JACK IN THE BOX INC

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of operations — Jack in the Box Inc. (the “Company”), together with its consolidated subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick-service restaurants under the Jack in the Box® and Del Taco® restaurant brands.

On March 8, 2022, the Company acquired Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. (“Del Taco”) for cash according to the terms and conditions of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 5, 2021. Del Taco is a nationwide operator and franchisor of restaurants featuring fresh and fast Mexican and American inspired cuisines. Refer to Note 3, Business Combination, for further details.

As of September 29, 2024, there were 150 company-operated and 2,041 franchise-operated Jack in the Box restaurants and 133 company-operated and 461 franchise-operated Del Taco restaurants.

References to the Company throughout these notes to the consolidated financial statements are made using the first-person notations of “we,” “us,” and “our.”

Basis of presentation — The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Fiscal year — The Company’s fiscal year is the 52 or 53 weeks ending the Sunday closest to September 30. In fiscal 2023, Del Taco operated on a fiscal year ending the Tuesday closest to September 30. Beginning fiscal 2024, Del Taco’s fiscal year shifted to align with Jack in the Box. As a result, Del Taco’s fiscal 2024 results include two fewer days. Comparisons throughout these notes to the consolidated financial statements refer to the 52-week periods ended September 29, 2024, October 1, 2023, and October 2, 2022 for fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Principles of consolidation — The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Jack in the Box Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

Use of estimates — In preparing the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, management is required to make certain assumptions and estimates that affect reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and the disclosure of contingencies. In making these assumptions and estimates, management may from time to time seek advice and consider information provided by actuaries and other experts in a particular area. Actual amounts could differ materially from these estimates.

Restricted cash — In accordance with the terms of our securitized financing facility, certain cash balances are required to be held in trust. Such restricted cash primarily represents cash collections and cash reserves held by the trustee to be used for payments of quarterly interest and commitment fees required for the Class A-2 Notes and Variable Funding Notes. As of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023, restricted cash balances were $29.4 million and $28.3 million, respectively.

Accounts and other receivables, net — Our accounts and other receivables, net is primarily comprised of receivables from franchisees, tenants, credit card processors, and insurance receivables. Franchisee receivables primarily include rents, property taxes, royalties, marketing, sourcing and technology support fees associated with lease and franchise agreements, and notes from certain of our franchisees. Tenant receivables relate to subleased properties where we are on the master lease agreement. We accrue interest on notes receivable based on the contractual terms.

The Company closely monitors the financial condition of our franchisees and estimates the allowance for credit losses based on the lifetime expected loss on receivables. These estimates are based on historical collection experience with our franchisees as well as other factors, including current market conditions and events. Credit quality is monitored through the timing of payments compared to predefined aging criteria and known facts regarding the financial condition of the franchisee or customer. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts has not historically been material. The following table summarizes the activity in our allowance for doubtful accounts (in thousands):

Inventories — Our inventories consist principally of food, packaging, and supplies, and are valued at the lower of cost or market on a first-in, first-out basis.

Internal-use Software Costs — The Company capitalizes costs incurred to implement software solely for its internal use, including (i) hosted applications used to deliver the Company's support services, and (ii) certain implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract when the preliminary project stage is complete, management with the relevant authority authorizes and commits to the funding of the software project, and it is probable the project will be completed and used to perform the intended function. Software implementation costs are capitalized to either other current assets or other long-term assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheet and amortized over the estimated useful life of the developed software. Hosted software implementation costs capitalized were $11.1 million and $7.9 million as of the end of fiscal year 2024 and 2023, respectively. Related amortization expense for software implementation costs was $4.5 million, $5.0 million and $5.1 million during fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Assets held for sale — Our assets held for sale typically includes property and restaurants we plan to sell within the next year, including amounts relating to i) company-owned restaurants to be refranchised, ii) operating restaurant properties which we intend to sell to franchisees and/or sell and leaseback with a third party, and iii) closed restaurant properties which we are marketing for sale. If the determination is made that we no longer expect to sell an asset within the next year, the asset is reclassified out of assets held for sale. Long-lived assets that meet the held for sale criteria are reported at the lower of their carrying value or fair value, less estimated costs to sell.

