• Revenue: US dollar revenue set a new high for the third quarter.
• Systemwide Comparable Sales: Increased by more than 32% in the quarter.
• EBITDA: Second highest for the third quarter, with a 50 basis point margin contraction.
• Digital Sales Growth: Increased by 16%, generating 58% of systemwide sales.
• Brazil Comparable Sales: Up 6.8% in the third quarter.
• NOLAD Comparable Sales: Grew by 6.2% in the quarter.
• SLAD Comparable Sales: Increased by 90.4%, including Argentina's high inflation impact.
• Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Ratio: Held steady at 1.2 times for the first nine months of the year.
• Cash Flow from Operating Activities: Approximately $96 million in the third quarter.
• Store Openings: Opened 19 Experience of the Future (EOTF) restaurants in the quarter.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with ARCO.

Release Date: November 13, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc (NYSE:ARCO) reported strong sales and profitability in Q3 2024, demonstrating the resilience of its business model.
• Guest counts increased for the 14th consecutive quarter, contributing to a 32% rise in system-wide comparable sales.
• Digital, delivery, and drive-thru platforms continue to be a competitive advantage, with digital sales growing 16% and accounting for 58% of system-wide sales.
• The company opened 56 'Experience of the Future' restaurants year-to-date, with a significant number in Brazil, aligning with its growth strategy.
• Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc (NYSE:ARCO) gained significant market share in its largest market, Brazil, and maintained a strong balance sheet with low financial leverage.

Negative Points

• Currency devaluations, particularly in Brazil and Argentina, impacted US dollar EBITDA, leading to a 50 basis point margin contraction.
• Higher food and paper costs, along with increased payroll and occupancy expenses, pressured margins in NOLAD and SLAD divisions.
• Economic challenges in Argentina, including high inflation, continue to affect consumer spending and guest counts.
• The potential end of the six-by-one labor regime in Brazil could lead to increased labor costs, though details are still unclear.
• Despite strong digital sales growth, the company faces ongoing challenges in scaling its own delivery logistics model across different markets.

Q & A Highlights

Q: How does the competitive environment look like in terms of promotional activity this quarter, especially in Brazil? A: Marcelo Rabach, CEO, explained that the competitive landscape remained consistent throughout the year. Arcos Dorados gained significant market share, particularly in Brazil, by focusing on a compelling value proposition and unmatched restaurant experience, driving volume growth and leveraging fixed costs.

Q: How will the post-election macroenvironment in Mexico impact the overall consumer environment, especially in the QSR segment? A: Marcelo Rabach, CEO, expressed satisfaction with Mexico's growth trends, noting that the McDonald's brand has performed strongly. The digitalization of operations and modernization of restaurants are expected to drive further growth, with the mobile app becoming the most popular in the market.

Q: Regarding food and paper pressure in Brazil, were these related to protein prices or paper? How will recent price increases in proteins affect margins? A: Mariano Tannenbaum, CFO, clarified that the modest increase in food and paper costs was not due to protein prices but other general increases. The company expects some pressure on beef costs industry-wide next year but plans to mitigate this through pricing and mix management.

Q: What are management's expectations regarding the easing of labor and other cost pressures in NOLAD? A: Mariano Tannenbaum, CFO, noted increases in minimum salaries in Mexico and Puerto Rico but does not expect this pace to continue in 2025. Digital tools are being deployed to generate sales more efficiently and manage staffing better.

Q: Could you provide an update on digital and delivery penetration and its impact on profitability? A: Luis Raganato, COO, reported that digital sales were up 16%, representing 58% of total sales, with delivery growing 14%. Own delivery accounts for 12% of total delivery sales, contributing positively to margins by leveraging fixed costs.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.