In connection with the sale of three facilities, the closure of two facilities and the classification of another facility as “held for sale”, the operations of these restaurants have been presented as discontinued operations for the 13-week period ended December 30, 2006, and the Company has reclassified its statements of operations and cash flow data for the prior periods presented below, in accordance with FAS 144 based on the fact that the Company has met the criteria under FAS 144. These dispositions are discussed below in “Recent Restaurant Dispositions.”
During the Company’s first fiscal quarter of 2007, total revenues of $28,202,000 increased 8.6% compared to total revenues of $25,963,000 in the first fiscal quarter of 2006. Revenues for the first fiscal quarter of 2007 were reduced by $1,343,000 and revenues for the first fiscal quarter of 2006 were reduced by $1,704,000 as a result of the sale of three facilities, the closure of two facilities and the classification of another facility as “held for sale”. Revenues for the first fiscal quarter of 2007 were increased by $718,000 as a result of the consolidation of one managed restaurant.
Same store sales in Las Vegas increased by $504,000 or 3.8% in the first fiscal quarter of 2007 compared to the first fiscal quarter of 2006. Same store sales in New York increased $1,229,00 or 17.2% during the first quarter. The increase in New York was principally due to unseasonably warm weather much of the quarter, as well as the general improvement in economic conditions and the public’s willingness and inclination to continue vacation and convention travel. Same store sales in Washington D.C. decreased by $37,000 or 1.0% during the first quarter.
Food and beverage costs for the first quarter of 2007 as a percentage of total revenues were 24.9% compared to 24.5% in the first quarter of 2006.
Payroll expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 31.6% for the first quarter of 2007 as compared to 32.1% in the first quarter of 2006. Occupancy expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 14.2% during the first fiscal quarter of 2007 compared to 15.7% in the first quarter of 2006 due to the increase in total revenues during the quarter as compared to last year. Other operating costs and expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 11.5% for the first quarter of 2007 as compared to 12.2% in the first quarter of 2006. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 7.0% in the first quarter of 2007 compared to 6.6% in last year’s first quarter.
The provision for income taxes reflects Federal income taxes calculated on a consolidated basis and state and local income taxes calculated by each New York subsidiary on a non-consolidated basis. Most of the restaurants owned or managed by the Company are owned or managed by separate subsidiaries.
For state and local income tax purposes, the losses incurred by a subsidiary may only be used to offset that subsidiary’s income, with the exception of the restaurants operating in the District of Columbia. Accordingly, the Company’s overall effective tax rate has varied depending on the level of losses incurred at individual subsidiaries.
The Company’s overall effective tax rate in the future will be affected by factors such as the level of losses incurred at the Company’s New York facilities, which cannot be consolidated for state and local tax purposes, pre-tax income earned outside of New York City, the utilization of state and local net operating loss carryforwards and the utilization of FICA tax credits. Nevada has no state income tax and other states in which the Company operates have income tax rates substantially lower in comparison to New York. In order to utilize more effectively tax loss carryforwards at restaurants that were unprofitable, the Company has merged certain profitable subsidiaries with certain loss subsidiaries.
The Company had a working capital surplus of $6,752,000 at December 30, 2006 as compared to a working capital surplus of $8,398,000at September 30, 2006. On February 1, 2007, the Company paid $11,999,000 in dividend payments related to its special dividend of $3.00 per share and its regular quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share which were declared on December 20, 2006.
The Company’s Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facility matured on March 12, 2005. The Company does not currently plan to enter into another credit facility and expects required cash to be provided by operations.
Restaurant Expansion
In December 2006, we expanded our operations at the Foxwoods Resort Casino by openingThe Grill at Two Treesin the Two Trees Inn, a facility owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and a part of the Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Ledyard, Connecticut.
In addition, on January 8, 2007, we began operating theDurgin Park Restaurant and the Black Horse Tavernin Boston, Massachusetts.
Recent Restaurant Dispositions
The Company entered into a sale and leaseback agreement with GE Capital in November 2000 to refinance the purchase of various restaurant equipment at its food and beverage facilities at the Desert Passage, the retail complex at the Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2002, the operations at the Aladdin were abandoned.The lease matured in November 2005 and, in connection therewith, the Company made an unprovided for lump sum payment of $142,000 due under this lease. This lump sum payment is included in discontinued operations during the first quarter of fiscal 2006.
The Company’s bar/nightclub facility Venus, located at the Venetian Casino Resort, experienced a steady decline in sales and the Company felt that a new concept was needed at this location. During the first quarter of 2005, this bar/nightclub facility was closed and re-opened as “Vivid” on February 4, 2005. Total conversion costs were approximately $400,000. Sales at the new bar/nightclub facility failed to reach the level sufficient to achieve the results the Company required. As of December 31, 2005, the Company classified the assets and liabilities of this bar/nightclub facility as “held for sale” in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets” (“SFAS No. 144”) based on the fact that the facility has met the criteria under SFAS No. 144. Based on the offers made for this facility, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $537,000 during the fiscal quarter ended December 30, 2006. The Company recorded an operating loss of $106,000 and $250,000, respectively, during the 13-week periods ended December 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005. The impairment charge and operating losses are included in discontinued operations.
