expenses:

Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses

526,237

577,658

664,640

North America commissary expenses

569,180

575,103

631,537

International expenses

57,702

67,775

70,622

Other expenses

175,592

170,556

69,335

General and administrative expenses

 

223,460

 

193,534

 

150,866

Depreciation and amortization

 

47,281

 

46,403

 

43,668

Total costs and expenses

 

1,599,452

 

1,631,029

 

1,630,668

Refranchising and impairment gains (losses), net

 

4,739

 

(289)

 

(1,674)

Operating income

 

24,535

 

31,553

 

151,017

Investment income

1,104

817

608

Interest expense

 

(20,593)

(25,673)

(11,283)

Income before income taxes

 

5,046

 

6,697

 

140,342

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

(611)

 

2,624

 

33,817

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

 

5,657

 

4,073

 

106,525

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

(791)

 

(1,599)

 

(4,233)

Net income attributable to the Company

$

4,866

$

2,474

$

102,292

Calculation of net (loss) income for earnings per share:

Net income attributable to the Company

$

4,866

$

2,474

$

102,292

Preferred stock dividends and accretion

 

(12,499)

 

 

Change in noncontrolling interest redemption value

1,419

Net income attributable to participating securities

 

 

 

(423)

Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders

$

(7,633)

$

2,474

$

103,288

Basic (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.86

Diluted (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.83

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,083

 

36,083

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,299

 

36,522

Dividends declared per common share

$

0.90

$

0.90

$

0.85

Note:  The 2018 Consolidated Statement of Operations has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

(In thousands, except per share amounts)December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$47,373 $70,610 
Accounts receivable (less allowance for credit losses of $6,718 in 2022 and $2,364 in 2021)102,533 81,370 
Notes receivable, current portion6,848 12,352 
Income tax receivable8,780 9,386 
Inventories41,382 34,981 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets44,123 46,310 
Total current assets251,039 255,009 
Property and equipment, net249,793 223,856 
Finance lease right-of-use assets, net24,941 20,907 
Operating lease right-of-use assets172,425 176,256 
Notes receivable, less current portion (less allowance for credit losses of $14,499 in 2022 and $1,500 in 2021)21,248 35,504 
Goodwill70,616 80,632 
Deferred income taxes1,920 5,156 
Other assets72,245 88,384 
Total assets$864,227 $885,704 
Liabilities, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and Stockholders’ deficit
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable$62,316 $28,092 
Income and other taxes payable8,766 19,996 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities142,535 190,116 
Current deferred revenue21,272 21,700 
Current finance lease liabilities6,850 4,977 
Current operating lease liabilities23,418 22,543 
Total current liabilities265,157 287,424 
Deferred revenue23,204 13,846 
Long-term finance lease liabilities19,022 16,580 
Long-term operating lease liabilities160,905 160,672 
Long-term debt, net597,069 480,730 
Deferred income taxes— 258 
Other long-term liabilities68,317 93,154 
Total liabilities1,133,674 1,052,664 
Redeemable noncontrolling interests1,217 5,498 
Stockholders’ deficit:
Common stock ($0.01 par value per share; issued 49,138 at December 25, 2022 and 49,002 at December 26, 2021)491 490 
Additional paid-in capital449,829 445,126 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(10,135)(9,971)
Retained earnings195,856 183,157 
Treasury stock (14,402 shares at December 25, 2022 and 13,205 shares at December 26, 2021, at cost)(922,434)(806,472)
Total stockholders’ deficit(286,393)(187,670)
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries15,729 15,212 
Total Stockholders’ deficit(270,664)(172,458)
Total Liabilities, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and Stockholders’ deficit$864,227 $885,704 
See accompanying notes.

69

50


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations
Year ended
(In thousands, except per share amounts)December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
December 27,
2020
Revenues:
Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales$708,389 $778,323 $700,757 
North America franchise royalties and fees137,399 129,310 96,732 
North America commissary revenues869,634 761,305 680,793 
International revenues129,903 150,771 123,963 
Other revenues256,778 248,712 210,989 
Total revenues2,102,103 2,068,421 1,813,234 
Costs and expenses:
Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately below):
Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses585,307 621,871 563,799 
North America commissary expenses811,446 703,622 630,937 
International expenses76,001 87,286 73,994 
Other expenses238,810 226,320 200,304 
General and administrative expenses217,412 212,265 204,242 
Depreciation and amortization52,032 48,816 49,705 
Total costs and expenses1,981,008 1,900,180 1,722,981 
Refranchising and impairment loss(12,065)— — 
Operating income109,030 168,241 90,253 
Net interest expense(25,261)(17,293)(14,891)
Income before income taxes83,769 150,948 75,362 
Income tax expense14,420 25,993 14,748 
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests69,349 124,955 60,614 
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests(1,577)(4,939)(2,682)
Net income attributable to the Company$67,772 $120,016 $57,932 
Calculation of net income for earnings per share:
Net income attributable to the Company$67,772 $120,016 $57,932 
Dividends on redemption of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock— (109,852)— 
Dividends paid to participating securities(306)(6,091)(14,059)
Net income attributable to participating securities(104)— (2,136)
Net income attributable to common shareholders$67,362 $4,073 $41,737 
Basic earnings per common share$1.90 $0.12 $1.29 
Diluted earnings per common share$1.89 $0.12 $1.28 
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding35,49735,00732,421
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding35,71735,33732,717
Dividends declared per common share$1.54 $1.15 $0.90 
See accompanying notes.
51

Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income
Year Ended
(In thousands)December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
December 27,
2020
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests$69,349 $124,955 $60,614 
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments(4,970)(1,397)2,344 
Interest rate swaps (1)
4,757 6,848 (7,517)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax(213)5,451 (5,173)
Income tax effect:
Foreign currency translation adjustments1,143 321 (539)
Interest rate swaps (2)
(1,094)(1,575)1,729 
Income tax effect49 (1,254)1,190 
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax(164)4,197 (3,983)
Comprehensive income before attribution to noncontrolling interests69,185 129,152 56,631 
Less: comprehensive income, redeemable noncontrolling interests(574)(2,609)(824)
Less: comprehensive income, nonredeemable noncontrolling interests(1,003)(2,330)(1,858)
Comprehensive income attributable to the Company$67,608 $124,213 $53,949 

Year ended

 

December 29,

    

December 30,

    

December 31,

 

(In thousands)

 

2019

2018

2017

 

(Note)

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

$

5,657

$

4,073

$

106,525

Other comprehensive (loss) income, before tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustments (1)

1,638

(4,903)

4,570

Interest rate swaps (2)

 

(10,783)

 

4,254

 

1,421

Other comprehensive (loss) income, before tax

 

(9,145)

 

(649)

 

5,991

Income tax effect:

Foreign currency translation adjustments (1)

 

(377)

 

1,110

 

(1,691)

Interest rate swaps (3)

 

2,480

 

(1,032)

 

(530)

Income tax effect (4)

 

2,103

 

78

 

(2,221)

Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax

 

(7,042)

 

(571)

 

3,770

Comprehensive (loss) income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

 

(1,385)

 

3,502

 

110,295

Less: comprehensive loss (income), redeemable noncontrolling interests

 

519

 

488

 

(2,195)

Less: comprehensive (income), nonredeemable noncontrolling interests

 

(1,310)

 

(2,087)

 

(2,038)

Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to the Company

$

(2,176)

$

1,903

$

106,062

(1)On June 15, 2018, the Company refranchised 34 Company-owned restaurants and a quality control center located in China. In conjunction with the transaction, approximately $1,300 of accumulated other comprehensive income and $300 associated deferred tax related to foreign currency translation were reversed. See “Note 12” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

(2)Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)loss into net interest expense included $660, ($22)2,384), ($5,965) and ($421)5,068) for the years ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, December 30, 201826, 2021 and December 31, 2017,27, 2020, respectively.

(3)(2)The income tax effects of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)loss were ($152), $5$536, $1,342 and $156$1,140 for the years ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, December 30, 201826, 2021 and December 31, 2017,27, 2020, respectively.

(4)As of January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU 2018-02, “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” and reclassified stranded tax effects of approximately $455 to retained earnings in the first quarter of 2018. See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

Note:  The 2018 Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

See accompanying notes.

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Table of Contents


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

    

December 29,

    

December 30,

(In thousands)

2019

2018

(Note)

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

27,911

$

33,258

Accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $7,341 in 2019 and $4,205 in 2018)

80,921

78,118

Notes receivable, current portion

 

7,790

 

5,498

Income tax receivable

4,024

16,146

Inventories

 

27,529

 

27,203

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

33,371

 

36,054

Total current assets

 

181,546

 

196,277

Property and equipment, net

 

211,741

 

226,894

Finance lease right-of-use assets, net

9,383

Operating lease right-of-use assets

148,229

Notes receivable, less current portion (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $3,572 in 2019 and $3,369 in 2018)

 

33,010

 

23,259

Goodwill

 

80,340

 

84,516

Deferred income taxes, net

1,839

1,137

Other assets

 

64,633

 

63,814

Total assets

$

730,721

$

595,897

Liabilities, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and Stockholders’ deficit

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

29,141

$

27,106

Income and other taxes payable

 

7,599

 

6,590

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

 

120,566

 

129,167

Current deferred revenue

5,624

6,022

Current finance lease liabilities

1,789

Current operating lease liabilities

23,226

Current portion of long-term debt

20,000

20,009

Total current liabilities

 

207,945

 

188,894

Deferred revenue

 

14,722

 

17,250

Long-term finance lease liabilities

7,629

Long-term operating lease liabilities

125,297

Long-term debt, less current portion, net

 

347,290

 

601,126

Deferred income taxes, net

 

2,649

 

7,852

Other long-term liabilities

 

84,927

 

79,324

Total liabilities

 

790,459

 

894,446

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock; $0.01 par value; 260.0 shares authorized, 252.5 shares issued and outstanding at December 29, 2019; 0 shares issued at December 30, 2018

251,133

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

 

5,785

 

5,464

Stockholders’ deficit:

Common stock ($0.01 par value per share; issued 44,748 at December 29, 2019 and 44,301 at December 30, 2018)

447

443

Additional paid-in capital

 

219,047

 

192,984

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(10,185)

 

(3,143)

Retained earnings

 

205,697

 

242,182

Treasury stock (12,854 shares at December 29, 2019 and 12,929 shares at December 30, 2018, at cost)

 

(747,327)

 

(751,704)

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

(332,321)

 

(319,238)

Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries

 

15,665

 

15,225

Total Stockholders’ deficit

 

(316,656)

 

(304,013)

Total liabilities, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and
Stockholders’ deficit

$

730,721

$

595,897

Note:  The 2018 Consolidated Balance Sheet has been restated to reflect the consolidationStatements of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

See accompanying notes.

Stockholders’ Deficit

71

Papa John’s International, Inc.
(In thousands)Common
Stock
Shares
Outstanding
Common
Stock
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss (3)
Retained
Earnings
Treasury
Stock
Noncontrolling
Interests in
Subsidiaries
Total
Stockholders’
Deficit
Balance at December 29, 201931,894 $447 $219,047 $(10,185)$205,697 $(747,327)$15,665 $(316,656)
Cumulative effect of adoption of
ASU 2016-13 (2)
— — — — (1,066)— — (1,066)
Adjusted balance at December 30, 201931,894 $447 $219,047 $(10,185)$204,631 $(747,327)$15,665 $(317,722)
Net income (1)
— — — — 57,932 — 1,858 59,790 
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax— — — (3,983)— — — (3,983)
Cash dividends on common stock— — 141 — (29,503)— — (29,362)
Cash dividends on preferred stock— — — — (13,649)— — (13,649)
Exercise of stock options540 30,616 — — — — 30,622 
Acquisition of Company common stock(32)— — — — (2,701)— (2,701)
Stock-based compensation expense— — 16,310 — — — — 16,310 
Issuance of restricted stock119 — (6,922)— — 6,922 — — 
Tax effect of restricted stock awards— — (3,974)— — — — (3,974)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests— — — — — — (2,284)(2,284)
Other24 — (1,115)— (253)1,382 — 14 
Balance at December 27, 202032,545 $453 $254,103 $(14,168)$219,158 $(741,724)$15,239 $(266,939)
Net income (1)
— — — — 120,016 — 2,330 122,346 
Other comprehensive income, net of tax— — — 4,197 — — — 4,197 
Repurchase and conversion of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock3,489 35 174,631 — (110,498)— — 64,168 
Cash dividends on common stock— — 158 — (40,514)— — (40,356)
Cash dividends on preferred stock— — — — (4,121)— — (4,121)
Exercise of stock options212 11,967 — — — — 11,969 
Acquisition of Company common stock(594)— — — — (72,499)— (72,499)
Stock-based compensation expense— — 16,919 — — — — 16,919 
Issuance of restricted stock132 — (6,970)— — 6,970 — — 
Tax effect of restricted stock awards— — (5,847)— — — — (5,847)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests— — — — — — (2,357)(2,357)
Other13 — 165 — (884)781 — 62 
Balance at December 26, 202135,797 $490 $445,126 $(9,971)$183,157 $(806,472)$15,212 $(172,458)

53

Table of Contents


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ (Deficit) Equity

Papa John’s International, Inc. (Note)

    

Common

    

    

    

    

    

Accumulated

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

Total

Stock

Additional

Other

Noncontrolling

Stockholders’

Shares

Common

Paid-In

Comprehensive

Retained

Treasury

Interests in

(Deficit)

(In thousands)

Outstanding

Stock

Capital

Income (Loss)

Earnings

Stock

Subsidiaries

Equity

Balance at December 25, 2016

 

36,683

$

441

$

172,573

$

(5,887)

$

219,278

$

(390,316)

$

13,712

$

9,801

Net income (1)

 

 

 

 

 

102,292

 

 

2,038

 

104,330

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

3,770

 

 

 

 

3,770

Cash dividends on common stock

 

 

136

 

 

(30,728)

 

 

 

(30,592)

Exercise of stock options

 

147

 

1

 

6,259

 

 

 

 

 

6,260

Acquisition of Company common stock

 

(2,960)

 

 

 

 

 

(209,586)

 

 

(209,586)

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

10,413

 

 

 

 

 

10,413

Issuance of restricted stock

 

54

 

 

(2,427)

 

 

 

2,427

 

 

Tax effect of restricted stock awards

 

 

 

(2,428)

 

 

 

 

 

(2,428)

Change in redemption value of noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

1,419

 

 

 

1,419

Contributions from noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,956

2,956

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

(2,949)

 

(2,949)

Other

 

7

 

 

259

 

 

(10)

 

403

 

 

652

Balance at December 31, 2017

 

33,931

$

442

$

184,785

$

(2,117)

$

292,251

$

(597,072)

$

15,757

$

(105,954)

Cumulative effect of adoption of ASU 2014-09 (2)

 

 

 

 

 

(24,359)

 

 

 

(24,359)

Adjusted balance at January 1, 2018

 

33,931

 

442

 

184,785

 

(2,117)

 

267,892

 

(597,072)

 

15,757

 

(130,313)

Net income (1)

 

 

 

 

 

2,474

 

 

1,874

 

4,348

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

(571)

 

 

 

 

(571)

Adoption of ASU 2018-02 (3)

 

 

 

 

(455)

 

455

 

 

 

Cash dividends on common stock

 

 

 

145

 

 

(28,944)

 

 

 

(28,799)

Exercise of stock options

 

75

 

1

 

2,698

 

 

 

 

 

2,699

Acquisition of Company common stock

 

(2,697)

 

 

 

 

 

(158,049)

 

 

(158,049)

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

 

9,936

 

 

 

 

 

9,936

Issuance of restricted stock

 

56

 

 

(3,005)

 

 

 

3,005

 

 

Tax effect of restricted stock awards

 

 

 

(1,521)

 

 

 

 

 

(1,521)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

(2,406)

(2,406)

Other

 

7

 

 

(54)

 

 

305

 

412

 

 

663

Balance at December 30, 2018 (Restated)

 

31,372

$

443

$

192,984

$

(3,143)

$

242,182

$

(751,704)

$

15,225

$

(304,013)

Deficit (continued)
Papa John’s International, Inc.
(In thousands)Common
Stock
Shares
Outstanding
Common
Stock
Additional
Paid-In
Capital
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss (3)
Retained
Earnings
Treasury
Stock
Noncontrolling
Interests in
Subsidiaries
Total
Stockholders’
Deficit
Balance at December 26, 202135,797 $490 $445,126 $(9,971)$183,157 $(806,472)$15,212 $(172,458)
Net income (1)
— — — — 67,772 — 1,003 68,775 
Other comprehensive income, net of tax— — — (164)— — — (164)
Cash dividends on common stock— — 210 — (54,977)— — (54,767)
Exercise of stock options82 4,035 — — — — 4,036 
Acquisition of Company common stock(1,343)— — — — (125,000)— (125,000)
Stock-based compensation expense— — 18,388 — — — — 18,388 
Issuance of restricted stock285 — (8,443)— — 8,443 — — 
Tax effect of restricted stock awards(94)— (9,546)— — — — (9,546)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests— — — — — — (486)(486)
Other— 59 — (96)595 — 558 
Balance at December 25, 202234,736 $491 $449,829 $(10,135)$195,856 $(922,434)$15,729 $(270,664)

72

Table of Contents

Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ (Deficit) Equity (continued)

Papa John’s International, Inc.

    

Common

    

    

    

    

    

Accumulated

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

Total

Stock

Additional

Other

Noncontrolling

Stockholders’

Shares

Common

Paid-In

Comprehensive

Retained

Treasury

Interests in

(Deficit)

(In thousands)

Outstanding

Stock

Capital

Loss

Earnings

Stock

Subsidiaries

Equity

Balance at December 30, 2018 (Restated)

 

31,372

$

443

$

192,984

$

(3,143)

$

242,182

$

(751,704)

$

15,225

$

(304,013)

Net income (1)

 

 

 

 

 

4,866

 

 

1,310

 

6,176

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

(7,042)

 

 

 

 

(7,042)

Cash dividends on common stock

209

(28,761)

(28,552)

Cash dividends on preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

(10,020)

 

 

 

(10,020)

Dividends declared on preferred stock

(2,273)

(2,273)

Exercise of stock options

 

447

 

4

 

16,006

 

 

 

 

 

16,010

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

 

15,303

 

 

 

 

 

15,303

Issuance of restricted stock

 

63

 

 

(3,681)

 

 

 

3,681

 

 

Tax effect of restricted stock awards

 

 

 

(1,433)

 

 

 

 

 

(1,433)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(870)

 

(870)

Other

 

12

 

 

(341)

 

 

(297)

 

696

 

 

58

Balance at December 29, 2019

 

31,894

$

447

$

219,047

$

(10,185)

$

205,697

$

(747,327)

$

15,665

$

(316,656)

(1)
(1)Net income to the Company atfor the years ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, December 30, 201826, 2021 and December 31, 201727, 2020 excludes $791, $1,599$574, $2,609 and $4,233,$824, respectively, allocable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests for our joint venture arrangements.
(2)
As of January 1, 2018,December 30, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. See “Note 2” and “Note 6”10. Allowance for Credit Losses” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.
(3)At December 25, 2022, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $10,135 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $8,696 and a net unrealized loss on the interest rate swap agreements of $1,439. At December 26, 2021, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $9,971 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $4,869 and a net unrealized loss on the interest rate swap agreements of $5,102. At December 27, 2020, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $14,168 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $3,793 and a net unrealized loss on the interest rate swap agreements of $10,375.
(3)As of January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2018-02, “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” and reclassified stranded tax effects of approximately $455 to retained earnings in the first quarter of 2018.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.

At December 31, 2017, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $2,117 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $2,523 and a net unrealized gain on the interest rate swap agreements of $406.

At December 30, 2018, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $3,143 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $6,859 and a net unrealized gain on the interest rate swap agreements of $3,716.

At December 29, 2019, the accumulated other comprehensive loss of $10,185 was comprised of net unrealized foreign currency translation loss of $5,598 and a net unrealized loss on the interest rate swap agreements of $4,587.

Note:  The 2018 Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ (Deficit) Equity has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

See accompanying notes.