Property and equipment, net— Expenditures for new facilities and equipment, and those that substantially increase the useful lives of the property, are capitalized. Facilities leased under finance leases are stated at the present value of minimum lease payments at the beginning of the lease term, not to exceed fair value. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. When property and equipment are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and gains or losses on the dispositions are included in “Other operating expense, net” in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings.

Buildings, equipment, and leasehold improvements are generally depreciated using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the assets, over the initial lease term for certain assets acquired in conjunction with the lease commencement for leased properties, or the remaining lease term for certain assets acquired after the commencement of the lease for leased properties. In certain situations, one or more option periods may be used in determining the depreciable life of assets related to leased properties if we deem that an economic penalty would be incurred otherwise. In either circumstance, our policy requires lease term consistency when calculating the depreciation period, in classifying the lease and in computing straight-line rent expense. Building, leasehold improvement assets and equipment are assigned lives that range from 1 to 35 years. Depreciation expense related to property and equipment was $59.2 million, $61.7 million, and $55.8 million in fiscal year 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Impairment of long-lived assets — We evaluate long-lived assets, such as property and equipment and operating lease right-of-use assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets are grouped for recognition and measurement of impairment at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets. The impairment test for long-lived assets requires us to assess the recoverability of long-lived assets by comparing their net carrying value to the sum of undiscounted estimated future cash flows directly associated with and arising from our use and eventual disposition of the assets. If the carrying amount of a long-lived asset group exceeds the sum of related undiscounted future cash flows, we recognize an impairment loss by the amount that the carrying value of the assets exceeds fair value. Refer to Note 9, Other Operating Expense, Net, for additional information.

Goodwill and trademarks — Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired, if any. We generally record goodwill in connection with the acquisition of restaurants from franchisees or the acquisition of another business. Likewise, upon the sale of restaurants to franchisees, goodwill is decremented. The amount of goodwill written-off is determined as the fair value of the business disposed of as a percentage of the fair value of the reporting unit retained. If the business disposed of was never fully integrated into the reporting unit after its acquisition, and thus the benefits of the acquired goodwill were never realized, the current carrying amount of the acquired goodwill is written off. Goodwill is not amortized and has been assigned to reporting units for purposes of impairment testing. Ourtwo restaurant brands, Jack in the Box and Del Taco, are both operating segments and reporting units.

Goodwill is evaluated for impairment annually during the third quarter of each year, or more frequently if indicators of impairment are present. We first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances lead to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit or indefinite-lived asset is less than its carrying amount. If the qualitative factors indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value is less than the carrying amount, we perform a single-step impairment test. To perform our impairment analysis, we estimate the fair value of the reporting unit and compare it to the carrying value. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the excess.

We evaluate our indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis or more often if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate impairments might exist. We perform our annual test for impairment of our indefinite-lived intangible assets during the third quarter. We may elect to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is greater than its carrying value. If a qualitative assessment is not performed, or if as a result of a qualitative assessment it is not more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its carrying value, then the asset's fair value is compared to its carrying value. Fair value is an estimate of the price a willing buyer would pay for the intangible asset and is estimated by discounting the expected future after-tax cash flows associated with the intangible asset.

During the third quarter of 2024, we had performed quantitative tests over the Del Taco reporting unit noting that the fair value of the reporting unit was less than the carrying value, which resulted in an impairment of goodwill of $162.6 million. Refer also to Note 5, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for results of these tests and for additional information.