Effective August 22, 2004, the Company’s lease for The Saloonat the Neonopolis Center at Fremont Street in Las Vegas was converted into a management agreement whereby the Company received a management fee of $7,000 per month regardless of the results of operations of this restaurant. In June 2006, the owner of the Neonopolis Center at Fremont Street sold the building to a new entity who, on June 25, 2006, exercised its option to terminate the management agreement upon thirty days written notice to the Company.
On July 6, 2006, the landlord for the Vico’s Burrito’s fast food facility at the Venetian Casino Resort, General Growth Properties,notified the Company that they were exercising their option to terminate the lease in exchange for the landlord providing the Company with the unamortized portion of the non-removable improvements located in the facility. On August 10, 2006, the Company and the landlord entered into a letter agreement pursuant to which the landlord agreed to pay the Company $200,000 for the unamortized portion of the non-removable improvements located in the facility.
The Company was approached by the Venetian Casino Resort who indicated that, due to the expansion of the Grand Canal Shoppes, the Company’s Lutece and Tsunami locations, as well as a portion of the Company’s Vivid location, in the Grand Canal Shoppes were desired by other tenants. The Venetian Casino Resort offered to purchase these locations from the Company for an aggregate of $14,000,000. After evaluating the offer, the Company determined that such offer made it advantageous for the Company to redeploy these assets. Effective December 1, 2006, the Company’s subsidiaries that leased each of Lutece, Tsunami and Vivid locations at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, entered into an agreement to sell Lutece, Tsunami and a portion of the Vivid location used by Lutece as a prep kitchen to Venetian Casino Resort, LLC for an aggregate of $14,000,000. The Company’s Lutece location closed on December 3, 2006 and the Company’s Tsunami location closed on January 3, 2007. The Company realized a gain of $7,814,000 ($5,196,000after taxes,or $1.45 per share)on the sale of these facilities. The Company recorded an operating loss of $5,000 and $113,000 for the first fiscal quarters of 2007 and 2006, respectively. The gain on sale and losses are included in discontinued operations.
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Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of financial statements requires the application of certain accounting policies, which may require the Company to make estimates and assumptions of future events. In the process of preparing its consolidated financial statements, the Company estimates the appropriate carrying value of certain assets and liabilities, which are not readily apparent from other sources. The primary estimates underlying the Company’s financial statements include allowances for potential bad debts on accounts and notes receivable, the useful lives and recoverability of its assets, such as property and intangibles, fair values of financial instruments, the realizable value of its tax assets and other matters. Management bases its estimates on certain assumptions, which they believe are reasonable in the circumstances, and actual results, could differ from those estimates. Although management does not believe that any change in those assumptions in the near term would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or the results of operation, differences in actual results could be material to the financial statements.
The Company’s critical accounting policies are described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006. There have been no significant changes to such policies during fiscal 2007, other than the implementation of the Emerging Issues Task Force 04-05 “Whether a General Partner, or the General Partners as a Group, Controls a Limited Partnership or Similar Entity When the Limited Partners Have Certain Rights” (“EITF 04-5 ”).
EITF 04-5 presumes that a general partner controls a limited partnership and therefore should consolidate the partnership. This presumption can be overcome if the limited partners have kick-out or substantive participating rights. EITF 04-5 is effective for the Company’s quarter ended December 30, 2006 and accordingly management has made an assessment of the limited partnership or similar entities that the company provides management services to where it is also the general partner in the entity that owns the property.
Effective October 1, 2006 the Company determined that one of its managed restaurants, El Rio Grande (“Rio”), should be presented on a consolidated basis in accordance with EITF 04-5. As a result of consolidating the assets and liabilities of the limited partnership that owns Rio, at December 30, 3006 we recorded a cumulative effect of accounting change of $10,000 which is included in the accompanying consolidated condensed statement of operations. The cumulative effect of the accounting change primarily relates to the Company’s recording of its share of undistributed retained earning as of October 1, 2006.
Recent Accounting Developments
In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FASB Interpretation No. 48,Accounting for Uncertainty in Income taxes – an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109(“FIN 48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109,Accounting for Income Taxes. FIN 48 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. The Company is required to adopt the provisions of FIN 48 during fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of FIN 48 on its consolidated results of operations and financial position.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
None.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Based on their evaluation, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) are effective as of December 30, 2006 to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms.
There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 that materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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PART II
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings |
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None. |
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Item 1A. Risk Factors |
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The most significant risk factors applicable to the Company are described in Part I, Item 1A (Risk Factors) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 (the “2006 Form 10-K”). There have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in the 2006 Form 10-K. |
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Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds |
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None. |
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Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities |
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None. |
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Item 4. Submissions of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders |
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None. |
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Item 5. Other Information |
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None. |
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Item 6. Exhibits |
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(a) Exhibits |
31.1 | Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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31.2 | Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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32 | Certificate of Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officers |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements 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 13, 2007 |
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| ARK RESTAURANTS CORP. |
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By: | /s/ Michael Weinstein |
| Michael Weinstein |
| Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer |
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By: | /s/ Robert J. Stewart |
| Robert J. Stewart |
| Chief Financial Officer |
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