73

54


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Year ended

 

December 29,

    

December 30,

    

December 31,

 

(In thousands)

    

2019

2018

2017

 

(Note)

Operating activities

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

$

5,657

$

4,073

$

106,525

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Provision for uncollectible accounts and notes receivable

 

3,139

 

6,849

 

29

Depreciation and amortization

 

47,281

 

46,403

 

43,668

Deferred income taxes

 

(3,764)

 

1,620

 

498

Preferred stock option mark-to-market adjustment

5,914

Stock-based compensation expense

 

15,303

 

9,936

 

10,413

(Gain) loss on refranchising

(4,739)

289

Impairment loss

1,674

Other

 

3,203

 

5,677

 

3,375

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

 

(5,329)

 

2,157

 

(7,358)

Income tax receivable

12,122

(12,157)

(1,531)

Inventories

 

(326)

 

3,093

 

(5,485)

Prepaid expenses

 

792

 

(1,039)

 

(4,414)

Other current assets

 

(277)

 

4,834

 

(1,158)

Other assets and liabilities

 

(6,354)

 

1,464

 

(742)

Accounts payable

 

2,035

 

(400)

 

(8,743)

Income and other taxes payable

 

1,009

 

(3,971)

 

1,897

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

 

(11,331)

 

21,753

 

(3,012)

Deferred revenue

 

(2,586)

 

1,873

 

(661)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

61,749

 

92,454

 

134,975

Investing activities

Purchases of property and equipment

 

(37,711)

 

(42,028)

 

(52,593)

Loans issued

 

(15,864)

 

(10,463)

 

(8,103)

Repayments of loans issued

 

5,616

 

5,805

 

4,185

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

 

 

 

(21)

Proceeds from divestitures of restaurants

 

13,495

 

7,707

 

Other

 

1,889

 

180

 

34

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(32,575)

 

(38,799)

 

(56,498)

Financing activities

Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock

252,530

Issuance costs associated with preferred stock

(7,527)

Proceeds from issuance of term loan

400,000

Repayments of term loan

(15,000)

(20,000)

(5,000)

Net (repayments) proceeds of revolving credit facilities

 

(240,026)

 

163,585

 

(225,575)

Debt issuance costs

(1,913)

(3,181)

Dividends paid to common stockholders

(28,552)

(28,985)

(30,720)

Dividends paid to preferred stockholders

 

(10,020)

 

 

Tax payments for equity award issuances

 

(1,433)

 

(1,521)

 

(2,428)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

 

16,010

 

2,699

 

6,260

Acquisition of Company common stock

 

 

(158,049)

 

(209,586)

Contributions from noncontrolling interest holders

 

840

 

 

2,956

Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders

 

(870)

 

(4,269)

 

(5,449)

Other

 

(526)

 

356

 

663

Net cash used in financing activities

 

(34,574)

 

(48,097)

 

(72,060)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

 

53

 

(191)

 

365

Change in cash and cash equivalents

 

(5,347)

 

5,367

 

6,782

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

33,258

 

27,891

 

15,563

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

27,911

$

33,258

$

22,345

Note: The 2018 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See “Note 2” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

Year ended
(In thousands)December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
December 27,
2020
Operating activities
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests$69,349 $124,955 $60,614 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Provision (benefit) for allowance for credit losses on accounts and notes receivable20,539 (852)(4,734)
Depreciation and amortization52,032 48,816 49,705 
Refranchising and impairment loss12,065 — — 
Deferred income taxes2,798 3,753 (9,268)
Stock-based compensation expense18,388 16,919 16,310 
Other1,056 581 2,257 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable(29,167)4,023 (22,420)
Income tax receivable586 (8,113)3,760 
Inventories(7,496)(4,708)(2,736)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets5,587 2,866 2,884 
Other assets and liabilities(13,458)(20,077)20,879 
Accounts payable(8,350)(9,278)8,229 
Income and other taxes payable(10,710)9,733 2,664 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities4,846 15,875 59,353 
Deferred revenue(257)182 (1,058)
Net cash provided by operating activities117,808 184,675 186,439 
Investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment(78,391)(68,559)(35,652)
Notes issued(9,296)(16,132)(16,589)
Repayments of notes issued13,045 18,555 11,154 
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired(1,219)(699)— 
Proceeds from refranchising, net of cash transferred13,588 — — 
Other(520)3,323 16 
Net cash used in investing activities(62,793)(63,512)(41,071)
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes— 400,000 — 
Net proceeds of revolving credit facilities115,000 80,000 — 
Debt issuance costs— (9,179)— 
Proceeds from exercise of stock options4,036 11,969 30,622 
Repurchase of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock— (188,647)— 
Acquisition of Company common stock(125,000)(72,499)(2,701)
Dividends paid to common stockholders(54,767)(40,356)(29,362)
Dividends paid to preferred stockholders— (6,394)(13,649)
Tax payments for equity award issuances(9,546)(5,847)(3,974)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests(1,211)(5,942)(2,420)
Repayments of term loan— (340,000)(20,000)
Other(4,752)(3,631)(1,977)
Net cash used in financing activities(76,240)(180,526)(43,461)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents(2,012)(231)386 
Change in cash and cash equivalents(23,237)(59,594)102,293 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period70,610 130,204 27,911 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period$47,373 $70,610 $130,204 

See accompanying notes.

74

55


Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

1. Description of Business

Papa John’s International, Inc. (referred to as the “Company,” “Papa John’s”John’s,” “Papa Johns” or in the first person notations of “we,” “us” and “our”), operates and franchises pizza delivery and carryout restaurants under the trademark “Papa John’s,” in 49 48countries and territories as of December 29, 2019. Substantially all25, 2022. Our revenues are derived from retail sales of pizza and other food and beverage products to the general public by Company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties and sales of franchise and development rights, and sales to franchisees of food and paper products, printing and promotional items and information systems equipment, and software and related services used in their operations.

services. We generate revenues from the operation of our Quality Control Centers (“QC Centers”) which supply pizza sauce, dough, food products, paper products, smallwares and cleaning supplies to restaurants. We also derive revenue from contributions received into our national marketing funds.

In discussions of our business, “Domestic” is defined as within the contiguous United States, “North America” includes Canada, and “International” includes the rest of the world other than North America.
2. Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Papa John’s International, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Variable Interest Entity

Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction

Papa John’s domesticDomestic restaurants, both Company-owned and franchised, participate in Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”), a nonstock corporation that is designed to break evenoperate at break-even as it spends all annual contributions received from the system. PJMF collects a percentage of revenues from Company-owned and franchised restaurants in the United States for the purpose of designing and administering advertising and promotional programs. PJMF is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) that funds its operations with ongoing financial support and contributions from the domesticDomestic restaurants, of which approximately 80%85 percent are franchised.  

During the first quarterfranchised, and does not have sufficient equity to fund its operations without these ongoing financial contributions. Based on an assessment of 2019, the Company reassessed the governance structure and operating procedures of PJMF, andthe Company determined that the Companyit has the power to control certain significant activities of PJMF, as defined byand therefore, is the primary beneficiary. The Company has consolidated PJMF in its financial results in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, (“ASC 810”), ConsolidationsConsolidation.  Therefore, the Company is the primary beneficiary of PJMF, and per ASC 810, must consolidate the VIE.  Prior to 2019, the Company did not consolidate PJMF despite having power to control certain significant activities of PJMF.  The Company has concluded the previous conclusion to not consolidate PJMF was an immaterial error and the Company has corrected this immaterial error by restating the 2018 consolidated financial statements and related notes included herein to include PJMF. See Note 27 for the immaterial impacts of this error correction in fiscal year 2018.  Fiscal year 2017 was not restated, as consolidating PJMF was not material to the results of operations.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December of each year. All fiscal years presented consist of 52 weeks except for the 2017 fiscal year, which consisted of 53 weeks.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Significant items that are subject to such estimates and assumptions include the allowance for doubtfulcredit losses on accounts and notes receivable, intangible assets, contract assets and contract liabilities including the customer loyalty program obligation, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, gift card breakage, insurance reserves and tax reserves. Although management bases its estimates on historical experience and assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, actual results could significantly differ from these estimates.

75

Table of Contents

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in contracts with customers and excludes waivers or incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties, primarily sales tax. The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer. Taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, that are collected by the Company from a customer, are excluded from revenue. Delivery costs, including freight associated with our domesticDomestic commissary and other sales, are accounted for as fulfillment costs and are included in operating costs.

56

The Company adopted ASC Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“Topic 606”), in the first quarterTable of 2018. Prior year revenue recognition follows ASC Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition.”

Contents


The following describes principal activities, separated by major product or service, from which the Company generates its revenues:

Domestic Company-owned Restaurant Sales

The domestic and internationalDomestic Company-owned restaurants principally generate revenue from retail sales of high-quality pizza, Papadias, which are flatbread-style sandwiches, and side items including breadsticks, Papa Bites, cheesesticks, chicken poppers and wings, dessert items and canned or bottled beverages. Revenues from Company-owned restaurants are recognized when the products are delivered to or carried out by customers.

Our North American customer loyalty program, Papa Rewards, is a spend-based program that rewards customers with points for each purchase. Papa Rewards points are accumulated and redeemed. During the fourth quarter of 2018, the program transitioned from product-based rewards toredeemed for dollar off discounts (“Papa Dough”), which can to be used on future purchases within a six monthsix-month expiration window. The accrued liability in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and corresponding reduction of Company-owned restaurant sales in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, is for the estimated reward redemptions at domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurants based upon estimated redemption patterns. The liability related to Papa Rewards is calculated using the estimated redemption value for which the points and accumulated rewards are expected to be redeemed. Revenue is recognized when the customer redeems the Papa Dough reward. Prior toreward and when the adoption of Topic 606, the liability related topoints or Papa Rewards was estimated using the incremental cost accrual model which was based on the expected cost to satisfy the award and the corresponding expense was recorded in general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Dough reward expires.

Franchise Royalties and Fees

Franchise royalties, which are based on a percentage of franchise restaurant sales, are recognized as sales occur. Incentives offered from time to time, including new store incentives, will reduce the contractual royalty rate paid. Any royalty reductions, including waivers or those offered as part of a new store development incentive or as incentive for other behaviors, including acceleration of restaurant remodels or equipment upgrades, are recognized at the same time as the related royalty, as they are not separately distinguishable from the full royalty rate. Our current standard franchise agreement requires the franchisee to pay a royalty fee of 5% of sales, and the majority of our existing franchised restaurants have a 5% contractual royalty rate in effect. Franchise royalties are billed on a monthly basis.

The majority of initial franchise license fees and area development exclusivity fees are from internationalInternational locations. Initial franchise license fees are billed at the store opening date. The pre-opening services provided to franchisees do not contain separate and distinct performance obligations from the franchise right; thus, the fees collected will be deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis beginning at the store opening date through the term of the franchise agreement, which is typically 10 years. Franchise license renewal fees for both Domestic and International locations, which generally occur every 10 years, are billed before the renewal date. Fees received for future license renewal periods are deferred and amortized over the life of the renewal period. Area development exclusivity fees are billed upon execution of the development agreements which grant the right to develop franchised restaurants in future periods in specific geographic areas. Area development exclusivity fees are included in deferred revenue in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and allocated on a pro rata basis to all storesrestaurants opened under that specific development agreement. The pre-opening services provided to franchisees do not contain separateThese fees are deferred and distinct performance obligations from the franchise right; thus, the fees collected will be amortized on a straight-line basis beginning at the store opening date throughover the term of the related franchise agreement,agreements, which is typically 10 years. Franchise license renewal fees for both domestic and international locations, which generally occur every 10 years, are billed before the renewal date. Fees received for future license renewal periods are amortized over the life of the renewal period.  For periods prior to adoption of Topic 606, revenue was recognized when we performed our obligations related to such fees, primarily the store opening date for initial franchise fees and area development fees, or the date the renewal option was effective for license renewal fees.

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Commissary Revenues

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The Company offers various incentive programs for franchisees including royalty incentives, new restaurant opening incentives (i.e. development incentives) and other support initiatives. Royalties and franchise fees sales are reduced to reflect any royalty incentives earned or granted under these programs that are in the form of discounts.

Commissary Sales

Commissary salesrevenues are comprised of food and supplies sold to franchised restaurants and are recognized as revenue upon shipment of the related products to the franchisees. Payments are generally due within 30 days.

As noted above, thereThere are various incentive programs available to franchisees related to new restaurant openings including discounts on initial commissary orders and new store equipment incentives, at substantially no cost to franchisees. Commissary salesrevenues are reduced to reflect incentives in the form of direct discounts on initial commissary orders. The new store equipment incentive is also recorded as a reduction of commissary sales over the term of the incentive agreement, which is generally three to five years.

Other Revenues

Fees for information services, including software maintenance fees, help desk fees and online ordering fees are recognized as revenue as such services are provided and are included in other revenue.

Revenues for printing, promotional items, and direct mail marketing services are recognized upon shipment of the related products to franchisees and other customers. Direct mail advertising discounts are also periodically offered by our Preferred Marketing Solutions subsidiary. Other revenues are reduced to reflect these advertising discounts.

Rental income, primarily derived from properties leased by the Company and subleased to franchisees in the United Kingdom, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the respective operating lease terms, in accordance with ASC Topic 842, “Leases”, similar to previous guidance.

Franchise Marketing Fund revenues represent contributionsa required established percentage of monthly restaurant sales collected by PJMF, which is our national marketing fund, and various other international and domesticDomestic marketing funds (“Co-op” or “Co-operative” Funds) where we have determined for purposes of accounting that we have control over the significant activities of the funds. PJMF funds its operations with ongoing financial support and contributions from the domesticDomestic Papa John’s restaurants, of which approximately 80%85% are franchised restaurant members. Contributions are based on a percentage of monthly restaurant sales and are billed monthly. The adoption of Topic 606 revised the principal versus agent determination of these arrangements. When we are determined to be the principal in these
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arrangements, advertising fund contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Our obligation related to these funds is to develop and conduct advertising activities in a specific country, region, or market, including the placement of electronic and print materials.

There are no expiration dates and we do not deduct non-usage fees from outstanding gift cards. While the Company and the franchisees continue to honor all gift cards presented for payment, the likelihood of redemption may be determined to be remote for certain cards due to long periods of inactivity. In these circumstances, the Company recognizes breakage revenue for amounts not subject to unclaimed property laws. Based upon our analysis of historical gift card redemption patterns, we can reasonably estimate the amount of gift cards for which redemption is remote. Breakage revenue is recognized over time in proportion to estimated redemption patterns as Other revenue.revenues. Commissions on gift cards sold by third parties are recorded as a reduction to Deferred revenue and a reduction to Other revenuerevenues based upon estimated redemption patterns.

For periods prior to the adoption of Topic 606, the revenues

Fees for information services, including software maintenance fees, help desk fees, centralized call center fees, and expenses of certain international advertising fundsonline ordering fees are recognized as revenue as such services are provided and the Co-op Funds in which we possess majority voting rights wereare included in Other revenues.
Revenues for printing, promotional items, and direct mail marketing services are recognized upon shipment of the related products to franchisees and other customers. Direct mail advertising discounts are also periodically offered by our Consolidated Statements of OperationsPreferred Marketing Solutions subsidiary. Other revenues are reduced to reflect these advertising discounts.
Rental income, primarily derived from properties leased by the Company and subleased to franchisees in the UK, is recognized on a netstraight-line basis as we previously concluded we wereover the agent in regard to the funds based upon principal/agent determinations in industry-specific guidance that was in effect during those time periods.

respective operating lease terms.

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Advertising and Related Costs

Domestic Company-owned advertising and related costs of $54.3$55.2 million, $60.8$61.7 million and $72.3$56.7 million in 2019, 20182022, 2021, and 2017,2020, respectively, include the costs of domesticDomestic Company-owned local restaurant activities such as mail coupons, door hangers and promotional items and contributions toadvertising activities administered through PJMF and various local market cooperative advertising funds. Contributions by domestic Company-owned and franchised restaurants to PJMF and the Co-op Funds are based on an established percentage of monthly restaurant revenues. PJMF is responsible for developing and conducting marketing and advertising for the domesticDomestic Papa John’s system. The Co-op Funds are responsible for developing and conducting advertising activities in a specific market, including the placement of electronic and print materials developed by PJMF. During 2019 and 2018,2020 the Company also contributed $27.5recorded additional amounts of $15.0 million and $10.0 million, respectively, to PJMF, representing incremental discretionary marketing fund investments in excess of contractual Company-owned restaurant-level contributions as part of our temporary financial support package to increaseour franchisees. The marketing and promotional activities which isfund investments are included in generalGeneral and administrative expenses and is a partwithin the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Special charges.  See Note 19 for additional information.

Operations.

Leases

Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected life of the lease term.term for operating leases, whereas lease expense follows an accelerated expense recognition for finance leases. A lease term often includes option periods, available at the inception of the lease. Lease expense is comprised of operating and finance lease costs, short-term lease costs, and variable lease costs, which are primarily comprised ofinclude common area maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance for the Company’s real estate leases. Lease costs also include variable rent, which is primarily related to the Company’s supply chain tractor and trailer leases that are based on a rate per mile.

As further described in Recent Accounting Pronouncements and Note 3, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02 “Leases (Topic 842)” in the first quarter of 2019.

Stock-Based Compensation

Compensation expense for equity grants is estimated on the grant date, net of projected forfeitures, and is recognized over the vesting period (generally in equal installments(graded vesting over three years). Restricted stock is valued based on the market price of the Company’s shares on the date of grant. Stock options are valued using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. Our specific assumptions for estimatingManagement evaluates its award grants and modifications and will adjust the fair value of optionsif any are included in Note 23.

determined to be spring-loaded.

Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with maturity of three months or less at date of purchase. These investments are carried at cost, which approximates fair value.

Accounts Receivable

Substantially all accounts receivable is due from franchisees for purchases of food, paper products, point of sale equipment, printing and promotional items, information systems and related services, marketing and royalties. Credit is extended based
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on an evaluation of the franchisee’s financial condition and collateral is generally not required. A reserveAn allowance for uncollectible accountscredit losses is established as deemed necessaryan estimate, even if remote, based upon overall accounts receivable aging levelshistorical account write-off trends, facts about the current financial condition of the debtor, forecasts of future operating results based upon current trends of select operating metrics and a specific review of accounts for franchisees with known financial difficulties.macroeconomic factors. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.

See Recent Accounting Pronouncements for information on the impact of the adoption effective December 30, 2019, of the new credit loss accounting guidance, ASU 2016-13, “Credit Losses”.

Notes Receivable

The Company provideshas provided financing to select Domestic and International franchisees principally for use in the construction and development of their restaurants and for the purchase of restaurants from the Company or other franchisees. Most notes receivable bear interest at fixed or floating rates and are generally secured by the assets of each restaurant and the ownership interests in the franchise. In 2019 and 2018, theThe Company alsohas provided long-term financing to certain franchisees with royalty payment plans. We establish a

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reservean allowance for credit losses for franchisee notes receivables to reduce the outstanding notes receivable to their net realizable values based on a review of each franchisee’s economic performance and market conditions after consideration of the fair value of our underlying collateral rights (e.g., underlying franchisee business, property and equipment) and any guarantees. Note balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.

See Recent Accounting Pronouncements for information

Interest income recorded on franchisee loans was approximately $1.3 million in 2022, $1.9 million in 2021 and $2.1 million in 2020 and is reported in Net interest expense in the impactaccompanying Consolidated Statements of the adoption effective December 30, 2019, of the new credit loss accounting guidance, ASU 2016-13, “Credit Losses”.

Operations.

Inventories

Inventories, which consist of food products, paper goods and supplies, smallwares, and printing and promotional items, are stated at the lower of cost, determined under the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, or net realizable value.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets (generally five to ten years for restaurant, commissary and other equipment, 20twenty to 40forty years for buildings and improvements, and five years for technology and communication assets). Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the terms of the respective leases, including the first renewal period (generally five to ten years).

Depreciation expense was $45.9 million in 2019, $45.6 million in 2018 and $42.62022, $43.0 million in 2017.

2021 and $46.6 million in 2020.

Deferred Costs

We capitalize certain information systems development and related costs that meet established criteria. Amounts capitalized, which are included in property and equipment, are amortized principally over periods not exceeding five years upon completion of the related information systems project. Total costs deferredcapitalized were approximately $3.5 million in 2019, $4.3 million in 2018 and $4.1 million in 2017.2022, $4.1 million in 2021 and $3.3 million in 2020. The unamortized information systems development costs approximated $11.5 million$9.6 and $12.3$10.5 million as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, respectively.

Intangible Assets — Goodwill

We evaluate goodwill annually in the fourth quarter or whenever we identify certain triggering events or circumstances that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. Such tests are completed separately with respect to the goodwill of each of our reporting units, which includes our domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurants, United Kingdom (“PJUK”), China, and Preferred Marketing Solutions operations. We may perform a qualitative assessment or move directly to the quantitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period if we believe that it is more efficient or if impairment indicators exist.

We elected to perform a qualitativequantitative assessment for our domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurants, PJUK, China, and Preferred Marketing Solutions operations in the fourth quarter of 2019.  2022. Our Domestic Company-owned restaurants, PJUK, China and Preferred Marketing Solutions fair value calculations considered both an income approach and a market approach. The income approach used projected net cash flows, with various growth assumptions, over a ten-year discrete period and a terminal value, which were discounted using appropriate rates. The selected discount rate considered the risk and nature of each reporting unit’s cash flow and the rates of return market participants would require to invest their capital in the reporting unit. In determining the fair value from a market approach, we considered sales multiples and earnings
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before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization multiples that a potential buyer would pay based on third-party transactions in similar markets.
As a result of our qualitativequantitative analyses, we determined that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair values of our reporting units were greater than their carrying amounts. Subsequent to completing our goodwill impairment tests, no indicators of impairment were identified. See Note 13“Note 11. Goodwill” for additional information.

Deferred Income Tax Accounts and Tax Reserves

We are subject to income taxes in the United States and several foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining Papa John’sthe provision for income taxes and the related assets and liabilities. The provision for income taxes includes income taxes paid, currently payable or receivable and those deferred.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences reverse. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are netted by tax jurisdiction. Deferred tax assets are also recognized for the estimated future effects of tax attribute carryforwards (e.g., net

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operating losses, capital losses, and foreign tax credits). The effect on deferred taxes of changes in tax rates is recognized in the period in which the new tax rate is enacted. Valuation allowances are established when necessary on a jurisdictional basis to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts we expect to realize.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was enacted, significantly decreasing the U.S. federal income tax rate for corporations effective January 1, 2018.  On that same date, the Securities and Exchange Commission  staff also issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118, which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.”  As a result, we remeasured our deferred tax assets, liabilities and related valuation allowances in 2017.  This remeasurement yielded a 2017 benefit of approximately $7.0 million due to the lower income tax rate.  See Note 20 for additional information. Our net deferred income tax liability was approximately $800,000 at December 29, 2019.  

Tax authorities periodically audit the Company. We record reserves and related interest and penalties for identified exposures as income tax expense. We evaluate these issues and adjust for events, such as statute of limitations expirations, court rulings or audit settlements, which may impact our ultimate payment for such exposures. We recognized decreases in income tax expense of $400,000 and $1.7 million in 2019 and 2017, respectively, associated with the finalization of certain income tax matters.  There were 0 amounts recognized in 2018 as there were no related events.  See Note 20“Note 17. Income Taxes” for additional information.

Insurance Reserves

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability property, and healthproperty insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention levels under our retention programs. Retention limits generallywhich range from $100,000up to $1.0$0.5 million.

Losses are accrued based upon undiscounted estimates of the liability for claims incurred and for events that have occurred but have not been reported using certain third-party actuarial projections and our claims loss experience. The determination of the recorded insurance reserves is highly judgmental and complex due to the significant uncertainty in the potential value of reported claims and the number and potential value of incurred but not reported claims, the application of significant judgment in making those estimates and the use of various actuarial valuation methods. The estimated insurance claims losses could be significantly affected should the frequency or ultimate cost of claims differ significantly from historical trends used to estimate the insurance reserves recorded by the Company. The Company records estimated losses above retention within its reserve with a corresponding receivable for expected amounts due from insurance carriers.