Intangible assets, net— Intangible assets primarily include franchise contracts, reacquired franchise rights and sublease assets. Franchise contracts, which represent the fair value of franchise agreements based on the projected royalty revenue stream as of the acquisition date, are amortized on a straight-line basis to “Depreciation and amortization expense” in the consolidated statements of earnings over the remaining term of the franchise agreements. Reacquired franchise rights are recorded in connection with our acquisition of franchised restaurants and are amortized on a straight-line basis to “Depreciation and amortization expense” in the consolidated statements of earnings over the term of the former franchise agreement. Sublease assets, which represent subleases with stated rent above comparable market rents, are amortized on a straight-line basis to “Franchise rental revenues” in the consolidated statements of earnings over the term of the related sublease.

Company-owned life insurance— We have purchased company-owned life insurance (“COLI”) policies to support our non-qualified benefit plans. The cash surrender values of these policies were $129.7 million and $113.2 million as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023, respectively, and are included in “Other assets, net”, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Changes in cash surrender values are included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. These policies reside in an umbrella trust for use only to pay plan benefits to participants or to pay creditors if the Company becomes insolvent.

Leases — We evaluate the contracts entered into by the Company to determine whether such contracts contain leases. A contract contains a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, and equipment for a period of time in exchange for consideration. At commencement, contracts containing a lease are further evaluated for classification as an operating or finance lease where the Company is a lessee, or as an operating, sales-type, or direct financing lease where the Company is a lessor, based on their terms.

The lease term and incremental borrowing rate for each lease requires judgement by management and can impact the classification of our leases as well as the value of our lease assets and liabilities. When determining the lease term, we consider option periods available, and include option periods in the measurement of the lease right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and lease liability where the exercise is reasonably certain to occur. As our leases do not provide an implicit discount rate, we have determined it is appropriate to use our estimated collateralized incremental borrowing rate, based on the yield curve for the respective lease terms, in calculating our lease liabilities.

Revenue recognition — “Company restaurant sales” include revenue recognized upon delivery of food and beverages to the customer at company-operated restaurants, which is when our obligation to perform is satisfied. Company restaurant sales exclude taxes collected from the Company’s customers. Gift cards, upon customer purchase, are recorded as deferred income and are recognized in revenue as they are redeemed.

The Company operates loyalty programs in which members earn points primarily for food purchases. Points can then be redeemed for special reward offers. The Company allocates the consideration received on loyalty orders between the food purchased and the loyalty points earned, taking into consideration the expected redemption rate of loyalty points. The consideration allocated to the food is recognized as revenue at the time of sale. The consideration allocated to the loyalty points earned is deferred until the loyalty points are redeemed or expire.

“Franchise rental revenues” received from franchised restaurants based on fixed rental payments are recognized as revenue over the term of the lease. Rental revenue from properties owned and leased by the Company and leased or subleased to franchisees is recognized on a straight-line basis over the respective term of the lease. Certain franchise rents, which are contingent upon sales levels, are recognized in the period in which the contingency is met.

“Franchise royalties and other” primarily includes royalties and franchise fees received from our franchisees. Royalties are based upon a percentage of sales of the franchised restaurant and are recognized as earned. Franchise royalties are billed on a monthly or weekly basis. Franchise fees when a new restaurant opens or at the start of a new franchise term are recorded as deferred revenue when received and recognized as revenue over the term of the franchise agreement.

“Franchise contributions for advertising and other services” includes franchisee contributions to our marketing funds billed on a monthly or weekly basis and sourcing and technology fees, as required under the franchise agreements. Contributions to our marketing funds are based on a percentage of sales and recognized as earned. Sourcing and technology services are recognized when the goods or services are transferred to the franchisee.

