Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRL) saw its shares rise nearly 2% in early trading after the restaurant and country store chain saw its fourth-quarter profit beat expectations, although sales missed forecasts.
The Nasdaq-listed firm said its net income for the quarter ended July 28 was US$53.9mln, or US$2.23 a share, up from US$51.0mln, or $2.12 a share a year earlier, and above the consensus for US$2.17 a share.
However, the group’s revenue fell by 0.3% to US$743.2mln, below the consensus forecast of US$746.7mln, while same-store sales declined by 1.7%, compared consensus expectations for a 0.6% decline.
Looking ahead, the company said it expects its first-quarter EPS to be US$1.85 to US$1.95 and full-year 2018 EPS of US$8.85 to US$9.00, compared with consensus forecasts for US$2.10 and US$8.89 respectively .
Cracker Barrel’s chief executive Sandra Cochran said: “As we enter the new fiscal year, we anticipate the environment to remain challenged, yet are confident in our plans to invest in the long-term growth of the company."
In early New York trading, Cracker Barrel shares were up 1.8% at US$151.72 each.