As of December 25, 2022, our insurance reserve was $67.3 million as compared to $88.1 million as of December 26, 2021 primarily related to auto liability and workers’ compensation claims. Of these amounts, approximately $29.7 million and $34.7 million were recorded in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and $37.6 million and $53.6 million were recorded in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. Our reserves include claim costs above our retention that have a corresponding receivable. Our insurance receivable for claims above retention totaled $38.4 million and $48.1 million as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. Of these amounts, approximately $17.0 million and $18.7 million were recorded in Prepaid expenses and other current assets, and $21.4 million and $29.4 million were recorded in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively.
Derivative Financial Instruments

We recognize all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. At inception and on an ongoing basis, we assess whether each derivative that qualifies for hedge accounting continues to be highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of the hedged item. If the derivative meets the hedge criteria as defined by certain accounting standards, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are either offset against the change in fair value of assets, liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings.

In April 2019, we reduced2021, our interest rate swaps were de-designated as cash flow hedges following the notional valueissuance of our swaps by $50.0 millionthe Notes (as defined in “Note 12. Debt”) and remained undesignated as a resulthedges through June 26, 2022. For

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these de-designated hedges, the portion of debt under our Revolving Facility usinggains or losses on the proceeds received from the sale of our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”). The termination of $50.0 million of notional swap value was not significant to our results of operations.

Wederivative instruments previously recognized (loss) income of ($10.8) million (($8.3) million after tax) in 2019, $4.3 million ($3.2 million after tax) in 2018, and $1.4 million ($0.9 million after tax) in 2017 inaccumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income forloss (“AOCL”) will be reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense on a straight-line basis over the net changeremaining life of the originally hedged transactions.

As of June 27, 2022, the interest rate swaps were re-designated as cash flow hedges to provide a hedge against changes in variable rate cash flows regarding fluctuations in the fair valueLondon Interbank Offered Rates (“LIBOR”) rate utilized on the revolving credit facility. Therefore, beginning in the third quarter of 2022, our interest rate swaps. See Note 14swaps are accounted for additional information on our debtutilizing cash flow hedge accounting treatment. The interest rate swaps are marked to market at each reporting date and credit arrangements.

any unrealized gains or losses are included in AOCL and reclassified to interest expense in the same period or periods during which the hedged transactions affect earnings.

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Noncontrolling Interests

At

Papa John’s has joint venture arrangements in which there are noncontrolling interests held by third parties that included 98 and 188 restaurants at December 29, 2019,25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. As further described in “Note 22. Divestitures,” the Company has 4divested its 51 percent interest in one joint ventures consistingventure that owned 90 restaurants in the second quarter of 192 restaurants, which have noncontrolling interests.2022. Consolidated net income is required to be reported separately at amounts attributable to both the Company and the noncontrolling interests. Additionally, disclosures are required to clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the Company and the interests of the noncontrolling owners, including a disclosure on the face of the Consolidated Statements of Operations of income attributable to the noncontrolling interest holder.

The following summarizes the redemption feature, location and related accounting within the Consolidated Balance Sheets for these 4 joint venture arrangements:

Type of Joint Venture Arrangement

Location within the Consolidated Balance Sheets

Recorded Value

Joint ventures with no redemption feature

Permanent equity

Carrying value

Joint venturesventure with option to require the Company to purchase the noncontrolling interest - not currently redeemable or redemption not probable

Temporary equity

Carrying value

See Notes 11 and 12 “Note 9. Noncontrolling Interests”for additional information regarding noncontrolling interests and divestitures.

interests.

Foreign Currency Translation

The local currency is the functional currency for each of our foreign subsidiaries. Revenues and expenses are translated into United States (“U.S.”) dollars using monthly average exchange rates, while assets and liabilities are translated using year-end exchange rates and historical rates. The resulting translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss,AOCL, net of income taxes. In 2018, the Company refranchised 34 Company-owned restaurants and a QC Center located in China. In conjunction with the transaction, approximately $1.3 million of accumulated other comprehensive income and $300,000 associated deferred tax related to foreign currency translation were reversed.  See Note 12 for additional information.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Reference Rate Reform – Hedging

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014,March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “RevenueASU 2020-04, “Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” The ASU provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting related to the expected market transition from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognitionLIBOR and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates if certain criteria are met. This guidance under GAAP, including industry-specific requirements,was effective beginning on March 12, 2020, and provides companies with a single revenue recognition frameworkamendments could be applied prospectively through December 31, 2022. The hedge accounting expedients may be applied, on an individual hedging relationship basis, to eligible hedge accounting relationships that existed as of the beginning of the effective date of this guidance, and to new eligible hedging relationships entered into after the effective date of this guidance; however, those expedients generally could not be applied to hedging relationships for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. In March and April 2016, theperiods after December 31, 2022. The FASB issued additional amendments to Topic 606.This update and subsequently issued amendments require companies to recognize revenue at amounts that reflect the consideration to which the companies expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services at the time of transfer. Topic 606 requires that we assess contracts to determine each separate and distinct performance obligation.  If a contract has multiple performance obligations, we allocate the transaction price using our best estimateASU 2022-06, “Deferral of the standalone selling priceSunset Date of Topic 848,” which deferred the sunset date from December 31, 2022 to each distinct good or service in the contract.

December 31, 2024. The Company adopted Topic 606 ascertain optional hedge accounting expedients provided by ASU 2020-04 during fiscal 2020. The adoption of January 1, 2018 underthis guidance did not have a material impact on the modified retrospective transition method.

Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): ReclassificationCompany’s consolidated financial position, results of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”)” (“ASU 2018-02”), which allows for an entity to reclassify disproportionate income tax in AOCI caused by the Tax Act to retained earnings.  The guidance was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted, including interim periods within those years.  The Company adopted ASU 2018-02 in the first quarter of 2018 by electing tooperations, or cash flows.

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reclassify the income tax effects from AOCI to retained earnings.  
The impact of the adoption was not material to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” (“ASU 2016-02”), which amends leasing guidance by requiring companies to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all operating and financing leases with lease terms greater than twelve months.  The lease liability is equal to the present value of lease payments. The right-of-use lease asset is based on the lease liability, subject to adjustment for prepaid and deferred rent and tenant incentives.  For income statement purposes, leases will continue to be classified as operating or financing with lease expense in both cases calculated substantially the same as under the prior leasing guidance.  

The Company adopted Topic 842 as of December 31, 2018 (the first day of fiscal 2019) under the modified retrospective transition method.  See Notes 3 and 4 for additional information.  

Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods

Financial Instruments – Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which requires measurement and recognition of expected versus incurred losses for financial assets held.  ASU 2016-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. We will adopt the standard effective December 30, 2019. The Company is finalizing its assessment of the impact of adopting this standard on our consolidated financial statements.  We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-13 to result in a material change to our consolidated financial statements.

3. Adoption of ASC 842, “Leases”

The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 “Leases(Topic 842)” along with related clarifications and improvements effective at the beginning of fiscal 2019, using the modified retrospective transition method.  There was no cumulative-effect adjustment to the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2018. Comparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.  

The Company has significant leases that include most domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurant and commissary locations.locations as well as our corporate office located in Atlanta, Georgia. Other domestic leases include tractor and trailer leases and other equipment used by our commissaries.  Additionally, the Company leases a significant number of restaurants within the United Kingdom; these restaurants are then subleased to the franchisees.  These leases are classified as operating leases and are included in the Operating lease right-of-use assets, Current operating lease liabilities, and Long-term operating lease liabilities captions on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet.  There were no finance leases at the date of adoption of ASC 842.

Under the new guidance, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease terms at the commencement dates.  The Company uses its incremental borrowing rates as the discount rate for its leases, which is equal to the rate of interest the Company would have to pay on a collateralized basis to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments under similar terms. We have elected to use the portfolio approach in determining our incremental borrowing rate. The incremental borrowing rate for all existing leases as of the opening balance sheet date was based upon the remaining terms of the leases; the incremental borrowing rate for all new or amended leases is based upon the lease terms.  The lease terms for all the Company’s leases include the contractually obligated period of the leases, plus any additional periods covered by Company options to extend the leases that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise.

The Company has elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, which among other things, allows us to carryforward our prior lease classifications under ASC 840, “Leases (Topic 840)”. We elected to combine lease and non-lease components and have not elected the hindsight practical expedient.  Based upon the practical

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expedient election, leases with an initial term of 12 months or less, but greater than one month, will not be recorded on the balance sheet for select asset classes.  

Adoption of Topic 842 did not have a material impact on our operating results or cash flows. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in Operating costs or General and administrative expenses.  Variable lease payments are expensed as incurred.

The effects of the changes made to the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2018 (the first day of fiscal 2019) for the adoption of Topic 842 are as follows (in thousands):

Balance at
December 30, 2018

Adjustments due to Topic 842

Balance at
December 31, 2018

Assets

Current assets:

Prepaid expenses

$

30,376

$

(4,669)

(a)

$

25,707

Other assets:

Operating lease right-of-use assets

-

161,027

(b)

161,027

Liabilities and stockholders' deficit

Current liabilities:

Current operating lease liabilities

-

25,348

(c)

25,348

Long-term liabilities:

Long-term operating lease liabilities

-

137,511

(d)

137,511

Other long-term liabilities

79,324

(6,501)

(e)

72,823

(a)Represents the amount of first quarter 2019 rents that were prepaid as of December 30, 2018 and reclassified to operating lease right-of-use assets.
(b)Represents the recognition of operating lease right-of-use assets, which are calculated as the initial operating lease liabilities, reduced by the year-end 2018 net carrying amounts of prepaid and deferred rent and unamortized tenant incentive liabilities.
(c)Represents the current portion of operating lease liabilities.
(d)Represents the recognition of operating lease liabilities, net of current portion.
(e)Represents the net carrying amount of deferred rent liabilities and unamortized tenant incentive liabilities, which have been reclassified to operating lease right-of-use assets.

Changes in lessor accounting under the new standard did not have a significant financial impact on the recognition of rental income.  

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4.    Leases

The Company has significant leases that include most domestic Company-owned restaurant and commissary locations.  Other domesticDomestic leases include tractor and trailer leases used by our distribution subsidiary as well as commissary equipment. Additionally, the Company leases a significant number of restaurants within the United Kingdom;Kingdom (“UK”); these restaurants are then subleased to the franchisees. The Company’s leases have terms as follows:

Average lease term

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

Five years, plus at least 1one renewal

United KingdomUK franchise-owned restaurants

15 years

Domestic commissary locations

10 years, plus at least 1one renewal

Domestic and internationalInternational tractors and trailers

Five to seven years

Domestic and internationalInternational commissary and office equipment

Three to five years

All leases entered into prior to the adoption of ASC 842 were classified as operating leases.  During 2019, the Company entered into new domestic tractor and trailer leases.  These leases were classified as finance leases and were included in the Finance lease right-of-use assets, net, Current finance lease liabilities, and Long-term finance lease liabilities captions on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at contract inception and recognizes a right-of-use asset and a lease liability at the lease commencement date. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less but greater than one month are not recorded on the balance sheet for select asset classes. The lease liability is measured at the present value of future lease payments as of the lease commencement date, or the opening balance sheet date for leases existing at adoption of Topic 842.date. The right-of-use asset recognized is based on the lease liability adjusted for prepaid and deferred rent and unamortized lease incentives. An operating lease right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is recognized as a single lease cost against the operating lease liability. A finance lease right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis, with interest costs reported separately, over the lesser of the useful life of the leased asset or lease term.

Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in Operating costs or General and administrative expenses. Variable lease payments are expensed as incurred.

The Company uses its incremental borrowing rates as the discount rate for its leases, which is equal to the rate of interest the Company would have to pay on a collateralized basis to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments under similar terms. The lease terms for all the Company’s leases include the contractually obligated period of the leases, plus any additional periods covered by Company options to extend the leases that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise.
Certain leases provide that the lease payments may be increased annually based on the fixed rate terms or adjustable terms such as the Consumer Price Index. Future base rent escalations that are not contractually quantifiable as of the lease commencement date are not included in our lease liability.

The following schedule details the total right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance SheetSheets as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and the date of adoption on December 31, 201826, 2021 (in thousands):

December 29,

December 31,

Leases

Classification

2019

2018

Assets

Finance lease assets, net

Finance lease right-of-use assets, net

$

9,383

$

Operating lease assets, net

Operating lease right-of-use assets

148,229

161,027

Total lease assets

$

157,612

$

161,027

Liabilities

Current finance lease liabilities

Current finance lease liabilities

$

1,789

$

Current operating lease liabilities

Current operating lease liabilities

23,226

25,348

Noncurrent finance lease liabilities

Long-term finance lease liabilities

7,629

Noncurrent operating lease liabilities

Long-term operating lease liabilities

125,297

137,511

Total lease liabilities

$

157,941

$

162,859

84

LeasesClassificationDecember 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Assets
Finance lease assets, netFinance lease right-of-use assets, net$24,941$20,907
Operating lease assets, netOperating lease right-of-use assets172,425176,256
Total lease assets$197,366$197,163
Liabilities
Current finance lease liabilitiesCurrent finance lease liabilities$6,850$4,977
Current operating lease liabilitiesCurrent operating lease liabilities23,41822,543
Noncurrent finance lease liabilitiesLong-term finance lease liabilities19,02216,580
Noncurrent operating lease liabilitiesLong-term operating lease liabilities160,905160,672
Total lease liabilities$210,195$204,772

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Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.  Lease expense is comprised of operating and finance lease costs short-term lease costs, and variable lease costs, which are primarily comprised of common area maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance for the Company’s real estate leases.  Lease costs also include variable rent, which is primarily related to the Company’s supply chain tractor and trailer leases that are based on a rate per mile.  Lease expense for the yearyears ended December 29, 2019 is25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 were as follows:

Year Ended

(in thousands)

December 29, 2019

Finance lease:

Amortization of right-of-use assets

$

815

Interest on lease liabilities

251

Operating lease:

Operating lease cost

42,487

Short-term lease cost

2,704

Variable lease cost

9,558

Total lease costs

$

55,815

Sublease income

(10,879)

Total lease costs, net of sublease income

$

44,936

follows (in thousands):

Year Ended
December 25, 2022
Year Ended
December 26, 2021
Year Ended
December 27, 2020
Finance lease:
Amortization of right-of-use assets$5,704$4,980$2,342
Interest on lease liabilities1,0291,140606
Operating lease:
Operating lease cost42,81543,07240,026
Short-term lease cost4,1712,0323,960
Variable lease cost9,1298,5726,503
Total lease costs62,84859,79653,437
Sublease income(11,654)(12,039)(10,407)
Total lease costs, net of sublease income$51,194$47,757$43,030
Future minimum lease payments under contractually-obligated leases and associated sublease income as of December 29, 2019 are as follows (in thousands):

Fiscal Year

Finance
Lease
Costs

Operating
Lease
Costs

Expected
Sublease
Income

2020

$

2,323

$

32,809

$

9,412

2021

2,323

32,636

9,109

2022

2,323

27,325

8,752

2023

2,323

21,783

8,446

2024

1,507

17,438

8,168

Thereafter

55

61,629

44,364

Total future minimum lease payments

10,854

193,620

88,251

Less imputed interest

(1,436)

(45,097)

Total present value of Lease Liabilities

$

9,418

$

148,523

$

88,251

Future minimum lease payments and sublease income under contractually-obligated leases as of December 30, 201825, 2022 were as follows (in thousands):

Fiscal Year

Operating
Lease
Costs

Expected
Sublease
Income

2019

$

40,834

$

8,079

2020

36,631

8,061

2021

31,159

7,818

2022

25,188

7,462

2023

18,694

7,182

Thereafter

57,304

42,518

Total future minimum lease payments

$

209,810

$

81,120

85

Fiscal YearFinance
Lease
Costs
Operating
Lease
Costs
Expected
Sublease
Income
2023$7,849$32,860$10,303
20246,80132,26710,371
20255,17130,6959,952
20264,12526,9739,251
20272,97121,5688,523
Thereafter1,44092,00242,089
Total future minimum lease payments28,357236,36590,489
Less imputed interest(2,485)(52,042)
Total present value of lease liabilities$25,872$184,323$90,489

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Lessor Operating Leases

We subleaseThe Company subleases certain retail space to our franchisees in the United KingdomUK which are primarily operating leases. At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, we leased and subleased approximately 380442 Papa John’s restaurants to franchisees in the United Kingdom.UK. The initial lease terms on the franchised sites in the United KingdomUK are generally 15 years. The Company has the option to negotiate an extension toward the end of the lease term at the landlord’s discretion. The initial lease terms of the franchisee subleases are generally five to ten years. Rental income, primarily derived from properties leased and subleased to franchisees in the United Kingdom,UK, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the respective operating lease terms,terms. The Company recognized total sublease income of $11.7 million, $12.0 million and $10.4 million for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively, within Other revenues in accordance with Topic 842, similar to previous guidance.the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Lease Guarantees

As a result of assigning our interest in obligations under property leases as a condition of the refranchising of certain restaurants, we are contingently liable for payment of approximately 122 domestic53 Domestic leases. These leases have varying terms, the latest of which expires in 2036. As of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, the estimated maximum amount of undiscounted payments the Company could be required to make in the event of nonpayment by the primary lessees was $19.2$9.2 million. This contingent liability is not included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet or future minimum lease obligation. The fair value of the guarantee is not material.

There were no leases recorded between related parties.

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Supplemental Cash Flow & Other Information

Supplemental

The following table presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020:
(Dollars in thousands)Year Ended
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021December 27, 2020
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from finance leases$1,029$1,140$606
Financing cash flows from finance leases$5,416$4,566$2,139
Operating cash flows from operating leases (a)
$35,573$38,530$37,113
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities$9,875$9,486$9,152
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities (b)
$53,869$64,420$30,266
Cash received from sublease income$10,847$11,597$10,545
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years):
Finance leases4.434.514.71
Operating leases8.448.307.00
Weighted-average discount rate:
Finance leases4.59%5.08%5.34%
Operating leases5.63%6.20%6.65%

(a)Included within the change in Other assets and liabilities within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows offset by non-cash operating lease right-of-use asset amortization and lease liability accretion.
(b)Includes right-of-use assets of approximately $21.8 million for the year ended December 29, 2019 is as follows:

25, 2021 associated with the lease commencement of our Atlanta, Georgia corporate office.

Year Ended

(in thousands, except for weighted-average amounts)

December 29, 2019

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:

Operating cash flows from finance leases

$

269

Financing cash flows from finance leases

781

Operating cash flows from operating leases (a)

40,152

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities

10,199

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities

20,903

Cash received from sublease income

10,139

Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years):

Finance leases

4.75

Operating leases

7.00

Weighted-average discount rate:

Finance leases

6.38%

Operating leases

6.94%

(a) Included within the change in Other assets and liabilities within the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows offset by non-cash operating lease asset amortization and liability accretion.

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5.4. Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.

PJMF, which is a consolidated variable interest entity where the Company has been identified as the primary beneficiary, collects a percentage of revenues from Company-owned and franchised restaurants in the United States, for the purpose of designing and administering advertising and promotional programs for all participating domesticDomestic restaurants. Contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations within Other revenues and Other expenses.

PJMF also has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Papa Card, Inc., which administers the Company’s gift card programs.

64


Assets and liabilities of PJMF, which are restricted in their use, includedutilized solely for the Company’s advertising and promotional programs, were as follows in the Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows (in thousands):

December 29,

December 30,

2019

2018

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

4,569

$

13,790

Accounts receivable, net

11,196

10,264

Income tax receivable

103

73

Prepaid expenses

1,316

441

Other current assets

-

1

Total current assets

17,184

24,569

Deferred income taxes, net

410

381

Total assets

$

17,594

$

24,950

Liabilities

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

764

$

20

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

14,287

23,455

Deferred revenue current

3,252

3,579

Debt

-

9

Total current liabilities

18,303

27,063

Deferred revenue

2,094

2,571

Total liabilities

$

20,397

$

29,634

87

December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$17,174$24,481
Accounts receivable, net14,78014,150
Income tax receivable300
Prepaid expenses and other current assets1,8151,718
Total current assets33,76940,649
Deferred income taxes655614
Total assets$34,424$41,263
Liabilities
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable$12,428$140
Income and other taxes payable82
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities17,92840,154
Current deferred revenue4,3954,317
Total current liabilities34,75944,613
Deferred revenue2,5032,478
Total liabilities$37,262$47,091

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6.5. Revenue Recognition

Adoption of Topic 606

The Company adopted Topic 606 in the first quarter of 2018 with an adjustment to retained earnings to reflect the cumulative impact of adoption. The correction of the immaterial error regarding the consolidation of PJMF impacted the cumulative adjustment from adoption as follows:

January 1, 2018

(In thousands)

As Reported

As Restated

Cumulative effect of adoption of Topic 606

$

(21,527)

$

(24,359)

The change to the cumulative effect of adoption on retained earnings is the result of the consolidation of PJMF in the Company’s consolidated financial statements effective as of the first quarter of 2018, as discussed in more detail in Note 2.  This included a change in the timing of breakage revenue and commission expense recognition under Topic 606.

The adoption of the new guidance changed the reporting of contributions made to PJMF from franchisees and the related advertising fund expenditures, which were not previously included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The new guidance requires these advertising fund contributions and expenditures to be reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Contract Balances

Our contract liabilities primarily relate to franchise fees, and unredeemed gift card liabilities, and loyalty program obligations, which we classify as Deferred revenue and customer loyalty program obligations, which are classified as Accrued expenses and other current liabilities.on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. During the years ended December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, the Company recognized $34.0$33.4 million and $16.3$36.3 million in revenue, respectively, related to deferred revenue and the customer loyalty program.

revenue.