Gift cards — We sell gift cards to our customers in our restaurants and through selected third parties. The gift cards sold to our customers have no stated expiration dates and are subject to actual or potential escheatment rights in several of the jurisdictions in which we operate. We recognize income from gift cards when redeemed by the customer. Deferred gift card income totaled $2.7 million and $2.9 million as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023, respectively, and are included in “Accrued liabilities” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

While we will continue to honor all gift cards presented for payment, we may determine the likelihood of redemption to be remote for certain card balances due to, among other things, long periods of inactivity. In these circumstances, to the extent we determine there is no requirement for remitting balances to government agencies under unclaimed property laws, card balances may be recognized as income in our consolidated statements of operations. Amounts recognized on unredeemed gift card balances were $0.8 million, $1.6 million, and $0.7 million in fiscal 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Pre-opening costs — Pre-opening costs associated with the opening of a new restaurant or the remodeling of an existing restaurant consist primarily of property rent and employee training costs. Pre-opening costs associated with the opening of a restaurant that was closed upon acquisition consist of labor costs, maintenance and repair costs, and property rent.

Self-insurance — We are self-insured for a portion of our workers’ compensation, general liability, employee medical and dental, and automotive claims. We utilize a paid-loss plan for our workers’ compensation, general liability, and automotive programs, which have predetermined loss limits per occurrence and in the aggregate. We establish our undiscounted insurance liability and reserves using independent actuarial estimates of expected losses based on a statistical analysis of historical claims data. As of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023, our estimated self-insurance liability was $27.9 million and $31.3 million, respectively, and is included in “Accrued liabilities” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

Advertising costs — We administer marketing funds at each of our restaurant brands that include contractual contributions. In 2024, 2023 and 2022, marketing fund contributions from Jack in the Box franchise and company-operated restaurants were approximately 5.0% of sales. In 2024, 2023, and 2022, marketing fund contributions from Del Taco franchise and company-operated restaurants were approximately 4.0% of sales.

Production costs of commercials, programming, and other marketing activities are charged to the marketing funds when the advertising is first used for its intended purpose, and the costs of advertising are charged to operations as incurred. When contributions to the marketing fund exceed the related advertising expenses, advertising costs are accrued up to the amount of revenues on an annual basis since we are contractually obligated to spend these funds. When advertising costs are greater than the contributions to the marketing fund resulting in a deficit, the excess costs are covered by marketing fund contributions in the following year. As of September 29, 2024, and October 1, 2023, the Jack in the Box marketing fund ended the year with a surplus and the additional amounts accrued were $0.8 million and $9.5 million, respectively. As of September 29, 2024, and October 1, 2023, the Del Taco marketing fund ended the year with a $0.8 million deficit and a $0.8 million surplus, respectively. Total contributions made by the Company and marketing fund deficits, if any, are included in “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings. In fiscal 2024, 2023, and 2022 consolidated advertising costs were $35.0 million, $38.9 million, and $32.6 million, respectively.

Share-based compensation — We account for our share-based compensation under the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) authoritative guidance on stock compensation, which generally requires, among other things, that all employee share-based compensation be measured using a fair value method and that the resulting compensation cost be recognized in the financial statements. Compensation expense for our share-based compensation awards is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the vesting period or the period from the date of grant to the date the employee becomes eligible to retire. Refer to Note 13, Share-based Employee Compensation, for additional information.

Income taxes— Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, as well as tax loss and credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. We recognize interest and, when applicable, penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of our income tax provision.

Authoritative guidance issued by the FASB prescribes a minimum probability threshold that a tax position must meet before a financial statement benefit is recognized. The minimum threshold is defined as a tax position that is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. Refer to Note 11, Income Taxes, for additional information.

Contingencies — We recognize liabilities for contingencies when we have an exposure that indicates it is probable that an asset has been impaired or that a liability has been incurred and the amount of impairment or loss can be reasonably estimated. Our ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to such matters cannot be estimated with certainty and requires the use of estimates. When the reasonable estimate is a range, the recorded loss will be the best estimate within the range. We record legal settlement costs when those costs are probable and reasonably estimable. Refer to Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, for additional information.

Business combinations— We account for acquisitions using the acquisition method of accounting. Accordingly, assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded at their estimated fair values at the acquisition date. The excess of purchase price over fair value of net assets acquired, including the amount assigned to identifiable intangible assets, is recorded as goodwill.