The following table includes a breakout of contract liability balances are included in the following (in thousands):

Contract Liabilities

December 29, 2019

December 30, 2018

Change

Deferred revenue

$

20,346

$

23,272

$

(2,926)

Customer loyalty program

12,049

18,019

(5,970)

Total contract liabilities

$

32,395

$

41,291

$

(8,896)

Contract Liabilities
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021Change
Franchise fees and unredeemed gift card liabilities$30,710$20,410$10,300
Customer loyalty program obligations13,76615,136(1,370)
Total contract liabilities$44,476$35,546$8,930
Our contract assets consist primarily of equipment incentives provided to franchisees. Equipment incentives are related to the future value of commissary revenue the Company will receive over the term of the incentive agreement. As of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, the contract assets were approximately $6.0$4.5 million and $6.6$5.8 million, respectively. For the years ended December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, revenue was reduced approximately $3.5$3.4 million and $4.0$3.0 million, respectively, for the amortization of contract assets over the applicable contract terms. Contract assets are included in OtherPrepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets.

88

assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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Transaction Price Allocated to the Remaining Performance Obligations

The following table (in thousands) includes estimated revenue expected to be recognized in the future related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied at the end of the reporting period.

Performance Obligations by Period

Less than 1 Year

1-2 Years

2-3 Years

3-4 Years

4-5 Years

Thereafter

Total

Franchise fees

$

2,372

$

2,174

$

1,966

$

1,681

$

1,433

$

3,456

$

13,082

Performance Obligations by Period
Less than 1 Year1-2 Years2-3 Years3-4 Years4-5 YearsThereafterTotal
Franchise fees$3,098$2,927$2,755$2,524$2,210$7,120$20,634
Approximately $1.9$3.2 million of area development fees related to unopened stores and internationalInternational unearned royalties are included in Deferred revenue. Timing of revenue recognition is dependent upon the timing of store openings and franchisees’ revenues. Gift card liabilities of approximately $5.3$6.9 million, included in Deferred revenue, will be recognized asin Company-owned restaurant revenues when gift cards are redeemed. The Company will recognize redemption fee revenue in Other revenues when cards are redeemed at franchised restaurant locations.

As of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018, the amount allocated to the Papa Rewards loyalty program is $12.0 million and $18.0 million, respectively, and is reflected in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as part of the contract liability included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities. This will be recognized as revenue as the points are redeemed or expire, which is expected to occur within the next year.

The Company applies the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-50-14 and does not disclose information about remaining performance obligations that have original expected durations of one year or less.

7.

Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)

Shares Authorized and Outstanding

6. Stockholders’ Deficit
Common Stock
The Company has authorized 5.0 million shares of preferred stock, 100.0 million shares of common stock as of December 25, 2022 and 260,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock.December 26, 2021, respectively. The Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, net of repurchased common stock held as treasury stock, were 31.934.7 million shares at December 29, 201925, 2022 and 31.435.8 million shares at December 30, 2018.  There were 252,530 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding at December 29, 2019, and NaN outstanding as of December 30, 2018.  

26, 2021.

Share Repurchase Program

Our

On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors previously authorized the repurchase of up to $2.075 billion of common stock underapproved a share repurchase program thatwith an indefinite duration for up to $425.0 million of the Company’s common stock. This share repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 million share repurchase authorization, which began on December 9, 1999November 4, 2020 and expired on FebruaryDecember 26, 2021.
The following table summarizes our repurchase activity for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2019. We repurchased 2.7 million2020, respectively:
(In thousands, except average price per share)

Year Ended
Total
Number
of Shares
Purchased
Average
Price
Paid per
Share
Aggregate
Cost of
Shares
Purchased
Maximum Dollar
Value of Shares
that May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
December 25, 20221,343$93.07 $125,000 $299,800 
December 26, 2021594$121.96 $72,499 $424,800 
December 27, 202032$83.90 $2,701 $72,299 
Subsequent to year-end, we acquired an additional 319,307 shares of our common stock forat an aggregate purchase pricecost of $158.0$27.6 million. Approximately $272.2 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of February 16, 2023.
The timing and volume of share repurchases under the Company’s share repurchase programs may be executed at the discretion of management on an opportunistic basis, subject to market and business conditions, regulatory requirements and other factors, or pursuant to trading plans or other arrangements. Repurchases under the programs may be made through open market, block, and privately negotiated transactions, including Rule 10b5-1 plans, at times and in 2018 and 3.0 million shares of our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $209.6 million in 2017.  We did notsuch amounts as management deems appropriate. Repurchases under the Company’s share repurchase any shares of our common stock in 2019.programs may be commenced or suspended from time to time at the Company’s discretion without prior notice. Funding for the share repurchase program wasprograms will be provided through our credit facility, operating cash flow, stock option exercises and cash and cash equivalents.
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Dividends

on Common Stock

The Company recordedpaid dividends of approximately $40.9$54.8 million ($1.54 per share), $40.4 million and $29.4 million to common stockholders for the year ended December 29, 2019 consisting of the following:

$28.6 million paid to common stockholders ($0.90 per share);
$4.3 million in common stock “pass-through” dividends paid to Series B Preferred Stockholders on an as-converted basis ($0.90 per share);
$5.7 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock (3.6% of the investment per annum); and
$2.3 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock were declared with a record date of December 16, 2019 and paid on December 30, 2019.
years 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

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The Company paid common stock dividends of $29.0 million in 2018 and $30.7 million in 2017.

On January 29, 2020,26, 2023, our Board of Directors declared a first quarter 2023 dividend of $0.225$0.42 per common share, of common stock (approximately $7.3representing a $14.6 million was paid to common stockholders and $1.1 million was paid as “pass through” dividends to holders of Series B Preferred Stock on an “as converted basis”).  The first quarteraggregate dividend on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock was also declared on January 29, 2020.  The common stock dividendthat was paid on February 21, 202017, 2023 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 10, 2020.6, 2023. The first quarter preferred dividenddeclaration and payment of $2.3 millionany future dividends will be paid to holdersat the discretion of Series B Preferred Stock on April 1, 2020.

Stockholder Rights Plan

On April 30, 2019, the Company’s stockholders ratified the adoption by theour Board of Directors of the Rights Agreement, dated as of July 22, 2018, as amended on February 3, 2019, March 6, 2019, and October 23, 2019 (as amended, the “Rights Agreement”). The original Rights Agreement adopted by the Board of Directors on July 22, 2018 had an expiration date of July 22, 2019 and a beneficial ownership trigger threshold of 15%. On February 3, 2019, in connection with the sale and issuance of the Series B Directors.

Preferred Stockto Starboard (as defined below in Note 8), the original Rights Agreement was amended to exempt Starboard from being considered an “Acquiring Person” under the Rights Agreement solely as a result of its beneficial ownership of (i)
The Company has authorized 5.0 million shares of common stock beneficially owned by Starboard prior to the sale and issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, (ii) shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued or issuable to Starboard under the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement (as defined below), and (iii) shares of the common stock (or in certain circumstances certain series of preferred stock) issuable upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock (or certain series of preferred stock issuable on conversion thereof) pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of Designation of Series B Preferred Stock.  (of which none were issued or outstanding at December 25, 2022 or December 26, 2021, respectively).
On March 6, 2019, the Rights Agreement had been amended to extend the term of the Rights Agreement to March 6, 2022, increase the beneficial ownership trigger threshold at which a person becomes an acquiring person from 15% to 20%, except for a “grandfathered person” provision, and make certain other changes.  The Rights Agreement was further amended on October 23, 2019 to eliminate the “grandfathered person” provision since there are no stockholders that currently beneficially own 20% or more of the Company’s common stock.

8.  Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

On February 3, 2019,May 11, 2021, the Company entered into a Securities PurchaseShare Repurchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with certain funds affiliated with, or managed by, Starboard Value LP (together with its affiliates,(collectively, “Starboard”), pursuant to which (i) the Company repurchased from Starboard made a $200 million strategic investment in78,387 shares of the Company’s newly designatedSeries B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Series B Preferred Stock”) and (ii) Starboard converted the remaining 171,613 shares of Series B Preferred Stock at a purchase pricethat it owned into 3,458,360 shares of $1,000 per share. In addition, on March 28, 2019, Starboard made an additional $50 million investment in the Series B Preferred StockCompany’s common stock pursuant to an option that was included in the Securities Purchase Agreement. The cash proceeds fromterms of the issuanceCertificate of Designation of the Series B Preferred Stock. On June 3, 2021, the Company entered into agreements with certain franchisee investors to repurchase 1,000 shares of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock to Starboard was bifurcated betweenand convert the option and preferred stock at the time of issuance based on a relative fair value allocation approach.  The Company also issued $2.5 millionremaining 1,530 shares of Series B Preferred Stock oninto 30,769 shares of common stock. The Company paid Starboard and the same terms as Starboard to certain franchisees that represented tofranchisee investors aggregate one-time cash payments of $188.6 million for the Company that they qualify as an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501repurchase and conversion of Regulation D promulgated underall of the Securities Act.outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock. The initial dividend rate onexcess of the cash payment over the carrying value of the respective Series B Preferred Stock is 3.6% per annumredeemed resulted in $109.9 million of the stated value of $1,000 per share (the “Stated Value”), payable quarterly in arrears. The Series B Preferred Stock also participatesdividends on an as-converted basis in any regular or special dividends paid to common stockholders. If at any time, the Company reduces the regular dividend paid to common stockholders, the Series B Preferred Stock dividend will remain the same as if the common stock dividend had not been reduced. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible at the option of the holders at any time into shares of common stock based on the conversion rate determined by dividing the Stated Value by $50.06.  The Series B Preferred Stock is also redeemable for cash at the option of either party from and after the eight-year anniversary of issuance, subject to certain conditions.    

The Series B Preferred Stock ranks (i) senior to all of the Common Stock and any other class or series of capital stock of the Company (including the Company’s Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock), the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series ranks senior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, (ii) on a parity basis with each other class or series of capital stock hereafter issued or authorized, the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks on a parity basis with the Series B Preferred Stock and (iii) on a junior basis with each other class or

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series of capital stock now or hereafter issued or authorized, the terms of which expressly provide that such class or series ranks on a senior basis to the Series B Preferred Stock.

Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock have the right to vote with common stockholders on an as-converted basis on all matters, without regard to limitations on conversion other than the Exchange Cap, which is equal to the issuance of greater than 19.99% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding, and subject to certain limitations in the Certificate of Designation for the Series B Preferred Stock.

Upon consummation of a change of control of the Company, the holdersredemption of Series B Preferred Stock havein the rightConsolidated Statement of Operations, which reduced net income attributable to requirecommon stockholders and also reduced diluted earnings per share by $3.10 for the year ended December 26, 2021.

On August 3, 2021, the Company filed a Certificate of Elimination (the “Certificate of Elimination”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to repurchaseeliminate the Series B Preferred Stock at an amount equal toStock. Effective upon filing, the sumCertificate of (i)Elimination eliminated from the greaterCompany’s Amended and Restated Certificate of (A)Incorporation all matters set forth in the Stated ValueCertificate of the Series B Preferred Stock being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid dividends and interest, and (B) the Change of Control As-Converted ValueDesignation with respect to the Series B Preferred Shares being redeemedStock. The shares that were designated to such series were returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, without designation as to series. As a result of the repurchase and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount (as each of these terms is defined in the Certificate of Designation).  

Since the holders have the option to redeem theirconversion, there were no shares of Series B Preferred Stock from and after the eight-year anniversary of issuance, which mayauthorized or may not be exercised, the stock is considered contingently redeemable and, accordingly, is classified as temporary equity of $251.1 million on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as ofoutstanding at December 29, 2019. This amount is reported net of $7.5 million of related issuance costs.  In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company also recorded a one-time mark-to-market temporary equity adjustment of $5.9 million for the increase in fair value for both the $50.0 million option exercised by Starboard and the shares purchased by franchisees for the period of time the option was outstanding.  The mark-to-market temporary equity adjustment was recorded in General and administrative expenses for $5.6 million (Starboard) and as a reduction to North America franchise royalties and fees of $0.3 million (Franchisees) within the Consolidated Statement of Operations with no associated tax benefit.  Over the initial eight-year term, the $251.1 million investment will be accreted to the related redemption value of approximately $252.5 million as an adjustment to Retained Earnings.

25, 2022 or December 26, 2021.

The following table summarizes changes to our Series B Preferred Stock in 20192021 (in thousands):

Balance at December 30, 2018

$

Issuance of preferred stock

252,530

One-time mark-to-market adjustment

5,914

Issuance costs

(7,527)

Accretion

216

Balance at December 29, 2019

$

251,133

The Company paid dividends of approximately $10.0 million to holders of

Balance at December 27, 2020$251,901 
Accretion629 
Redemption(252,530)
Balance at December 26, 2021$— 
Dividends on Series B Preferred Stock for the year ended December 29, 2019, which consisted of a $5.7 million preferred dividend and a $4.3 million
The Company paid common stock “pass-through” dividenddividends on an as-converted basis to common stock.  The Company also declared a $2.3Series B Preferred Stockholders of $1.1 million and $4.6 million and preferred dividend with a record date of December 16, 2019, which was paiddividends on December 30, 2019.  Dividends paid to holders ofthe Series B Preferred Stock of $3.0 million and $9.1 million, in 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company also paid $1.5 million of common stock deemed dividend distributions in connection with the related accretion are subtracted from net income attributable torepurchase and conversion of the CompanySeries B Preferred Stock in determining net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders. See Note 9 for additional information.

2021.

9. (Loss)

7. Earnings per Share

We compute (loss) earnings per share using the two-class method. The two-class method requires an earnings allocation formula that determines (loss) earnings per share for common stockholdersshareholders and participating security holders according to dividends declared and participating rights in undistributed earnings. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock, which were repurchased by the Company or converted into shares of common stock during the second quarter of 2021, and time-based restricted stock awards are participating securities because holders of such shares have non-forfeitable dividend rights and participate in undistributed earnings with common stock. Under the two-class method, total dividends provided to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock, including common dividends
67


participating securities and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, are subtracted from net income attributable to the Company in determining net income attributable to common

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stockholders. shareholders. Additionally, any accretion to the redemption value isfor the Series B Preferred Stock or cash payments in excess of their respective carrying values upon redemption was treated as a deemed dividend in the two-class EPSearnings per share calculation.

Additionally, in accordance with ASC 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity”, the increase in the redemption value for the noncontrolling interest of 1 of our prior joint ventures reduced income attributable to common shareholders (and a decrease in redemption value increases income attributable to common shareholders).  This joint venture was divested during 2018 and thus 0 change in redemption value occurred in 2019 or 2018.  The change in noncontrolling interest redemption value was $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.  See Note 11 for additional information.  

Basic (loss) earnings per common share are computed by dividing net income attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average common shares outstanding. Diluted (loss) earnings per common share are computed by dividing the net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders by the diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding consist of basic weighted average common shares outstanding plus weighted average awards outstanding under our equity compensation plans, which are dilutive securities.

The calculations of basic (loss) earnings per common share and diluted (loss) earnings per common share for the years ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, December 30, 201826, 2021 and December 31, 201727, 2020 are as follows (in thousands, except per share data):
202220212020
Basic earnings per common share
Net income attributable to the Company$67,772 $120,016 $57,932 
Dividends on redemption of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock— (109,852)— 
Dividends paid to participating securities(306)(6,091)(14,059)
Net income attributable to participating securities(104)— (2,136)
Net income attributable to common shareholders$67,362 $4,073 $41,737 
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding35,497 35,007 32,421 
Basic earnings per common share$1.90 $0.12 $1.29 
Diluted earnings per common share
Net income attributable to common shareholders$67,362 $4,073 $41,737 
Weighted average common shares outstanding35,497 35,007 32,421 
Dilutive effect of outstanding equity awards (a)
220 330 296 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (b)
35,717 35,337 32,717 
Diluted earnings per common share$1.89 $0.12 $1.28 

2019

2018

    

2017

Basic (loss) earnings per common share:

Net income attributable to the Company

$

4,866

$

2,474

$

102,292

Preferred stock dividends and accretion

(12,499)

Change in noncontrolling interest redemption value

1,419

Net income attributable to participating securities

 

 

 

(423)

Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders

$

(7,633)

$

2,474

$

103,288

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,083

 

36,083

Basic (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.86

Diluted (loss) earnings per common share:

Net (loss) income attributable to common shareholders

$

(7,633)

$

2,474

$

103,288

Weighted average common shares outstanding

 

31,632

 

32,083

 

36,083

Dilutive effect of outstanding equity awards (a)

 

 

216

 

439

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (b)

 

31,632

 

32,299

 

36,522

Diluted (loss) earnings per common share

$

(0.24)

$

0.08

$

2.83

(a)

(a)Shares subject to options to purchase common stock with an exercise price greater than the average market price for the year were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per common share because the effect would have been antidilutive. The weighted average number of shares subject to antidilutive options was 1.2 million in 2018 and 278,000 in 2017.
(b)The Company had 252,530 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of December 29, 2019.  For the fully diluted calculation, the Series B Preferred stock dividends were added back to net income attributable to common stockholders.  The Company then applied the if-converted method to calculate dilution on the Series B Preferred Stock, which resulted in 5.0 million additional common shares.  This calculation was anti-dilutive.

Shares subject to options to purchase common stock with an exercise price greater than the average market price for the year were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per common share because the effect would have been antidilutive. The weighted average number of shares subject to antidilutive options was 100,000 in 2020 (none in 2022 or 2021).

(b)The Company had 252,500 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of December 27, 2020 (none as of December 25, 2022 or December 26, 2021). For the fully diluted calculation, the Series B Preferred Stock dividends were added back to net income attributable to common shareholders. The Company then applied the if-converted method to calculate dilution on the Series B Preferred Stock, which resulted in 5.0 million additional common shares. This calculation was anti-dilutive in 2020 and as such was excluded.
See Note 11“Note 20. Equity Compensation” for additional information regarding our noncontrolling interests and Note 23 for equity awards, including restricted stock.

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10.8. Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

The Company is required to determinedetermines the fair value of financial assets and liabilities based on the price that would be received to sell the asset or paid to transfer the liability to a market participant. Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are required to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:
Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.
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Fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity specific measurement. Considerable judgment is required to interpret market data to estimate fair value; accordingly, the fair values presented do not necessarily indicate what the Company or its debtholders could realize in a current market exchange.
Our financial assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021 are as follows:
Carrying
Value
Fair Value Measurements
(in thousands)Level 1Level 2Level 3
December 25, 2022
Financial assets:
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a)
$30,120 $30,120 $— $— 
Interest rate swaps (b)
$986 $— $986 $— 
December 26, 2021
Financial assets:
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a)
$41,904 $41,904 $— $— 
Financial liabilities:
Interest rate swaps (b)
$5,536 $— $5,536 $— 

(a)Represents life insurance policies held in our non-qualified deferred compensation plan. See “Note 21. Employee Benefit Plans” for additional information.
(b)The fair value of our interest rate swaps is based on the sum of all future net present value cash flows. The future cash flows are derived based on the terms of our interest rate swaps, as well as considering published discount factors, and projected London Interbank Offered Rates (“LIBOR”).
There were no transfers among levels within the fair value hierarchy during fiscal 2022 or 2021.
The fair value of certain assets and liabilities approximates carrying value because of the short-term nature of the accounts, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, net of allowances, and accounts payable. The carrying value of our notes receivable, net of allowances, also approximates fair value. The fair value of the amount outstanding under ourCompany’s revolving credit facilities and term debt and revolvingunder the Company’s credit facilityagreement approximate their carrying valuesvalue due to thetheir variable market-based interest rate (Level 2).

Certain assets and liabilitiesrate. The Company’s 3.875% senior notes are measured atclassified as a Level 2 fair value on a recurring basismeasurement since the Company estimates the fair value by using recent trading transactions, and are required to be classified and disclosed in one ofhave the following categories:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data.

Our financial assetsestimated fair values and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basiscarrying values (excluding the impact of unamortized debt issuance costs) as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018 are as follows (in thousands):

Carrying

Fair Value Measurements

 

    

Value

    

Level 1

    

Level 2

    

Level 3

 

December 29, 2019

Financial assets:

Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a)

$

33,220

$

33,220

$

$

Financial liabilities:

Interest rate swaps (b)

 

6,168

 

 

6,168

 

December 30, 2018

Financial assets:

Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a)

$

27,751

$

27,751

$

$

Interest rate swaps (b)

 

4,905

 

 

4,905

 

26, 2021:
December 25, 2022December 26, 2021
(in thousands)Carrying
Value
Fair
Value
Carrying
Value
Fair
Value
3.875% Senior Notes$400,000 $339,500 $400,000 $396,000 
(a)Represents life insurance policies held in our non-qualified deferred compensation plan.
(b)The fair value of our interest rate swaps is based on the sum of all future net present value cash flows. The future cash flows are derived based on the terms of our interest rate swaps, as well as considering published discount factors, and projected London Interbank Offered Rates (“LIBOR”).

There were 0 transfers among levels within the fair value hierarchy during fiscal 2019 or 2018.

11.

9. Noncontrolling Interests

As of December 29, 2019, there were 192 restaurants that comprise 425, 2022, the Company had three joint venture arrangements comprising 98 restaurants as compared to 183 restaurants in 3four joint venture arrangements comprising 188 restaurants at December 30, 2018.  In26, 2021. As further described in “Note 22. Divestitures,” the Company divested its 51 percent interest in one joint venture that owned 90 restaurants in the second quarter of 2019, the Company entered into a new joint venture.  See Note 21 for more information.

We are required to report the consolidated net income amounts attributable to the Company and the noncontrolling interests. Additionally, disclosures are required to clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the Company and the interests of the noncontrolling owners, including a disclosure on the face of the Consolidated Statements of Operations of income attributable to the noncontrolling interest holders.

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2022.

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The

Net income before income taxes attributable to these joint ventures for the years ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, December 30, 201826, 2021 and December 31, 2017 were27, 2020 was as follows (in thousands):

    

2019

    

2018

    

2017

Papa John’s International, Inc.

$

2,560

$

5,794

$

7,181

Noncontrolling interests

 

791

 

1,599

 

4,233

Total income before income taxes

$

3,351

$

7,393

$

11,414

As of December 29, 2019, the noncontrolling interest holder of 2 joint ventures have the option to require the Company to purchase their interest, though not currently redeemable.  Since redemption of the noncontrolling interests is outside of the Company’s control, the noncontrolling interests are presented in the caption “Redeemable noncontrolling interests” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

202220212020
Papa John’s International, Inc.$3,136 $8,457 $5,654 
Noncontrolling interests1,577 4,939 2,682 
Total net income$4,713 $13,396 $8,336 
The following summarizes changes in our redeemable noncontrolling interests in 20192022 and 20182021 (in thousands):

Balance at December 27, 2020$6,474 
Net income2,609 
Distributions(3,585)
Balance at December 26, 2021$5,498 
Net income574 
Distributions(4,855)
Balance at December 25, 2022$1,217 
10. Allowance for Credit Losses
The Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “

Balance at December 31, 2017

    

$

6,738

 

Net loss

 

(274)

Distributions

 

(1,000)

Balance at December 30, 2018

    

$

5,464

 

Net loss

(519)

Contributions

840

Distributions

 

Balance at December 29, 2019

$

5,785

Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

12. Divestitures

In,” (“ASU 2016-13”) as of December 30, 2019 (the first day of fiscal 2020) under the third quartermodified retrospective transition method. Topic 326 requires measurement and recognition of 2019, the Company refranchised 19 Company-owned restaurantsexpected versus incurred losses for financial assets held. Financial instruments subject to Topic 326 include trade accounts receivable, notes receivable and interest receivable (classified as Other assets in Macon, Georgia for $5.6 million in cash proceeds.  The sale resulted in a pre-tax gain of $1.7 million shown in Refranchising gains (losses), net on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

In connection with the divestiture, we wrote off an allocationBalance Sheets) from franchisees. The impact of the goodwill related to the domestic Company-owned restaurants reporting unit of $2.0 million, which represents the pro rata fair value of the refranchised restaurants in comparison to the total fair value of the Company-owned restaurants reporting unit.

In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company completed the refranchising of 23 Company-owned restaurants in South Florida for $7.5 million in cash proceeds.  The sale resulted in a pre-tax gain of $2.9 million shown in Refranchising gains (losses), net on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.  

In connection with the divestiture, we wrote off  an allocation of the goodwill related to the domestic Company-owned restaurants reporting unit of $2.4 million, which represents the pro rata fair value of the refranchised restaurants in comparison to the total fair value of the Company-owned restaurants reporting unit.

Additionally, the Company completed the refranchising of 3 Company-owned restaurants during the fourth quarter of 2019.  The refranchising gains (losses), net wereadoption was not material to our consolidated financial statements.

Estimates of expected credit losses, even if remote, are based upon historical account write-off trends, facts about the current financial condition of the debtor, forecasts of future operating results based upon current trends of select operating metrics, and macroeconomic factors. Credit quality is monitored through the timing of payments compared to the prescribed payment terms and known facts regarding the financial condition of the franchisee or customer. Account and note balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.
The following table summarizes changes in our operations.allowances for credit losses for accounts receivable and notes receivable:
(In thousands)Accounts ReceivableNotes Receivable
Balance at December 27, 2020$3,622 $3,211 
Current period provision (benefit) for expected credit losses16 (583)
Write-offs charged against the allowance(1,274)(843)
Recoveries collected— (285)
Balance at December 26, 2021$2,364 $1,500 
Current period provision for expected credit losses (a)
6,474 14,066 
Write-offs charged against the allowance(2,120)(1,042)
Recoveries collected— (25)
Balance at December 25, 2022$6,718 $14,499 

(a)

In    The Company recorded $14.6 million of one-time, non-cash reserves in the first quarter of 2018, the Company refranchised 31 restaurants owned through a joint venture in the Denver, Colorado market.  The Company held a 60% ownership share in the restaurants being refranchised.  The noncontrolling interest portion of the joint venture arrangement was previously recorded at redemption value within the Consolidated Balance Sheet.  Total consideration2022 for the asset sale of the restaurants was $4.8 million, consisting of cash proceeds of $3.7 million, including cash paid for various working capital items,certain accounts receivable and notes financed by Papa John’s for $1.1 million.

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In connectionreceivable primarily associated with the divestiture, we wrote off an allocation of the goodwill related to the domestic Company-owned restaurants reporting unit of $700,000, which represents the pro rata fair value of the refranchised restaurantsa master franchisee with operations principally in comparison to the total fair value of the Company-owned restaurants’ reporting unit.  We recorded a pre-tax refranchising gain of approximately $690,000.

In the second quarter of 2018, the Company refranchised 34 Company-owned restaurants and a quality control center located in Beijing and Tianjin, China.Russia. The Company recorded an impairment$3.7 million of $1.7 millionone-time, non-cash reserves in 2017the second half of 2022 for certain accounts receivable and notes receivable primarily associated with the China operations.  We recorded a pre-tax losstermination of approximately $1.9 million associated with the sale of the restaurants and reversed $1.3 million of accumulated other comprehensive income related to foreign currency translation as part of the disposal. The $1.9 million pre-tax loss in 2018 and impairment recorded in 2017 are recorded in refranchising and impairment gains (losses), net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.  In addition, we also had $2.4 million of additional tax expense associated with the China refranchisesignificant franchisees in the second quarterUK.

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11. Goodwill

The following summarizes changes in the Company’s goodwill, by reportable segment (in thousands):

 

Domestic Company- owned Restaurants

International (a)

All Others

Total

 

Balance as of December 31, 2017

$

70,048

$

16,408

$

436

$

86,892

Divestitures (b)

(1,359)

(1,359)

Foreign currency adjustments

 

 

(1,017)

 

 

(1,017)

Balance as of December 30, 2018

68,689

15,391

436

84,516

Divestitures (c)

(4,435)

(4,435)

Foreign currency adjustments

 

 

259

 

 

259

Balance as of December 29, 2019

$

64,254

$

15,650

$

436

$

80,340

Domestic Company-
owned Restaurants
International (a)
All OthersTotal
Balance at December 27, 2020$64,254 $16,101 $436 $80,791 
Foreign currency adjustments— (159)— (159)
Balance at December 26, 2021$64,254 $15,942 $436 $80,632 
Acquisitions (b)
1,161 — — 1,161 
Divestitures (c)
(9,908)— — (9,908)
Foreign currency adjustments— (1,269)— (1,269)
Balance at December 25, 2022$55,507 $14,673 $436 $70,616 

(a)The international(a)The International goodwill balances for all years presented are net of accumulated impairment of $2.3 million associated with our PJUK reporting unit.
(b)Includes 62 restaurants located in 2 domestic markets.
(c)Includes 46 restaurants located primarily in 2 domestic markets.

For fiscal years 2019 and 2017, we performedpresented are net of accumulated impairment of $2.3 million associated with our PJUK reporting unit.

(b)Goodwill from acquisitions was $1.2 million in 2022, due to acquisitions of two stores.
(c)In conjunction with the refranchising of our 51.0% ownership interest in a qualitative impairment analysis for our domestic90-restaurant consolidated joint venture in Texas, goodwill was allocated to the disposal group based on relative fair value within the Domestic Company-owned restaurants Preferred Marketing Solutions, China, and PJUK reporting units as part of our annual impairment assessment.  For fiscal year 2018, we performed a quantitative analysis on each reporting unit. NaN impairment charges were recorded upon the completion of our goodwill impairment tests in 2019, 2018 and 2017.

group. See “Note 22. Divestitures” for further information.

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12. Debt

14. Debt and Credit Arrangements

Long-term debt, net consists of the following (in thousands):

December 29,

December 30,

2019

2018

Outstanding debt

$

370,000

$

625,009

Unamortized debt issuance costs

(2,710)

(3,874)

Current portion of long-term debt

(20,000)

(20,009)

Total long-term debt, less current portion, net

$

347,290

$

601,126

December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Senior notes$400,000 $400,000 
Revolving facilities205,000 90,000 
Outstanding debt605,000 490,000 
Unamortized debt issuance costs(7,931)(9,270)
Total long-term debt, net$597,069 $480,730 
Senior Notes
On September 14, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million of 3.875% senior notes (the “Notes”) which will mature on September 15, 2029. The Notes are guaranteed by each of the Company’s existing and future Domestic restricted subsidiaries that are guarantors or borrowers under the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below) or other certain indebtedness. The Notes were offered and sold either to persons reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers” pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or to persons outside the United States under Regulation S of the Securities Act. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning March 15, 2022, at a fixed interest rate of 3.875% per annum. In connection with the Notes, the Company recorded $7.1 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into net interest expense over the term of the Notes.
The net proceeds from the Notes, together with borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below), were used to repay outstanding revolver and term loan borrowings under the Company’s Previous Credit Agreement (as defined below).
The Company hasmay redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after September 15, 2024 at established redemption prices ranging from 97 to 194 basis points depending on when the Notes are redeemed. At any time prior to September 15, 2024, the Company may also redeem up to 40% of the Notes with net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 103.875% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, excluding the redemption date. In addition, at any time prior to September 15, 2024, the Company may
71


redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and an applicable “make-whole” premium. The Notes also contain customary redemption provisions related to asset sales and certain change of control transactions.
The Indenture governing the Notes contains customary events of default, including, among other things, payment default, failure to comply with covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture or the Notes and certain provisions related to bankruptcy events. The Indenture also contains customary negative covenants.
Amended Credit Agreement
Concurrently with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”) replacing the previous credit agreement (“Previous Credit Agreement”). The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility within an aggregate available borrowingsprincipal amount of $400.0$600.0 million (the “Revolving“PJI Revolving Facility”), of which $10.0up to $40.0 million is available as swingline loans and up to $80.0 million is available as letters of credit. The PJI Revolving Facility will mature on September 14, 2026. In connection with the Amended Credit Agreement, the Company recorded $2.1 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into net interest expense over the term of the Amended Credit Agreement. The remaining availability under the PJI Revolving Facility was outstanding$395.0 million as of December 29, 2019, and a secured term loan facility with an outstanding balance25, 2022.
Up to $50.0 million of $360.0 million (the “Term Loan Facility”) and together with the PJI Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, and Mexican Pesos. Additionally, the “PJI Facilities”.  TheAmended Credit Agreement includes an accordion feature allowing for a future increase of the PJI Facilities mature on August 30, 2022.  TheRevolving Facility and/or incremental term loans in an aggregate amount of up to $500.0 million, subject to certain conditions, including obtaining commitments from one or more new or existing lenders to provide such increased amounts and ongoing compliance with financial covenants.
Loans under the PJI FacilitiesRevolving Facility accrue interest at a per annum rate equal to, at the Company’s election, either a LIBOR rate plus a margin ranging from 1251.25% to 250 basis points2.00% or a base rate (generally determined byaccording to the greater of a prime rate, federal funds rate plus 0.50%, or a LIBOR rate plus 1.00%) plus a margin ranging from 250.25% to 150 basis points.1.00%. In each case, the actual margin is determined according to a ratio of the Company’s total indebtedness to an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”)calculation, Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in our credit agreement), for the then most recently ended 4-quarterfour quarter period (the “Leverage Ratio”). The Credit Agreement governingAn unused commitment fee ranging from 18 to 30 basis points per annum, determined according to the Leverage Ratio, applies to the underutilized commitments under the PJI Facilities (the “PJI Credit Agreement”) places certain customary restrictions upon the Company based on its financial covenants.  These include limiting the repurchase of common stock and not increasing the cash dividend above the lesser of $0.225 per share per quarter or $35 million per fiscal year if the Company’s leverage ratio is above 3.75 to 1.0.  Quarterly amortization payments are required to be made on the Term Loan Facility in the amount of $5.0 million.Revolving Facility. Loans outstanding under the PJI FacilitiesRevolving Facility may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, subject to customary breakage costs in the case of borrowings for which a LIBOR rate election is in effect. UpThe Amended Credit Agreement also contain provisions specifying alternative interest rate calculations to $35.0 million ofbe used at such time as LIBOR ceases to be available as a benchmark for establishing the Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, and Mexican Pesos.

interest rate on floating interest rate borrowings.

The PJIAmended Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants includingthat, among other things, require customary reporting obligations, and restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens, the consummation of certain mergers, consolidations, sales of assets and similar transactions, the making of investments, equity distributions and other restricted payments, and transactions with affiliates. The Company is subject to the following financial covenants requiring the maintenance of the Leverage Ratio andcovenants: (1) a specified fixed charge coverage ratio.  The PJI Credit Agreement allows for a permittedmaximum Leverage Ratio of 5.25 to 1.0 beginning1.00, subject to the Company’s election to increase the maximum Leverage Ratio by 0.50 to 1.00 in connection with material acquisitions if the third quarter of 2018, decreasing over time to 4.00 to 1.0 by 2022;Company satisfies certain requirements, and (2) a fixed chargeminimum interest coverage ratio defined as Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in our credit agreement) plus consolidated rental expense to consolidated interest expense plus consolidated rental expense of 2.00 to 1.0 beginning in the third quarter of 2018 and increasing over time to 2.50 to 1.0 in 2021 and thereafter.1.00. We were in compliance with these financial covenants at December 29, 2019.

25, 2022.

Under

Obligations under the PJIAmended Credit Agreement we have the option to increase the Revolving Facility or the Term Loan Facility in an aggregate amount of up to $300.0 million, subject to the Leverage Ratio of the Company not exceeding 4.00 to 1.00.  The Company andare guaranteed by certain direct and indirect domesticmaterial Domestic subsidiaries of the Company (the “Guarantors”) and are required to grantsecured by a security interest in substantially all of the capital stock and equity interests of their respective domesticthe Company’s and the Guarantors’ Domestic and first tier material foreign subsidiariessubsidiaries. The Amended Credit Agreement contains customary events of default including, among other things, payment defaults, breach of covenants, cross acceleration to securematerial indebtedness, bankruptcy-related defaults, judgment defaults, and the obligations owed underoccurrence of certain change of control events. The occurrence of an event of default may result in the PJI Facilities.  

Our outstanding debt of $370.0 million at December 29, 2019 under the PJI Facilities was composed of $360.0 million outstanding under the Term Loan Facility and $10.0 million outstanding under the Revolving Facility. Including outstanding letters of credit, the Company’s remaining availability under the PJI Facilities at December 29, 2019 was approximately $343.8 million.

As of December 29, 2019, the Company had approximately $2.7 million in unamortized debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense over the termtermination of the PJI Facilities. 

We attempt to minimize interest risk exposureRevolving Facility, acceleration of repayment obligations and the exercise of remedies by fixing our rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative financial instruments. Our swaps are entered intoLenders with financial institutions that participate in the PJI Credit Agreement. By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves to credit risk duerespect to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.

Guarantors.

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We use interest rate swaps to hedge against the effects of potential interest rate increases on borrowings under our PJI Facilities. In April 2019, we reduced the notional value of our swaps by $50.0 million as a result of paying down a substantial portion of debt under ourPJMF Revolving Facility using the proceeds received from the sale of Series B Preferred Stock. The termination of $50.0 million of notional swap value was not significant to our results of operations.  

As of December 29, 2019, we have the following interest rate swap agreements with a total notional value of $350 million:

Effective Dates

    

Floating Rate Debt

    

Fixed Rates

 

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

55

million  

2.33

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35

million  

2.36

%

April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023

$

35

million  

2.34

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

100

million  

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

75

million  

1.99

%

January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022

$

50

million  

2.00

%

The gain or loss on the swaps is recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense in the same period or periods during which the swaps affect earnings. Gains or losses on the swaps representing hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings.  

The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our swaps in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements (in thousands):

Interest Rate Swap Derivatives

Fair Value

Fair Value

December 29,

December 30,

Balance Sheet Location

2019

2018

Other current and long-term assets

$

$

4,905

Other current and long-term liabilities

$

6,168

$

The effect of derivative instruments on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements is as follows (in thousands):

Location of Gain

Amount of Gain

Derivatives -

Amount of Gain or

or (Loss)

or (Loss)

Total Interest Expense

Cash Flow

(Loss) Recognized

Reclassified from

Reclassified from

on Consolidated

Hedging

in AOCI/AOCL

AOCI/AOCL into

AOCI/AOCL into

Statements of

Relationships

on Derivative

Income

Income

Operations

Interest rate swaps:

2019

$

(8,303)

Interest expense

$

660

$

(20,593)

2018

$

3,222

Interest expense

$

(22)

$

(25,673)

2017

$

891

Interest expense

$

(421)

$

(11,283)

The weighted average interest rates on our PJI Facilities, including the impact of the interest rate swap agreements, were 4.1%,  3.9%, and 2.7% in fiscal 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.  Interest paid, including payments made or received under the swaps, was $18.1 million in 2019, $23.5 million in 2018, and $10.8 million in 2017.  As of December 29, 2019, the portion of the aggregate $6.2 million interest rate swap liability that would be reclassified into net interest expense during the next twelve months approximates $2.3 million.  

PJMF has a $20.0 million revolving line of credit (the “PJMF Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Revolving Loan Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 (as amended, the “PJMF Loan Agreement”) with U.S. Bank National Association, as lender (“U.S. Bank”).lender. The PJMF Revolving Facility is
72


secured by substantially all assets of PJMF. The PJMF Revolving Facility matures on September 30, 2020.  2023, but is subject to annual amendments. The borrowings under the PJMF Revolving Facility accrue interest

97

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at a variable rate of the one-month LIBOR plus 1.75%plus 1.60%.  The applicable interest rates on the PJMF Revolving Facility were 4.1%, 3.4%, and 2.5% in fiscal 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively. There was 0 balanceno debt outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 29, 2019.25, 2022 or December 26, 2021. The PJMF operating results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants under the PJIAmended Credit Agreement.

Derivative Financial Instruments
As of December 25, 2022, we have the following interest rate swap agreements with a total notional value of

$125.0 million

:
Effective DatesFloating Rate DebtFixed Rates
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023$55 million2.33 %
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023$35 million2.36 %
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023$35 million2.34 %
In 2021, our interest rate swaps were de-designated as cash flow hedges following the issuance of the Notes and remained undesignated as hedges through June 26, 2022. For these de-designated hedges, the portion of gains or losses on the derivative instruments previously recognized in AOCL will be reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense on a straight-line basis over the remaining life of the originally hedged transactions.
As of June 27, 2022, the interest rate swaps were re-designated as cash flow hedges to provide a hedge against changes in variable rate cash flows regarding fluctuations in the LIBOR rate utilized on the revolving credit facility. Therefore, beginning in the third quarter of 2022, our interest rate swaps are accounted for utilizing cash flow hedge accounting treatment. The interest rate swaps are marked to market at each reporting date and any unrealized gains or losses are included in AOCL and reclassified to interest expense in the same period or periods during which the hedged transactions affect earnings.
We recognized income of $4.8 million ($3.7 million after tax) in 2022 and $6.8 million ($5.3 million after tax) in 2021, and a loss of $7.5 million ($5.8 million after tax) in 2020 in other comprehensive income (loss) for the net change in the fair value of our interest rate swaps.
The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our swaps in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements (in thousands):
Interest Rate Swap Derivatives
Balance Sheet LocationFair Value
December 25,
2022
Fair Value
December 26,
2021
Other current and long-term assets$986 $— 
Other current and long-term liabilities$— $5,536 
As of December 25, 2022, the portion of the aggregate $1.0 million interest rate swap liability that would be reclassified into interest expense during the next twelve months approximates $1.0 million.
73


The effect of derivative instruments on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements is as follows (in thousands):
Derivatives -
Cash Flow
Hedging
Relationships
Amount of Gain or
(Loss) Recognized
in AOCL
on Derivative
Location of (Loss)
or Gain
Reclassified from
AOCL into
Income
Amount of (Loss)
or Gain
Reclassified from
AOCL into
Income
Total Interest Expense
on Consolidated
Statements of
Operations
Interest rate swaps:
2022$3,663 Interest expense$(2,384)$(26,653)
2021$5,273 Interest expense$(5,965)$(19,205)
2020$(5,788)Interest expense$(5,068)$(17,022)
Interest paid, including payments made or received under the swaps, was $24.4 million, $13.4 million and $15.8 million in fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
13. Property and Equipment,

Net property

Property and equipment, net consists of the following (in thousands):

    

December 29,

    

December 30,

 

2019

    

2018

Land

$

33,349

$

33,833

Buildings and improvements

 

91,514

 

91,665

Leasehold improvements

 

121,127

 

125,192

Equipment and other

 

423,556

 

402,991

Construction in progress

 

6,860

 

11,491

Total property and equipment

 

676,406

 

665,172

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

(464,665)

 

(438,278)

Net property and equipment

$

211,741

$

226,894

16. Notes Receivable

Selected domestic and international franchisees have borrowed funds from the Company, principally for use in the construction and development of their restaurants. In 2019 and 2018, the Company also provided certain franchisees with royalty payment plans.  We have also entered into loan agreements with certain franchisees that purchased restaurants from us or from other franchisees. Loans outstanding were approximately $40.8 million and $28.8 million on a consolidated basis as of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018, respectively, net of allowance for doubtful accounts.

The majority of notes receivable bear interest at fixed or floating rates and are generally secured by the assets of each restaurant and the ownership interests in the franchisee. Interest income recorded on franchisee loans was approximately $800,000 in 2019, $750,000 in 2018 and $579,000 in 2017 and is reported in investment income in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Based on our review of certain borrowers’ economic performance, underlying collateral value or guarantees, we established allowances of $3.6 million and $3.4 million as of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018, respectively, for potentially uncollectible notes receivable. The following summarizes changes in our notes receivable allowance for doubtful accounts (in thousands):

Balance as of December 31, 2017

    

$

1,047

 

Recovered from costs and expenses

 

(393)

Additions, net of notes written off

 

2,715

Balance as of December 30, 2018

 

3,369

Recovered from costs and expenses

 

(77)

Additions, net of notes written off

 

280

Balance as of December 29, 2019

$

3,572

98

December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Land$31,679 $31,032 
Buildings and improvements91,462 91,508 
Leasehold improvements136,095 138,016 
Equipment and other498,792 465,813 
Construction in progress32,265 23,725 
Total property and equipment790,293 750,094 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization(540,500)(526,238)
Property and equipment, net$249,793 $223,856 

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17.14. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

December 25,
2022
 December 26,
2021
Marketing$36,858$59,248
Insurance reserves, current29,67634,661
Salaries, benefits and bonuses21,93448,728
Legal settlement accrual (a)
15,000
Purchases13,78913,319
Other25,27834,160
Total$142,535$190,116
______________________________

    

December 29,

    

December 30,

 

2019

2018

Insurance reserves, current

$

32,028

$

33,769

Salaries, benefits and bonuses

22,659

12,979

Marketing

 

15,930

 

27,746

Customer loyalty program

 

12,049

 

18,019

Purchases

 

10,768

 

11,336

Consulting and professional fees

 

7,180

 

8,693

Rent

 

4,274

 

3,932

Legal costs

3,487

2,093

Deposits

 

2,026

 

1,415

Utilities

 

405

 

1,478

Other

 

9,760

 

7,707

Total

$

120,566

$

129,167

(a)

    See “Note 19. Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies” for additional information.