Effect of accounting pronouncements adopted in 2024 and those to be adopted in future periods — We reviewed the accounting pronouncements adopted in 2024, as well as all other recently issued accounting pronouncements and concluded that they were either not applicable or not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

2. REVENUE

Nature of products and services— We derive revenue from retail sales at Jack in the Box and Del Taco company-operated restaurants and rental revenue, royalties, advertising, and franchise and other fees from franchise-operated restaurants.

Our franchise arrangements generally provide for an initial franchise fee per restaurant for a 20-year term, and generally require that franchisees pay royalty and marketing fees based upon a percentage of gross sales. The agreements also require franchisees to pay technology fees, as well as sourcing fees for Jack in the Box franchise agreements.

Disaggregation of revenue—The following table disaggregates revenue by segment and primary source for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2024(in thousands):

The following table disaggregates revenue by segment and primary source for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2023(in thousands):

The following table disaggregates revenue by segment and primary source for the fiscal year ended October 2, 2022(in thousands):

In October 2022, a Jack in the Box franchise operator paid the Company $7.3 million in order to sell his restaurants to a new franchisee at the current standard royalty rate, which is lower than the royalty rate in the existing franchise agreements. The payment represented the difference between the existing royalty rate and the new royalty rate based on projected future sales for the remaining term of the existing agreements. The payment was non-refundable and not subject to any adjustments based on actual future sales. The Company determined the transaction represented the termination of the existing agreement rather than the transfer of an agreement between franchisees. As such, the $7.3 million was recognized in franchise royalty revenue during the first quarter of 2023.

Contract liabilities— Our contract liabilities consist of deferred revenue resulting from initial fees received from franchisees for new restaurant openings or new franchise terms, which are generally recognized over the franchise term. We classify these contract liabilities within “Accrued liabilities” and “Other long-term liabilities” in our consolidated balance sheets.

A summary of significant changes in our contract liabilities is presented below(in thousands):

As of September 29, 2024, approximately $9.2 million of development fees related to unopened stores are included in deferred revenue. Timing of revenue recognition is dependent upon the timing of store openings and are recognized over the franchise term at the date of opening.

The following table reflects the estimated franchise fees to be recognized in the future related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied at the end of the period(in thousands):

We have applied the optional exemption, as provided for under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which allows us to not disclose the transaction price allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations when the transaction price is a sales-based royalty.

3. BUSINESS COMBINATION

On March 8, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding equity interest of Del Taco for cash according to the terms and conditions of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 5, 2021 (the “Merger Agreement”). The acquisition of Del Taco has been accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations, with the Company treated as the accounting acquirer, which requires, among other things, that the assets acquired, and liabilities assumed be recognized at their acquisition date fair value. Jack in the Box acquired Del Taco as a part of the Company’s goal to gain greater scale and accelerate growth.

In connection with the transaction, the Company repaid Del Taco's existing debt of $115.2 million related to a syndicated credit facility and Del Taco entered into a new syndicated credit facility.

The total purchase consideration for Del Taco was $593.3 million. Each share of Del Taco common stock issued and outstanding was converted into the right to receive $12.51 in cash without interest, less any applicable withholding taxes (“Merger Consideration”). Additionally, in connection with the transaction, each Del Taco equity award granted under Del Taco’s equity compensation plans was either (i) converted into the right to receive Merger Consideration or (ii) converted into equity awards with respect to Jack in the Box common stock. Other components of purchase consideration include cash paid to settle Del Taco’s existing debt and $7.1 million of seller transaction costs funded by Jack in the Box.