74


15. Other Long-term Liabilities

Other long-term liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Insurance reserves$37,624$53,551
Deferred compensation plan (a)
28,28536,170
Other2,4083,433
Total$68,317$93,154
______________________________

    

    

 

December 29,

    

December 30,

2019

2018

Insurance reserves

$

45,151

$

42,144

Deferred compensation plan

 

33,220

 

27,796

Accrued rent (a)

6,461

Other

 

6,556

 

2,923

Total

$

84,927

$

79,324

(a)

(a)    See Note 2 “Significant Accounting Policies” for Leases and Note 3 “Adoption of ASC 842, Leases”“Note 21. Employee Benefit Plans” for additional information regarding the change in accounting for accrued rent, which is now classified against right-of-use assets for operating leases.

on our non-qualified deferred compensation plan.

99


16. Strategic Corporate Reorganization for Long-term Growth

TableOn September 17, 2020, we announced plans to open an office in Atlanta, Georgia located in Three Ballpark Center at The Battery Atlanta, which opened in October 2021. The space is designed to drive continued menu innovation and optimize integration across marketing, communications, customer experience, operations, human resources, diversity, equity and inclusion, financial planning and analysis, investor relations and development functions. Our information technology, finance, supply chain, and legal teams continue to operate in our Louisville, Kentucky office, which remains critical to our success. We also maintain an office outside of Contents

London, UK, where our International operations are managed. Employees whose positions were relocated to the new Atlanta office were either offered an opportunity to continue with the organization or were offered a severance package. As a result, we incurred one-time corporate reorganization costs of approximately $13.1 million and $6.0 million through December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively, as detailed in the table below (in thousands). There were no additional corporate reorganization costs incurred during the year ended December 25, 2022.

19. Other General Expenses

Other general expenses
December 26,
2021
December 27,
2020
Employee severance and other employee transition costs$5,429$4,775
Recruiting and professional fees3,8151,598
Relocation costs3,100267
Other costs750285
Total strategic corporate reorganization costs13,0946,925
Stock-based compensation forfeitures on unvested awards— (940)
Total strategic corporate reorganization costs, net of stock forfeitures$13,094$5,985

We record severance as a one-time termination benefit and recognize the expense ratably over the employees’ required future service period. All other costs, including employee transition costs, recruitment and relocation costs, and third-party costs, are included withinrecognized in the period incurred. All strategic corporate reorganization costs have been recorded in General and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
As of December 26, 2021, the estimate of unpaid strategic corporate reorganization costs was included in Accrued expenses and primarily consist ofother current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The following tables summarize the activity for the years ended December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively (in thousands):

Year Ended

December 29,

December 30,

December 31,

2019

2018

2017

Provision (credit) for uncollectible accounts and notes receivable (a)

$

2,764

$

3,338

$

(1,441)

Loss on disposition of fixed assets

1,130

2,233

2,493

Papa Rewards (b)

-

-

1,046

Franchise support initiative (c)

-

34

2,986

Other (income) expense

(915)

(1,725)

343

Other general expenses

2,979

3,880

5,427

Special charges (d)(e)

41,322

35,316

-

Administrative expenses (f)(g)

179,159

154,338

145,439

General and administrative expenses

$

223,460

$

193,534

$

150,866

(a)Bad debt recorded on accounts receivable and notes receivable.
(b)Online customer loyalty program costs in 2017 which are now recorded as a change in Domestic Company-owned restaurant revenue under Topic 606.  
(c)Franchise incentives include incentives to franchisees for opening new restaurants. In 2018, the Company adopted Topic 606 with updated accounting guidelines for new store equipment incentives, which are now recorded as a reduction of commissary revenues.
(d)The Special charges for the year ended December 29, 2019 include the following:
(1)$27.5 million of marketing fund investments;
(2)$5.9 million of legal and advisory fees primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard;
(3)$5.6 million related to a one-time mark-to-market adjustment from the increase in value of the Starboard option to purchase Series B Preferred Stock that culminated in the purchase of $50.0 million of Series B Preferred Stock in late March.  See Note 8 for additional information; and
(4)$2.4 million that includes severance costs for the Company’s former CEO as well as costs related to the termination of a license agreement for intellectual property no longer being utilized.
(e)The Special charges for the year ended December 30, 2018 include the following:
(1)$10.0 million of marketing fund investments;
(2)$19.5 million of advisory and legal costs primarily associated with the review of a wide range of strategic opportunities that culminated in a strategic investment in the Company by affiliates of Starboard and a third-party audit of the culture at Papa John’s commissioned by a special committee of the Board of Directors; and
(3)$5.8 million of reimaging costs at nearly all domestic restaurants including costs to replace or write-off certain branded assets.
(f)The increase in administrative expenses of $24.8 million for the year ended December 29, 2019 compared to the prior year comparable periods was primarily due to higher management incentive costs, including equity compensation, and higher legal and professional fees not associated with Special charges.
(g)The increase in administrative expenses of $8.9 million for the year ended December 29, 2018 compared to the prior year comparable period was mainly due to higher technology initiative costs and a $1.5 million contribution to our newly formed Papa John’s Foundation, a separate legal entity that is not consolidated in the Company’s results. In addition, administrative expenses increased due to higher legal and professional fees not associated with the Special charges.

100

Balance at December 26, 2021ChargesPaymentsBalance at December 25, 2022
Employee severance and other employee transition costs$2,122$$(2,122)$
Recruiting and professional fees92(92)
Relocation costs740(740)
Total strategic corporate reorganization liability$2,954$$(2,954)$
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Balance at December 27, 2020ChargesPaymentsBalance at December 26, 2021
Employee severance and other employee transition costs$4,615$5,429$(7,922)$2,122
Recruiting and professional fees1453,815(3,868)92
Relocation costs1013,100(2,461)740
Other costs750(750)
Total strategic corporate reorganization liability$4,861$13,094$(15,001)$2,954

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20.17. Income Taxes

The following table presents the domestic and foreign components of income (loss) before income taxes for 2019, 20182022, 2021 and 20172020 (in thousands):

2019

    

2018

    

2017

Domestic (loss) income

$

(16,065)

$

(9,665)

$

122,828

Foreign income

21,111

16,362

17,514

Total income

$

5,046

$

6,697

$

140,342

202220212020
Domestic income$65,434 $115,221 $48,616 
Foreign income18,335 35,727 26,746 
Total income$83,769 $150,948 $75,362 
Included within the foreign income before income taxes above is $15.6$23.6 million, $12.1$22.4 million, and $3.0$14.7 million of foreign sourced income subject to foreign withholding taxes for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018,in 2022, 2021, and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively.

A summary of the expense (benefit) provision for income tax follows (in thousands):

202220212020
Current:
Federal$3,496 $10,591 $16,400 
Foreign5,335 8,812 6,047 
State and local2,791 2,837 1,569 
Deferred:
Federal4,243 2,430 (7,375)
Foreign(1,152)769 357 
State and local(293)554 (2,250)
Total income tax expense$14,420 $25,993 $14,748 
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2019

    

2018

    

2017

 

Current:

Federal

$

(2,734)

$

(5,262)

$

28,951

Foreign

 

5,077

 

4,736

 

4,602

State and local

 

810

 

1,530

 

(234)

Deferred

 

(3,764)

 

1,620

 

498

Total income taxes

$

(611)

$

2,624

$

33,817


The reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate to income tax expense for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 is as follows in both dollars and as a percentage of income before income taxes (dollars in thousands):
202220212020
Income Tax
Expense (Benefit)
Income
Tax Rate
Income Tax
Expense (Benefit)
Income
Tax Rate
Income Tax
Expense (Benefit)
Income
Tax Rate
Tax at U.S. federal statutory rate$17,591 21.0 %$31,699 21.0 %$15,826 21.0 %
State and local income taxes1,422 1.7 %2,317 1.5 %1,149 1.5 %
Foreign income taxes4,672 5.6 %9,144 6.1 %6,463 8.6 %
Income of consolidated partnerships attributable to noncontrolling interests(355)(0.4)%(1,110)(0.7)%(603)(0.8)%
Non-qualified deferred compensation plan expense (income)1,278 1.5 %(911)(0.6)%(898)(1.2)%
Excess tax (benefits) on equity awards(3,902)(4.7)%(3,697)(2.5)%(2,029)(2.7)%
Tax credits(8,981)(10.7)%(8,830)(5.9)%(6,002)(8.0)%
Non-deductible executive compensation2,450 2.9 %2,636 1.7 %1,314 1.7 %
Foreign-derived intangible income(1,452)(1.7)%(1,519)(1.0)%(924)(1.2)%
US deferred offset on foreign deferreds1,183 1.4 %238 0.2 %— — %
Other514 0.6 %(3,974)(2.6)%452 0.6 %
Total$14,420 17.2 %$25,993 17.2 %$14,748 19.5 %
Significant deferred tax assets (liabilities) follow (in thousands):

December 25,
2022
December 26,
2021
Accrued liabilities$17,424 $14,802 
Accrued bonuses351 6,404 
Other liabilities and asset reserves14,607 14,583 
Equity awards7,905 7,323 
Lease liabilities45,646 41,999 
Other2,904 2,712 
Net operating losses11,738 8,127 
Foreign tax credit carryforwards20,198 18,611 
Total deferred tax assets120,773 114,561 
Valuation allowances(32,052)(28,598)
Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances88,721 85,963 
Deferred expenses(5,756)(7,087)
Accelerated depreciation(31,098)(23,858)
Goodwill(7,690)(10,052)
Right-of-use assets(41,892)(39,814)
Other(365)(254)
Total deferred tax liabilities(86,801)(81,065)
Net deferred tax assets$1,920 $4,898 
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December 29,

    

December 30,

2019

    

2018

Accrued liabilities

$

16,686

$

16,828

Accrued bonuses

 

2,308

 

724

Other assets and liabilities

 

16,244

 

10,705

Equity awards

 

7,196

 

5,862

Lease liability

30,756

Other

 

2,418

 

2,482

Net operating losses

 

8,205

 

1,555

Foreign tax credit carryforwards

10,049

7,230

Total deferred tax assets

93,862

45,386

Valuation allowances

 

(17,303)

 

(8,183)

Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances

 

76,559

 

37,203

Deferred expenses

 

(9,521)

 

(5,970)

Accelerated depreciation

 

(27,299)

 

(24,239)

Goodwill

 

(9,510)

 

(12,645)

Right-of-use asset

(30,257)

Other

 

(782)

 

(1,064)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

(77,369)

 

(43,918)

Net deferred liability

$

(810)

$

(6,715)


The following table summarizes changes in the Company’s valuation allowances on deferred tax (in thousands):
Balance at December 27, 2020$22,972
Charged to costs and expenses5,658
Other(32)
Balance at December 26, 2021$28,598
Charged to costs and expenses3,454
Balance at December 25, 2022$32,052
The Company had approximately $6.6$10.2 million and $8.8 million of state deferred tax assets primarily related to state net operating loss carryforwards as of December 29, 2019.25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. Our ability to utilize these state deferred tax assets is dependent on our ability to generate earnings in future years in the respective state jurisdictions. The Company provided a full valuation allowance of $6.6$10.2 million and $8.8 million for these state deferred tax assets as we believe realization based on the more-likely-than-not criteria has not been met as of December 29, 2019.

25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively.

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The Company had approximately $6.2$2.0 million and $5.3$1.4 million of state deferred tax assets related to state income tax credit carryforwards as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively. Our ability to fully utilize these deferred tax assets related to state income tax credit carryforwards is dependent on our ability to generate earnings in future years in the respective state jurisdictions. In 2022, the Company provided a partial valuation allowance of $0.5 million against these state deferred tax assets as we believe that a portion of these state income tax credit carryforwards would not be realizable before expiration.

The Company had approximately $8.7 million and $4.5 million of foreign net operating loss and capital loss carryovers as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, respectively. The Company had approximately $0.5 million and $0.6$1.2 million of valuation allowances primarily related to the foreign capital losses as ofat both December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018, respectively.26, 2021. A substantial majority of our foreign net operating losses do not have an expiration date.

In addition, the Company had approximately $10.0$20.2 million and $18.6 million in foreign tax credit carryforwards as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 26, 2021, respectively, that expire ten years from inception in years 20252026 through 2028.2032. Our ability to utilize these foreign tax credit carryforwards is dependent on our ability to generate foreign earnings in future years sufficient to claim foreign tax credits in excess of foreign taxes paid in those years. The Company provided a full valuation allowance of $10.0$20.2 million and $18.6 million for these foreign tax credit carryforwards as we believe realization based on the more-likely-than-not criteria has not been met as of December 29, 2019.

The reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate to income tax expense for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 201825, 2022 and December 31, 2017 is as follows in both dollars and as a percentage of income before income taxes ($ in thousands):

2019

2018

2017

    

Income Tax

Income

    Income Tax

Income

Income Tax

Income

Expense

Tax Rate

Expense

Tax Rate

Expense

Tax Rate

Tax at U.S. federal statutory rate

$

1,060

 

21.0

%  

$

1,406

 

21.0

%  

$

49,120

 

35.0

%

State and local income taxes

 

79

 

1.6

%  

 

150

 

2.2

%  

 

2,432

 

1.7

%

Foreign income taxes

 

5,058

 

100.2

%  

 

4,879

 

72.9

%  

 

5,306

 

3.8

%

Income of consolidated partnerships

attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

(177)

 

(3.5)

%  

 

(371)

 

(5.6)

%  

 

(1,554)

 

(1.1)

%

Non-qualified deferred compensation plan

(income) loss

 

(1,260)

 

(25.0)

%  

 

483

 

7.2

%  

 

(1,236)

 

(0.9)

%

Excess tax (benefits) expense on equity awards

(212)

(4.2)

%  

447

6.7

%  

(1,879)

(1.4)

%

Preferred stock option mark-to-market adjustment

1,338

26.5

%  

%  

%

Remeasurement of deferred taxes

%  

%  

(7,020)

(5.0)

%

Tax credits

 

(6,128)

 

(121.4)

%  

 

(6,945)

 

(103.7)

%  

 

(6,909)

 

(4.9)

%

Disposition of China

%  

4,118

61.5

%  

%

Other

(369)

(7.3)

%  

(1,543)

(23.0)

%  

(4,443)

(3.1)

%

Total

$

(611)

 

(12.1)

%  

$

2,624

 

39.2

%  

$

33,817

 

24.1

%

26, 2021, respectively.

Cash for income taxes (received) paid were ($6.2)$11.7 million in 2019, $14.02022, $32.6 million in 20182021 and $37.2$19.3 million in 2017.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law.  The Tax Act contained substantial changes to the Internal Revenue Code, including a reduction of the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018.  Upon enactment, 2017 deferred tax assets and liabilities were remeasured. This remeasurement yielded a benefit of approximately $7.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2017.  At December 30, 2018, the Company had completed its analysis of the Tax Act.  See Note 2 for additional information.

2020.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions. The Company, with few exceptions, is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S.non-US income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2015.2018. The Company is currently undergoing examinations by various tax authorities. The Company anticipates that the finalization of these current examinations and other issues could result in a decrease in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits (and a decrease of income tax expense) of approximately $86,000$68,000 during the next 12 months.

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The Company had $1.6$1.2 million of unrecognized tax benefits at December 29, 201925, 2022 which, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability for unrecognized tax benefits excluding interest and penalties is as follows, which is recorded as an otherin Other long-term liabilityliabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands):

Balance at December 27, 2020$1,030 
Additions for tax positions of prior years81 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years(215)
Balance at December 26, 2021$896 
Additions for tax positions of prior years331 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years(65)
Balance at December 25, 2022$1,162 
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Table of Contents

Balance at December 31, 2017

    

$

2,028

 

Additions for tax positions of prior years

 

510

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

(515)

Reductions for lapse of statute of limitations

 

Balance at December 30, 2018

2,023

Additions for tax positions of prior years

179

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

(623)

Reductions for lapse of statute of limitations

 

Balance at December 29, 2019

$

1,579


The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of income tax expense. The Company’s 2019 and 2018 income tax (benefit) expense includes interest (benefit) expense of ($11,000) and $39,000, respectively. The Company has accrued approximately $154,000$146,000 and $165,000$132,000 for the payment of interest and penalties as of December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, respectively.

21.

18. Related Party Transactions

Certain of our officers and directors own equity interests in entities that franchise restaurants. Following is a summary of full-year transactions and year-end balances with franchisees owned by former officers and directors (in thousands):

    

2019

    

2018

    

2017

 

Revenues from affiliates:

North America commissary sales

$

2,697

$

2,653

$

2,619

Other sales

587

650

336

North America franchise royalties and fees

 

331

 

429

 

439

Total

$

3,615

$

3,732

$

3,394

    

December 29,

    

December 30,

 

2019

2018

 

Accounts receivable affiliates

$

71

$

69

The revenues from affiliates were at rates and terms available to independent franchisees.

On March 21, 2019, Mr. Shaquille O’Neal was appointed to our Board of Directors. On June 11, 2019, the CompanyPJMF entered into an Endorsement Agreement (the “Endorsement“Original Endorsement Agreement”), effective March 15, 2019, with ABG-Shaq, LLC (“ABG-Shaq”), an entity affiliated with Mr. O’Neal, for the personal services of Mr. O’Neal. Pursuant to the Original Endorsement Agreement, the Company received the right and license to use Mr. O’Neal’s name, nickname, initials, autograph, voice, video or film portrayals, photograph, likeness and certain other intellectual property rights (individually and collectively, the “Personality Rights”), in each case, solely as approved by ABG-Shaq, in connection with the advertising, promotion and sale of Papa John’s-branded products. Mr. O’Neal also agreed to provide brand ambassador services related to appearances, social media and public relations matters, and to collaborate with us to develop one or more co-branded products using the Personality Rights.

Mr. O’Neal and the Company developed a co-branded extra-large pizza product using the Personality Rights under an amendment to the Original Endorsement Agreement signed July 27, 2020 (the “First Amendment”).

As consideration for the rights and services granted under the Original Endorsement Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to ABG-Shaq aggregate cash payments of $4.125$4.1 million over the three years of the Original Endorsement Agreement. The Company will also paypaid expenses related to the marketing and personal services provided by Mr. O’Neal. In addition, the Company agreed to grant 87,136 restricted stock units to Mr. O’Neal (as agent of ABG) under our 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
On July 29, 2021, the Company and PJMF entered into Amendment No. 2 (the “ Second Amendment”) to the Original Endorsement Agreement with ABG-Shaq. Pursuant to the Second Amendment, the Company was granted the ability to use the Personality Rights for a limited time to promote, advertise, and sell our co-branded extra-large pizza developed under the First Amendment. ABG-Shaq did not receive any additional royalty fees from the Company beyond the cash payment already contemplated under the Original Endorsement Agreement under the Amendment. In addition, the Company donated one U.S. dollar for each unit of the pizza sold in the United States and one Canadian dollar for each unit sold in Canada to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community.
On March 15, 2022, the Original Endorsement Agreement expired by its terms. On April 10, 2022, the Company and PJMF entered into a new Endorsement Agreement (the “New Endorsement Agreement”), effective March 15, 2022, with ABG-Shaq, LLC (“ABG-Shaq”), to replace the Original Endorsement Agreement.
The terms of the New Endorsement Agreement are substantially similar to the Original Endorsement Agreement. As consideration for the rights and services granted under the New Endorsement Agreement, the Company and PJMF agreed to pay to ABG-Shaq aggregate cash payments of $5.6 million over the three years of the New Endorsement Agreement. The Company and PJMF will also pay ABG-Shaq a royalty fee for the co-branded pizza product if the total amount of royalties in a given contract year (calculated as $0.20 per co-branded pizza sold) exceeds the contractual cash payment for that year, in which case the amount of the royalty payment will be the excess of the royalties over the cash payment amount. The Company did not pay ABG-Shaq any royalties in 2022 for the co-branded pizza promotion. The Company and PJMF will also pay expenses related to the marketing and personal services provided by Mr. O’Neal.
In addition, the Company agreed to grant 55,898 restricted stock units (the “RSUs”) to Mr. O’Neal (as agent of ABG) under the Company’s 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The RSUs will vest into an equivalent number of shares of the Company’s common stock according to the following vesting schedule:
●    33% (18,632) of the RSUs will vest on April 12, 2023;
●    33% (18,632) of the RSUs will vest on March 15, 2024; and
●    33% (18,634) of the RSUs will vest on March 15, 2025.
The initial term of the New Endorsement Agreement ends on March 15, 2022,2025, with an option for a one-year extension upon the parties’ mutual agreement. The New Endorsement Agreement also includes customary exclusivity, termination and indemnification clauses.

103

79


On May 27, 2019, Mr. O’Neal and the Company entered into a joint venture for the operation of 9 Atlanta-area Papa John’s restaurants that were previously Company-owned restaurants. The Company owns approximately 70% of the joint venture and Mr. O’Neal owns approximately 30% of the joint venture, which is consolidated into the Company’s financial statements. Mr. O’Neal contributed approximately $840,000 representing his pro rata capital contribution. 

The Company paid $300,000 in 2018 and $446,000 in 2017 for charter aircraft services provided by an entity owned by a former board member.

22.

19. Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

Litigation

The Company is involved in a number of lawsuits, claims, investigations and proceedings, including those specifically identified below, consisting of intellectual property, employment, consumer, commercial and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business. In accordance with ASC 450, “Contingencies,Contingencies,” the Company has made accruals with respect to these matters, where appropriate, which are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. We review these provisions at least quarterly and adjust these provisions to reflect the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular case.

Durling et al v. Papa John’s International, Inc., is a conditionally certified collective action filed in May 2016 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, (“the New York Court”), alleging that corporate restaurant delivery drivers were not properly reimbursed for vehicle mileage and expenses in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. In July 2018, the New YorkDistrict Court granted a motion to certify a conditional corporate collective class and the opt-in notice process has been completed. As of the close of the opt-in period on October 29, 2018, 9,571 drivers opted into the collective class. On September 30, 2022, the parties reached a settlement in principle to resolve the case. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed settlement, in exchange for the Company’s payment of a total aggregate settlement amount of no more than $20.0 million subject to a claims-made process, all claims in the action will be dismissed, the litigation will be terminated, and the Company will receive a release. The proposed settlement also includes resolution of a companion case, Hubbard, et al. v. Papa John’s International, Inc., pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The proposed settlement is subject to a claims-made process whereby unclaimed funds revert to the Company, and the Company is only responsible for payments to class and collective action members who timely submit a claim form. Although the return rate for timely claims is unknown and not within the Company’s control, the Company estimates its actual exposure resulting from the settlement to be approximately $10.0 million and this amount was recorded in General and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. On December 19, 2022, the District Court granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement; however, the settlement remains subject to final approval by the District Court and contains certain customary contingencies. Subsequent to year end, the Company remitted $5.0 million to the settlement administrator as partial funding of the settlement in accordance with the terms of the applicable settlement agreement. The Company continues to deny any liability or wrongdoing in this matter and intends to vigorously defend this action.  The Company has matter.

not recorded any liability related to this lawsuit as of December 29, 2019 as it does not believe a loss is probable or reasonably estimable.

Danker v.In re Papa John’s International, Inc. et al.Employee & Franchise Employee Antitrust Litigation On August 30, 2018,is a putative class action lawsuit was filed in December 2018 in the United States District Court Southernfor the Western District of New York on behalfKentucky. The suit alleges that the “no-poaching” provision previously contained in the Company’s franchise agreement constituted an unlawful agreement or conspiracy in restraint of trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. On April 14, 2022, the parties reached a settlement in principle to resolve the case. Pursuant to the terms of the proposed settlement, in exchange for the Company’s payment of a classtotal aggregate settlement amount of investors who purchased or acquired stock$5.0 million and other non-monetary consideration, all claims in Papa John's throughthe action will be dismissed, the litigation will be terminated, and the Company will receive a period uprelease. The settlement amount was recorded in General and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The proposed settlement is subject to and including July 19, 2018. The complaint alleges violations of Sections l0(b) and 20(a) ofapproval by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The District Court has appointed the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System to lead the case and has also issued a scheduling order for the case to proceed.  An amended complaint was filed on February 13, 2019, which the Company has moved to dismiss.contains certain customary contingencies. The Company believes that it has valid and meritorious defensescontinues to these suits and intends to vigorously defend against them.  The Company has not recordeddeny any liability related to these lawsuits as of December 29, 2019 as it does not believe a loss is probable or reasonably estimable.wrongdoing in this matter.

23.

20. Equity Compensation

We award stock options, time-based restricted stock and performance-based restricted stock units from time to time under the Papa John’s International, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan. There arewere approximately 5.33.6 million shares of common stock authorized for issuance and remaining available under the 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan as of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, which includes 5.35.9 million shares transferred from the Papa John’s International 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan.  Option awards are granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the Company’s stock at the date of grant. Options outstanding as of December 29, 2019 generally expire ten years from the date of grant and generally vest over a three-year period.

We recorded stock-based employee compensation expense of $15.3$18.4 million in 2019, $9.92022, $16.9 million in 20182021 and $10.4$16.3 million in 2017. The total related income tax benefit recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations was $3.4 million in 2019, $2.3 million in 2018 and $3.8 million in 2017.2020. At December 29, 2019,25, 2022, there was $16.4$22.2 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested awards, of which the Company expects to recognize $10.8$14.6 million in 2020, $4.62023, $6.5 million in 20212024 and $1.0$1.1 million in 2022.

2025.

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Table of Contents

Stock Options

Options exercised, which were issued from authorized shares, included 448,00082,000 shares in 2019, 75,0002022, 212,000 shares in 20182021 and 147,000541,000 shares in 2017.2020. The total intrinsic value of the options exercised during 2019, 20182022, 2021 and 20172020 was $10.6$3.4 million, $1.5$10.1 million and $5.2$13.8 million, respectively. Cash received upon the exercise
80


There were no options was $16.0 million, $2.7 million and $6.3 million during 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and the related excess tax benefits (expense) realized were approximately $200,000, ($400,000) and $1.9 million during the corresponding periods.

granted in 2022, 2021 or 2020. Information pertaining to option activity during 20192022 is as follows (number of options and aggregate intrinsic value in thousands):

Number
of
Options
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
(In Years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
Outstanding at December 26, 2021319$54.65 
Exercised(82)49.48 
Cancelled(2)45.29 
Outstanding at December 25, 2022235$56.53 4.47$6,452 
Exercisable at December 25, 2022235$56.53 4.47$6,452 

    

    

    

    

    

Weighted

    

    

 

Average

 

Weighted

Remaining

 

Number

Average

Contractual

Aggregate

 

of

Exercise

Term

Intrinsic

 

Options

Price

(In Years)

Value

 

Outstanding at December 30, 2018

 

1,614

$

54.27

Granted

 

353

 

44.05

Exercised

 

(448)

 

35.77

Cancelled

 

(314)

 

63.72

Outstanding at December 29, 2019

 

1,205

$

55.67

 

7.17

$

13,120

Exercisable at December 29, 2019

 

653

$

58.48

 

5.90

$

5,704

The following is a summary of the significant assumptions used in estimating the fair value of options granted in 2019, 2018 and 2017:

    

2019

    

2018

    

2017

 

Assumptions (weighted average):

Risk-free interest rate

 

2.5

%  

2.7

%  

2.0

%

Expected dividend yield

 

2.1

%  

1.5

%  

1.0

%

Expected volatility

 

31.2

%  

27.6

%  

26.7

%

Expected term (in years)

 

5.7

5.6

5.6

The risk-free interest rate for the periods within the contractual life of an option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected dividend yield was estimated as the annual dividend divided by the market price of the Company’s shares on the date of grant. Expected volatility was estimated using the Company’s historical share price volatility for a period similar to the expected life of the option.

Options granted generally vest in equal installments over three years and expire ten years after grant. The expected term for these options represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding and was calculated using historical experience.

The weighted average grant-date fair values of options granted during 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $11.69, $15.27 and $19.88, respectively. The Company granted options to purchase 353,000, 456,000 and 315,000 shares in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Restricted Stock

We granted shares of restricted stock that are time-based and generally vest in equal installments over three years (212,000(165,000 in 2019, 260,0002022, 130,000 in 20182021 and 73,000207,000 in 2017)2020). Upon vesting, the shares are issued from treasury stock. These restricted shares are intended to focus participants on our long-range objectives, while at the same time serving as a retention mechanism. We consider time-based restricted stock awards to be participating securities because holders of such shares

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have non-forfeitable dividend rights. We declared dividends totaling $310,000$467,000 ($1.54 per share) in 2022, $410,000 ($1.15 per share) in 2021 and $366,000 ($0.90 per share) in 2019, $185,000 ($0.90 per share) in 2018 and $128,000 ($0.85 per share) in 20172020 to holders of time-based restricted stock.

During 2019, weWe granted 113,00069,000, 11,000 and 15,000 restricted stock units that are time-based and vest over a period of one to three years.years in 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Upon vesting, the units are issued from treasury stock. Total dividends declared for these awards were insignificant to the results of our operations.

Additionally, we granted stock settled performance-based restricted stock units to executive management (89,000(64,000 units in 2019, 70,0002022, 61,000 units in 2018,2021, and 13,00092,000 units in 2017)2020).

The 2019 performance-based restricted stock units require the achievement of certain performance and market factors, which consist of the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) relative to a predetermined peer group. The grant-date fair value of the performance-based restricted stock units was determined through the use of a Monte Carlo simulation model.

The following is a summary of the significant assumptions used in estimating the fair value of the performance-based restricted stock units granted in 2019:

2022, 2021 and 2020:
Assumptions:202220212020
Risk-free interest rate1.5 %0.2 %0.9 %
Expected volatility45.0 %48.3 %36.3 %

2019

Assumptions:

Risk-free interest rate

2.5 %

Expected volatility

33.9 %

The risk-free interest rate for the periods within the contractual life of the performance-based restricted stock unit is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. Expected volatility was estimated using the Company’s historical share price volatility for a period similar to the expected life of the performance-based restricted stock unit.

The performance-based restricted stock units granted in 2019 vest over three years (cliff vest), expire ten years after grant, and are expensed over the performance period. The weighted average grant-date fair value of performance-based restricted stock units granted during 20192022, 2021 and 2020 was $44.95.

In 2018$113.90, $103.14 and 2017, the Company granted performance-based restricted stock awards under a three-year cliff vest, and the vesting$59.52, respectively.

81


The fair value of time-based restricted stock and performance-based restricted stock units is based on the market price of the Company’s shares on the grant date. Information pertaining to these awards during 20192022 is as follows (shares in thousands):

    

    

    

Weighted

 

Average

 

Grant-Date

 

Shares

Fair Value

 

Total as of December 30, 2018

 

370

$

59.84

Granted

 

414

 

46.14

Forfeited

 

(74)

 

51.31

Vested

 

(94)

 

62.45

Total as of December 29, 2019

 

616

$

50.90

106

SharesWeighted
Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value
Total as of December 26, 2021582$68.06
Granted298103.18
Forfeited(82)89.87
Vested(280)57.40
Total as of December 25, 2022518$91.23

Table of Contents

24.21. Employee Benefit Plans

We have established the Papa John’s International, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”), as a defined contribution benefit plan, in accordance with Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) Plan is open to employees who meet certain eligibility requirements and allows participating employees to defer receipt of a portion of their compensation and contribute such amount to one or more investment funds. At our discretion, we may make matching contribution payments, which are subject to vesting based on an employee’s length of service with us.

In late 2021, the Company adopted a Safe Harbor 401k Plan effective for the 2022 benefit year.

In addition, we maintain a non-qualified deferred compensation plan available to certain employees and directors. Under this plan, the participants may defer a certain amount of their compensation, which is credited to the participants’ accounts. The participant-directed investments associated with this plan are included in Other assets ($33.230.1 million and $27.8$41.9 million at December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, respectively) and the associated liabilities ($33.228.3 million and $27.8$36.2 million at December 29, 201925, 2022 and December 30, 2018,26, 2021, respectively) are included in Other long-term liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

At our discretion, we

We contributed a matching payment of 2.1%4.0% in 2019, 1.5% in 2018 and 3% in 2017,2022, up to a maximum of 6%6.0% of a participating employee’s earnings deferred into the 401(k) Plan. At our discretion, the Company contributed 4.0% in 2021 and 2.1% in 2020, up to a maximum of 6.0% of a participating employee’s earnings deferred into both the 401(k) Plan and the non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Such costs were $1.5$4.4 million in 2019, $1.12022, $3.5 million in 20182021 and $2.3$1.8 million in 2017.

2020.

22. Divestitures
Refranchising Loss
On March 28, 2022, we refranchised our 51.0% ownership interest in a 90-restaurant consolidated joint venture in Texas for $14.0 million, net of transaction costs. In connection with the divestiture, we recorded a one-time, non-cash charge of $8.4 million as a Refranchising Loss in the Consolidated Statement of Operations, which reflects net sale proceeds of $14.0 million, the noncontrolling interest of $4.2 million, and the recognition of an unearned royalty stream of $12.2 million to be recognized as revenue over the 10-year term of the franchise agreement executed concurrent with the disposition in accordance with ASC 810, “

25.Consolidation.” Goodwill of $9.9 million was allocated to the disposal group based on relative fair value within the Domestic Company-owned restaurants reporting group. The $8.4 million of the one-time, non-cash refranchising loss was recorded in the first quarter of 2022 and realized upon consummation of the sale in the second quarter.

Impairment of Reacquired Master Franchise Rights
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company recorded an impairment of $2.8 million for reacquired franchise rights due to the financial and operational impact of the conflict in Ukraine and government actions taken in response to that conflict, including, but not limited to, international sanctions. The reacquired franchise rights were previously acquired from a former master franchisee and capitalized by the Company.
82

23. Segment Information

We have 4four reportable segments: domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurants, North America commissaries,franchising, North America franchisingcommissaries, and internationalInternational operations. The domesticDomestic Company-owned restaurant segment consists of the operations of all domestic (“domestic” is defined as contiguous United States)Domestic Company-owned restaurants and derives its revenues principally from retail sales of pizza, Papadias, which are flatbread-style sandwiches, and side items, including breadsticks, cheesesticks, chicken poppers and wings, dessert items and canned or bottled beverages. The North America commissary segment consists of the operations of our regional dough production and product distribution centers and derives its revenues principally from the sale and distribution of food and paper products to domestic Company-owned and franchised restaurants in the United States and Canada. The North America franchising segment consists of our franchise sales and support activities and derives its revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and collection of royalties from our franchisees located in the United States and Canada. The internationalNorth America commissary segment consists of the operations of our regional dough production and product distribution centers and derives its revenues principally from the sale and distribution of food and paper products to Domestic Company-owned and franchised restaurants in the United States and Canada. The International segment principally consists of distribution sales to franchised Papa John’sJohns restaurants located in the United KingdomUK and our franchise sales and support activities, which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our internationalInternational franchisees. International franchisees are defined as all franchise operations outside of the United States and Canada. All other business units that do not meet the quantitative thresholds for determining reportable segments, which are not operating segments, we refer to as “all other,” which consists of operations that derive revenues from the sale, principally to Company-owned and franchised restaurants, of printing and promotional items, franchise contributions to marketing funds and information systems and related services used in restaurant operations, including our point-of-sale system, online and other technology-based ordering platforms.

Generally, we evaluate performance and allocate resources based on income (loss) before income taxes and intercompany eliminations.operating income. Certain administrative and capital costs are allocated to segments based upon predetermined rates or actual estimated resource usage. We account for intercompany sales and transfers as if the sales or transfers were to third parties and eliminate the activity in consolidation.

Our reportable segments are business units that provide different products or services. Separate management of each segment is required because each business unit is subject to different operational issues and strategies. NaNNo single external customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidatedtotal revenues.

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83

Table of Contents

Our

The following tables present our segment information isinformation.
(In thousands)202220212020
Revenues:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants$708,389$778,323$700,757
North America franchising137,399129,31096,732
North America commissaries869,634761,305680,793
International158,682184,099150,939
All others227,999215,384184,013
Total revenues$2,102,103$2,068,421$1,813,234
Intersegment revenues:
North America franchising$4,122$4,179$3,229
North America commissaries217,570215,393192,332
All others70,28375,36683,635
Total intersegment revenues$291,975$294,938$279,196
Depreciation and amortization:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants$11,495$11,728$11,905
North America commissaries13,29911,9749,660
International1,7742,3261,975
All others12,6819,92810,254
Unallocated corporate expenses12,78312,86015,911
Total depreciation and amortization$52,032$48,816$49,705
Operating income:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants (a)
$15,966$49,628$37,049
North America franchising127,882120,94989,801
North America commissaries42,53139,87333,185
International (b)
17,89134,89624,034
All others10,08417,7047,043 
Unallocated corporate expenses (c)
(104,419)(94,114)(100,069)
Elimination of intersegment (profits)(905)(695)(790)
Total operating income$109,030$168,241$90,253
______________________________
(a)    Includes a one-time, non-cash charge of $8.4 million associated with the refranchising of the Company’s ownership interest in a 90-restaurant joint venture, recorded as follows:

(In thousands)

2019

2018

2017

Revenues:

(Note)

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

652,053

$

692,380

$

816,718

North America commissaries

 

612,652

 

609,866

 

673,712

North America franchising

 

71,828

 

79,293

 

106,729

International

 

126,077

 

131,268

 

126,285

All others

 

156,638

 

150,064

 

59,915

Total revenues

$

1,619,248

$

1,662,871

$

1,783,359

Intersegment revenues:

North America commissaries

$

187,073

$

201,325

$

244,699

North America franchising

 

2,782

 

2,965

 

3,342

International

 

191

 

283

 

273

All others

 

88,286

 

72,066

 

16,715

Total intersegment revenues

$

278,332

$

276,639

$

265,029

Depreciation and amortization:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

12,883

$

15,411

$

15,484

North America commissaries

 

8,131

 

7,397

 

6,897

International

 

1,722

 

1,696

 

2,018

All others

 

10,738

 

8,513

 

5,276

Unallocated corporate expenses

 

13,807

 

13,386

 

13,993

Total depreciation and amortization

$

47,281

$

46,403

$

43,668

Income (loss) before income taxes:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants (1)

$

33,957

$

18,988

$

47,548

North America commissaries (2)

 

30,439

 

27,961

 

47,844

North America franchising (3)

 

64,362

 

70,732

 

96,298

International (4)

 

19,110

 

14,399

 

15,888

All others (2)

 

(2,500)

 

(6,082)

 

(179)

Unallocated corporate expenses (2)(5)

 

(139,355)

 

(118,296)

 

(66,099)

Elimination of intersegment (profits)

 

(967)

 

(1,005)

 

(958)

Total income before income taxes

$

5,046

$

6,697

$

140,342

Note:  Fiscal year 2018 has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See Note 2 under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

(1)Includes $4.7 million and $1.6 million of refranchising gains/(losses), net in 2019 and 2018, respectively. See Note 12 for additional information.
(2)The Company refined its overhead allocation process in 2018 resulting in transfers of expenses from Unallocated corporate expenses of $13.2 million to other segments, primarily North America commissaries of $7.9 millionRefranchising and All others of $3.5 millionimpairment loss for the year ended December 30, 2018.25, 2022. See “Note 22. Divestitures” for additional information.
(3)Includes Special charges of $19.1 million and $15.4 million for the years ended December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018, respectively.  See Note 19
(b)    Includes charges of $3.5 million related to one-time, non-cash reserves for certain accounts receivable and impairments of reacquired franchise rights due to the financial and operational impact of the conflict in Ukraine and $6.1 million of costs associated with the termination of significant franchisees in the UK, including the reserve of certain accounts and notes receivable and operating lease right-of-use assets impairment. See “Note 22. Divestitures” and “Note 10. Allowance for Credit Losses” for additional information.
(c)    For the year ended December 25, 2022, Unallocated corporate expenses includes $15.0 million for certain legal settlements, $13.9 million of one-time, non-cash reserves of certain notes receivable, and $1.5 million of advisory fees and severance costs associated with the transition of certain executives. For the year ended December 26, 2021, Unallocated corporate expense includes $13.1 million of reorganization costs. See “Note 16. Strategic Corporate Reorganization for Long-term Growth” for additional information.
(4)Includes a $1.9 million net loss associated with refranchising in 2018, and a $1.7 million impairment loss in 2017.  See Note 12 for additional information.  
(5)Includes Special charges of $41.3 million and $35.3 million  for the years ended December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018, respectively.  See Note 19 for additional information.

108

84

Table of Contents


(In thousands)

    

2019

    

2018

    

2017

 

Property and equipment:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

221,420

$

236,526

$

235,640

North America commissaries

 

142,946

 

140,309

 

136,701

International

 

16,031

 

17,218

 

17,257

All others

 

84,167

 

71,880

 

58,977

Unallocated corporate assets

 

211,842

 

199,239

 

191,924

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

(464,665)

 

(438,278)

 

(406,168)

Net property and equipment

$

211,741

$

226,894

$

234,331

Expenditures for property and equipment:

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

$

8,811

$

13,568

$

15,245

North America commissaries

 

3,773

 

3,994

 

14,767

International

 

1,143

 

986

 

1,884

All others

 

11,541

 

13,438

 

8,239

Unallocated corporate

 

12,443

 

10,042

 

12,458

Total expenditures for property and equipment

$

37,711

$

42,028

$

52,593

109

(In thousands)202220212020
Property and equipment, net:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants$238,658$241,050$228,077
North America commissaries149,920149,218145,282
International16,08014,64213,604
All others131,210109,05291,724
Unallocated corporate assets254,425236,132213,828
Accumulated depreciation and amortization(540,500)(526,238)(491,620)
Property and equipment, net$249,793$223,856$200,895
Expenditures for property and equipment:
Domestic Company-owned restaurants$23,057$16,108$12,848
North America commissaries5,7294,0074,447
International5,1751,9791,065
All others18,29618,64511,700
Unallocated corporate26,13427,8205,592
Total expenditures for property and equipment (a)
$78,391$68,559$35,652
______________________________

Table(a)    Increases of Contents$9.8 million and $32.9 million in expenditures for property and equipment in 2022 and 2021, respectively, were primarily driven by investment in growth, including technology and development initiatives.

Disaggregation of Revenue

In the following tables, revenues are disaggregated by major product line. The tables also include a reconciliation of the disaggregated revenues by the reportable segment (in thousands):

segment:

Reportable Segments
(In thousands)Year Ended December 25, 2022
Major Products/Services LinesDomestic Company-owned
restaurants
North America franchisingNorth America
commissaries
InternationalAll othersTotal
Company-owned restaurant sales$708,389 $— $— $— $— $708,389 
Franchise royalties and fees— 141,521 — 49,422 — 190,943 
Commissary sales— — 1,087,204 80,481 — 1,167,685 
Other revenues— — — 28,779 298,282 327,061 
Eliminations— (4,122)(217,570)— (70,283)(291,975)
Total segment revenues708,389 137,399 869,634 158,682 227,999 2,102,103 
International other revenues (a)
— — — (28,779)28,779 — 
Total revenues$708,389 $137,399 $869,634 $129,903 $256,778 $2,102,103 
85

Reportable Segments

Year Ended December 29, 2019

Major Products/Services Lines

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

North America commissaries

North America franchising

International

All others

Total

Company-owned restaurant sales

$

652,053

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

652,053

Commissary sales

-

799,725

-

64,179

-

863,904

Franchise royalties and fees

-

-

74,610

38,745

-

113,355

Other revenues

-

-

-

23,344

244,924

268,268

Eliminations

-

(187,073)

(2,782)

(191)

(88,286)

(278,332)

Total segment revenues

$

652,053

$

612,652

$

71,828

$

126,077

$

156,638

$

1,619,248

International other revenues (1)

-

-

-

(23,344)

23,344

-

International eliminations (1)

-

-

-

191

(191)

-

Total revenues

$

652,053

$

612,652

$

71,828

$

102,924

$

179,791

$

1,619,248

Reportable Segments

Year Ended December 30, 2018 (Note)

Major Products/Services Lines

Domestic Company-owned restaurants

North America commissaries

North America franchising

International

All others

Total

Company-owned restaurant sales

$

692,380

$

-

$

-

$

6,237

$

-

$

698,617

Commissary sales

-

811,191

-

68,124

-

879,315

Franchise royalties and fees

-

-

82,258

35,988

-

118,246

Other revenues

-

-

-

21,202

222,130

243,332

Eliminations

-

(201,325)

(2,965)

(283)

(72,066)

(276,639)

Total segment revenues

$

692,380

$

609,866

$

79,293

$

131,268

$

150,064

$

1,662,871

International other revenues (1)

-

-

-

(21,202)

21,202

-

International eliminations (1)

-

-

-

283

(283)

-

Total revenues

$

692,380

$

609,866

$

79,293

$

110,349

$

170,983

$

1,662,871

Note:  Fiscal year 2018 has been restated to reflect the consolidationTable of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See Note 2 under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

Contents

(1)
Reportable Segments
(In thousands)Year Ended December 26, 2021
Major Products/Services LinesDomestic Company-owned
restaurants
North America franchisingNorth America
commissaries
InternationalAll othersTotal
Company-owned restaurant sales$778,323 $— $— $— $— $778,323 
Franchise royalties and fees— 133,489 — 53,148 — 186,637 
Commissary sales— — 976,698 97,623 — 1,074,321 
Other revenues— — — 33,328 290,750 324,078 
Eliminations— (4,179)(215,393)— (75,366)(294,938)
Total segment revenues778,323 129,310 761,305 184,099 215,384 2,068,421 
International other revenues (a)
— — — (33,328)33,328 — 
Total revenues$778,323 $129,310 $761,305 $150,771 $248,712 $2,068,421 
Reportable Segments
(In thousands)Year Ended December 27, 2020
Major Products/Services LinesDomestic Company-owned
restaurants
North America franchisingNorth America
commissaries
InternationalAll othersTotal
Company-owned restaurant sales$700,757 $— $— $— $— $700,757 
Franchise royalties and fees— 99,961 — 39,920 — 139,881 
Commissary sales— — 873,125 84,043 — 957,168 
Other revenues— — — 26,976 267,648 294,624 
Eliminations— (3,229)(192,332)— (83,635)(279,196)
Total segment revenues700,757 96,732 680,793 150,939 184,013 1,813,234 
International other revenues (a)
— — — (26,976)26,976 — 
Total revenues$700,757 $96,732 $680,793 $123,963 $210,989 $1,813,234 
______________________________
(a)Other revenues as reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations include $23.2$28.8 million, $33.3 million and $20.9$27.0 million of revenue for the years ended December 29, 201925, 2022, December 26, 2021, and December 30, 2018,27, 2020 respectively, that are part of the internationalInternational reporting segment. These amounts include marketing fund contributions and sublease rental income from internationalInternational franchisees in the United KingdomUK that provide no significant contribution to income before income taxes but must be reported on a gross basis under accounting requirements. The related expenses for these Other revenues are reported in Other expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

86

110



26. Quarterly Data - Unaudited, in Thousands, except Per Share Data

Our quarterly select financial data is as follows:

Quarter

 

2019

    

1st

    

2nd

    

3rd

    

4th

 

Total revenues

$

398,405

$

399,623

$

403,706

$

417,514

Operating income (loss)

 

5,509

 

14,231

 

4,927

 

(132)

Net income (loss) attributable to the Company (a)

 

(1,731)

 

8,354

 

385

 

(2,142)

Basic (loss) earnings per common share (a)

(0.12)

0.15

(0.10)

(0.18)

Diluted (loss) earnings per common share (a)

(0.12)

0.15

(0.10)

(0.18)

Dividends declared per common share

0.225

0.225

0.225

0.225

Quarter

 

2018

    

1st

    

2nd

    

3rd

    

4th

 

(Note)

(Note)

(Note)

(Note)

Total revenues

$

450,122

$

429,952

$

385,231

$

397,566

Operating income (loss)

 

28,139

 

24,910

 

(14,170)

 

(7,326)

Net income (loss) attributable to the Company (b)

 

17,443

 

11,199

 

(13,300)

 

(12,868)

Basic earnings (loss) per common share (b)

0.52

0.35

(0.42)

(0.41)

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share (b)

0.52

0.35

(0.42)

(0.41)

Dividends declared per common share

0.225

0.225

0.225

0.225

Note:  The quarterly 2018 information has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See Note 2 under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

(a)The year ended December 29, 2019 was impacted by the following:

i.     The first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2019 include after income tax losses of $13.5 million, $4.2 million, $11.0 million and $19.8 million, respectively, and unfavorable impacts on diluted EPS of $0.43, $0.13, $0.35 and $0.62, respectively, from Special charges. See Note 19 for additional information.  

ii.   The third and fourth quarters of 2019 include after tax gains of $1.3 million and $2.2 million, respectively, and favorable impacts on diluted EPS of $0.04 and $0.07, respectively, related to the Company’s refranchising of Company-owned restaurants.

(b)The year ended December 30, 2018 was impacted by the following:

i.     The second quarter of 2018 includes an after income tax loss of $1.6 million and an unfavorable impact of $0.05 on basic and diluted EPS from the sale of our Company-owned stores in China. See Note 12 for additional information.

ii.    The second quarter of 2018 also includes a tax increase of $2.4 million and an unfavorable impact of $0.07 on basic and diluted EPS related to the refranchising our China stores. See Note 20 for additional information.

iii.   The third and fourth quarters of 2018 include after income tax losses of $19.3 million and $19.7 million, respectively, and unfavorable impacts on diluted EPS of $0.61 and $0.63, respectively, from Special charges.  See Note 19 for additional information.  

iv.

The fourth quarter of 2018 includes an after tax gain of $1.3 million and a favorable impact of $0.04 on basic and diluted EPS related to the Company’s refranchising of Company-owned restaurants.

Quarterly earnings per share on a full-year basis may not agree to the Consolidated Statements of Operations due to rounding.

111

27. Restatement of 2018 Consolidated Financial Statements

The following tables present the immaterial impact of consolidating Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. in our 2018 consolidated financial statements. See Notes 2 and 5 for additional information.

Consolidated Balance Sheet

December 30, 2018

(In thousands)

As Reported

Change

As Restated

Cash and cash equivalents

$

19,468

$

13,790

$

33,258

Accounts receivable, net

67,854

10,264

78,118

Income tax receivable

16,073

73

16,146

Prepaid expenses

29,935

441

30,376

Other current assets

5,677

1

5,678

Total current assets

171,708

24,569

196,277

Deferred income taxes, net

756

381

1,137

Total assets

570,947

24,950

595,897

Accounts payable

29,891

(2,785)

27,106

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

105,712

23,455

129,167

Current deferred revenue

2,443

3,579

6,022

Current portion of long-term debt

20,000

9

20,009

Total current liabilities

164,636

24,258

188,894

Deferred revenue

14,679

2,571

17,250

Total liabilities

867,617

26,829

894,446

Retained earnings

244,061

(1,879)

242,182

Total stockholders' deficit

(302,134)

(1,879)

(304,013)

Total liabilities, Series B preferred stock, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and stockholders' deficit

570,947

24,950

595,897

Year Ended

December 30, 2018

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

As Reported

Change

As Restated

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Other revenues

$

81,428

$

89,555

$

170,983

Total revenues

1,573,316

89,555

1,662,871

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses

576,799

859

577,658

Other expenses

84,016

86,540

170,556

General and administrative expenses

192,551

983

193,534

Total costs and expenses

1,542,647

88,382

1,631,029

Operating income

30,380

1,173

31,553

Interest expense

(25,306)

(367)

(25,673)

Income before income taxes

5,891

806

6,697

Income tax expense

2,646

(22)

2,624

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

3,245

828

4,073

Net income attributable to the Company

1,646

828

2,474

Net income attributable to common shareholders

���

1,646

828

2,474

Basic earnings per common share

0.05

0.03

0.08

Diluted earnings per common share

0.05

0.03

0.08

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Operating activities

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests

$

3,245

$

828

$

4,073

Provision for uncollectible accounts and notes receivable

4,761

2,088

6,849

Deferred income taxes

1,705

(85)

1,620

Accounts receivable

1,386

771

2,157

Income tax receivable

(12,170)

13

(12,157)

Prepaid expenses

(2,165)

1,126

(1,039)

Accounts payable

(1,694)

1,294

(400)

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

10,273

11,480

21,753

Deferred revenue

(271)

2,144

1,873

Net cash provided by operating activities

72,795

19,659

92,454

Financing activities

Net proceeds (repayments) of revolving credit facilities

175,000

(11,415)

163,585

Net cash used in financing activities

(36,682)

(11,415)

(48,097)

Change in cash and cash equivalents

(2,877)

8,244

5,367

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

22,345

5,546

27,891

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

19,468

13,790

33,258

112

Item 9.9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

On June 10, 2019, we dismissed KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm and appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ended December 29, 2019. The engagement of Ernst & Young LLP was approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.  We filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 12, 2019 announcing the change in auditors, in which the filing is incorporated by reference herein.  Our independent registered public accounting firms’ reports on our consolidated financial statements for each of the past two years did not contain adverse opinions or disclaimers of opinions, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.  

We have restated the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes herein as of and for the year ended December 30, 2018 to reflect the correction of an immaterial error to consolidate the Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc (“PJMF”).  During the first quarter of 2019, the Company reassessed the governance structure and operating procedures of PJMF and determined that the Company has the power to control certain significant activities of PJMF, and thus must consolidate this variable interest entity.  See “Note 27” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.  KPMG LLP issued a dual-dated opinion on the previous year’s financial statements regarding this immaterial correction of an error.

In connection with the foregoing change in accountants, there was no disagreement of the type described in paragraph (a)(1)(iv) of Item 304 of Regulation S-K or any reportable event as described in paragraph (a)(1)(v) of such Item.

None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

(a)

(a)Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act). Based upon this evaluation, the CEO and CFO concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(b)

(b)Management’s Report on our Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management’s Report on our Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Our internal control system is designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and the board of directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements. All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our CEO and CFO, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (“COSO”) of the Treadway Commission (“2013 Framework”). Based on our evaluation under the COSO 2013 Framework, and following the remediation of the material weaknesses described below, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 29, 2019.

25, 2022.

Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the 2019 Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of its audit, has issued an attestation report, included in Item 8. Financial Statement and Supplemental Data, on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

113

(c)Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

As previously disclosed in Item 9A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2018, the Company determined that material weaknesses existed as of December 30, 2018 in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting related to the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”), a variable interest entity (“VIE”), as follows:

The Company did not engage third-party technical expertise to augment internal resources to evaluate complex VIE and consolidation matters related to PJMF.  This resulted in the failure to consolidate the results of PJMF.
Due to the prior decision not to consolidate PJMF, the Company did not maintain the level of internal controls required under the 2013 Framework, which resulted in ineffective internal controls over financial reporting related to PJMF.

A material weakness (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement in our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

During the fourth quarter of 2019, management remediated the identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, including the material weakness related to the technical accounting expertise when evaluating VIE and complex consolidation matters. The results of PJMF were consolidated for the year ended December 29, 2019 with the related 2018 results restated. In addition, the applicable controls in place for PJMF have operated for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through testing, that these controls are operating effectively.  

Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the2022 Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of its audit, has issued an attestation report, included herein, on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

114

(c)Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the year ended December 25, 2022 that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
87

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, based on criteria established in Internal Control— Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 29, 2019,25, 2022, based onthe COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 20192022 consolidated financial statements of the Company, and our report dated February 26, 202023, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying “Management’s Report on our Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.” Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.



/s/ Ernst & Young LLP


Louisville, Kentucky

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

115

88

Item 9B. Other Information

None.

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
None.
PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Information regarding executive officers is included above under the caption “Executive Officers of the Registrant”“Information about our Executive Officers” at the end of Part I of this Report. Other information regarding directors, executive officers and corporate governance appearing under the captions “Corporate Governance,” “Item 1,1. Election of Directors,” “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports”Directors” and “Executive Compensation / Compensation Discussion and Analysis” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report.

We have adopted a written code of ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees. We intend to post all required disclosures concerning any amendments to or waivers from, our code of ethics on our website to the extent permitted by NASDAQ.Nasdaq. Our code of ethics can be found on our website, which is located at www.papajohns.com.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

Information regarding executive compensation appearing under the captions “Executive Compensation / Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” “Compensation Committee Report” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions — Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” and “Item 3. Advisory Approval of the Company’s Executive Compensation” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The following table provides information as of December 29, 201925, 2022 regarding the number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the Company’s equity compensation plans.

Plan Category
(a)
Number of
securities to be
issued upon exercise
of outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
(b)
Weighted
average
exercise price
of outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
(c)
Number of securities
remaining available
for future issuance
under equity
compensation plans,
excluding securities
reflected in column (a)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders235,185$56.53 3,616,086
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders *136,701
Total371,886$56.53 3,616,086
______________________________

    

    

    

(c)

(a)

(b)

Number of securities

Number of

Weighted

remaining available

securities to be

average

for future issuance

issued upon exercise

exercise price

under equity

of outstanding

of outstanding

compensation plans,

options, warrants

options, warrants

excluding securities

Plan Category

and rights

and rights

reflected in column (a)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

 

1,204,958

$

55.67

 

5,301,680

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders *

 

162,667

Total

 

1,367,625

$

55.67

 

5,301,680

*Represents shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The weighted average exercise price (column b) does not include any assumed price for issuance of shares pursuant to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan.

*

Represents shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The weighted average exercise price (column b) does not include any assumed price for issuance of shares pursuant to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan.

Information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management and related stockholder matters appearing under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report.

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Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Information regarding certain relationships and related transactions, and director independence appearing under the captions “Corporate Governance” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” is incorporated by reference from
89


the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

Information regarding principal accounting fees and services appearing under the caption “Ratification“Item 2. Ratification of the Selection of Independent Auditors” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report.

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

(a)(1)Financial Statements:

The following Consolidated Financial Statements, notes related thereto and reports of independent auditors are included in Item 8 of this Report:

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 29, 2019, December 30, 2018 and  December 31, 2017
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 42)

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 25, 2022 and December 26, 2021
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021, and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 25, 2022, December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(a)(2)Financial Statement Schedules:

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Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

    

    

    

Charged to

    

    

    

    

Balance at

(recovered from)

Balance at

Beginning of

Costs and

Additions /

End of

Classification

Year

Expenses

(Deductions)

Year

(in thousands)

Fiscal year ended December 29, 2019

Deducted from asset accounts:

Reserve for uncollectible accounts receivable

$

4,205

$

3,216

$

(80)

(1)  

$

7,341

Reserve for franchisee notes receivable

 

3,369

 

(77)

 

280

(1)  

 

3,572

Valuation allowance on deferred tax assets

 

8,183

 

(295)

 

2,819

 

10,707

$

15,757

$

2,844

$

3,019

$

21,620

Fiscal year ended December 30, 2018

Deducted from asset accounts:

Reserve for uncollectible accounts receivable (2)

$

2,271

$

7,242

$

(5,308)

(1)  

$

4,205

Reserve for franchisee notes receivable

 

1,047

 

(393)

 

2,715

(1)  

 

3,369

Valuation allowance on deferred tax assets

 

7,415

 

(1,754)

 

2,522

 

8,183

$

10,733

$

5,095

$

(71)

$

15,757

Fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

Deducted from asset accounts:

Reserve for uncollectible accounts receivable

$

1,486

$

1,744

$

(959)

(1)  

$

2,271

Reserve for franchisee notes receivable

 

2,759

 

(1,715)

 

3

(1)  

 

1,047

Valuation allowance on deferred tax assets

 

5,462

 

(407)

 

2,360

 

7,415

$

9,707

$

(378)

$

1,404

$

10,733

(1)Uncollectible accounts written off and reclassifications between accounts and notes receivable reserves.

All other schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission are not required under the related instructions or are inapplicable and, therefore, have been omitted.

(2)  Fiscal year 2018 has been restated to reflect the consolidation of Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc.  See Note 2 under the heading “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements for Immaterial Error Correction” for more details.

(a)(3)Exhibits:Exhibits:

The exhibits listed inon the accompanying index to ExhibitsExhibit Index are filed as part of this Form 10-K.

Item 16. Summary

None.

118

90


EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit


Number

Number

Description of Exhibit

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of Papa John’s International, Inc. Exhibit 3.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on July 23, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference.

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Amendment No. 3 to Rights Agreement dated as of October 23, 2019, by and between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. as rights agent.  Exhibit 4.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on October 24, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.  

4.5

Form of Rights Certificate.  Exhibit 4.2 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on July 23, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference.

4.6

Specimen Common Stock Certificate. Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 is incorporated herein by reference.

4.7*4.4**

10.1

10.2

119

Table of Contents

Exhibit

Number

Description of Exhibit

10.3

Indemnification Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and John H. Schnatter effective August 6, 2003. Exhibit 10.3 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on March 8, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.3

10.4

Securities Purchase Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Starboard Value and Opportunity Master Fund Ltd., Starboard Value and Opportunity Master Fund L LP, Starboard Value and Opportunity C LP, Starboard Value and Opportunity S LLC and Starboard Value LP effective February 3, 2019. Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on February 4, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.5

10.4

10.6

10.5*

10.7

Amendment No. 1 to Governance Agreement, by and among Papa John’s International and the entities and natural persons listed on the signature pages attached thereto effective March 6, 2019.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on March 6, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.8

Agreement by and between Papa John’s International, Inc. and John H. Schnatter effective March 4, 2019.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on March 4, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.9*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Robert Lynch effective August 26, 2019. Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on August 28, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.10*

10.6*

91


Exhibit
Number
Description of Exhibit
10.7

10.11*

10.8

10.12*

10.9 *

120

Table of Contents

Exhibit

Number

Description of Exhibit

10.13*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Steve M. Ritchie effective March 1, 2015.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on February 24, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.14*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Michael R. Nettles effective February 1, 2017. Exhibit 10.11 to our report on From 10-K as filed on March 8, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.15*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Joseph H. Smith IV effective May 3, 2018. Exhibit 10.2 to our report on Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference.

10.16*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Caroline Miller Oyler effective December 5, 2015. Exhibit 10.13 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on March 8, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.17*

Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Jack Swaysland effective April 18, 2017. Exhibit 10.14 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on March 8, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.18

Credit Agreement, dated August 30, 2017, by and among Papa John’s International Inc., as borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other lending institutions that are parties thereto, as Lenders (Conformed copy through amendment no. 2).  Exhibit 10.4 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on February 27, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference.

10.19

Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement, dated October 9, 2018, by and among Papa John’s International, Inc. as borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other lending institutions that are parties thereto, as Lenders. Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference.

10.20

Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement, dated February 1, 2019, by and among Papa John’s International, Inc. as borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other lending institutions that are parties thereto, as Lenders.  Exhibit 10.19 to our report on Form 10-K as filed on March 8, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.21*

Papa John’s International, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan, as amended through December 5, 2012. Exhibit 10.1 to our reportAnnual Report on Form 10-K as filed on February 28, 2013for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference.

10.22*

10.10*

10.11*

10.23*

10.12*

10.24*

10.13*

.

121

Table of Contents

Exhibit

Number

Description of Exhibit

10.25*

10.14*

10.15*

10.26*

10.16*

21**

.

23.1**

.

23.2*31.1**

31.1**

Section 302 Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e).

31.2**

32.1**

.

32.2**

.

92


101

Exhibit
Number

Description of Exhibit

101Financial statements from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Papa John’s International, Inc. for the year ended December 29, 2019,25, 2022, filed on February 26, 202023, 2023 formatted in inline XBRL: (i) the Consolidated Statements of Operations,Balance Sheets, (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss) Income,Operations, (iii) the Consolidated Balance Sheets,Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ (Deficit) Equity,Deficit, (v) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and (vi) the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

104

Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).

* Compensatory plan required to be filed as an exhibit pursuant to Item 15(c) of Form 10-K.

**Filed herewith.

122

Item 16. Summary
None
93

Table of Contents


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 26, 2020

23, 2023

PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC.

By:

By:

/s/ Robert M. Lynch

Robert M. Lynch

President and Chief Executive Officer

123

Table of Contents

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature

Title

Date

/s/ Jeffrey C. Smith

Chairman

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Jeffrey C. Smith

/s/ Robert M. Lynch

President and Chief Executive Officer

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Robert M. Lynch

(Principal Executive Officer and Director)

/s/ Joseph H. Smith IV

Ann B. Gugino

Chief Financial Officer

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Joseph H. Smith IV

Ann B. Gugino

(Principal Financial Officer and

Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ Christopher L. Coleman

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Christopher L. Coleman

/s/ Michael R. Dubin

Director

February 26, 2020

Michael R. Dubin

/s/ Olivia F. Kirtley

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Olivia F. Kirtley

/s/ Laurette T. Koellner

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Laurette T. Koellner

/s/ Jocelyn C. Mangan

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Jocelyn C. Mangan

/s/ Sonya E. Medina

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Sonya E. Medina

/s/ Shaquille R. O’Neal

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Shaquille R. O’Neal

/s/ Anthony M. Sanfilippo

Director

February 26, 2020

23, 2023

Anthony M. Sanfilippo

124

94