As part of the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, the Company assumed Del Taco’s historical equity compensation plans. The awards under Del Taco’s historical equity compensation plans that were not subject to accelerated vesting were exchanged for replacement awards of the Company, which included Del Taco’s non-accelerating restricted stock awards (“non-accelerating RSAs”). Immediately following the Merger, these replacement awards were modified to accelerate the remaining vesting period to beone year following the Closing Date, other than the awards already scheduled to vest on June 30, 2022. The portion of the fair value of the replacement awards associated with pre-acquisition service of Del Taco’s employees represented a component of the total purchase consideration. The remaining fair value of these replacement awards are subject to the recipients’ continued service and thus were excluded from the purchase price. The awards which are subject to continued service will be recognized ratably as stock-based compensation expense over the requisite service period.

The acquisition of Del Taco was funded by cash on hand and borrowings under our 2022 Class A-2 Notes and 2022 Variable Funding Notes. The Company recognized transaction costs of $12.3 million in fiscal 2022. These costs were associated with advisory, legal, and consulting services and are presented in “Other operating expense, net” in the consolidated statement of operations.

Purchase consideration —The following summarizes the purchase consideration paid to Del Taco shareholders(in thousands, except per share data):

(1)Represents the portion of Del Taco merger-related transaction costs that were paid at the Closing Date by the Company.

(2)Represents the closing indebtedness of Del Taco’s existing debt that was paid at the Closing Date by the Company.

Purchase price allocation —The final allocation of the purchase consideration was as follows(in thousands):

The excess of the total consideration over the tangible assets, identifiable intangible assets, and assumed liabilities is recorded as goodwill. The goodwill of $319.7 million arising from the acquisition was primarily attributable to the market position and future growth potential of Del Taco for both company-operated and franchised restaurants related to future store openings, expansion into new markets, and expected synergies. None of the goodwill resulting from the acquisition is deductible for tax purposes. The goodwill arising from the Del Taco acquisition was allocated to the Company’s reporting units as follows(in thousands):

Refer to Note 5, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, for further details and for the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill.

Identifiable intangible assets — The identifiable intangible assets acquired consist of trademarks, franchise and development agreements, and favorable subleases. The Company amortizes the fair value of the franchise and development agreements and favorable and unfavorable sublease assets and liabilities on a straight-line basis over their respective useful lives.

The trademarks were valued using the relief from royalty method of the income approach, which was applied by discounting the after-tax royalties avoided by owning the trademark to present value. The key inputs and assumptions included the Company's estimates of the projected system wide sales, royalty rate and discount rate applicable to the trademark.

The franchise and development agreements were valued using the income approach, which was applied by discounting the projected after-tax cash flows associated with the agreements to present value. The key inputs and assumptions included the Company's estimates of the projected royalties received under the existing franchise and development agreements (including the impact of franchise churn) and the applicable discount rate.

The favorable and unfavorable sublease assets and liabilities were valued using the income approach, which was applied by discounting the differential between the market rent and contract rent to present value. The key inputs and assumptions included the Company's estimates of the market rent, contract rent and discount rate applicable to the favorable and unfavorable subleases.

The values allocated to intangible assets and the useful lives are as follows (in thousands):

The estimated values of sublease liabilities totaled approximately $6.0 million. These liabilities have an estimated weighted-average useful life of approximately 15 years and are included in “Other long-term liabilities” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Unaudited pro forma results —The following unaudited pro forma combined financial information presents the Company’s results as though Del Taco and the Company had been combined as the beginning of fiscal year 2021(in thousands):

The unaudited pro forma financial information for all periods presented includes the business combination accounting effects resulting from this acquisition, mainly including adjustments to reflect additional amortization expense from acquired intangibles, incremental depreciation expense from the fair value property and equipment, elimination of historical interest expense associated with both Del Taco’s and the Company’s historical indebtedness, additional interest expense associated with the new Del Taco revolving credit facility and the Company’s new borrowings as part of the refinancing to fund the acquisition, adjusted rent expense reflecting the acquired right-of-use assets and liabilities to their estimated acquisition-date values based upon valuation of related lease intangibles and remaining payments, as well as the fair value adjustments made to leasehold improvements, certain material non-recurring adjustments and the tax-related effects as though Del Taco was combined as of the beginning of fiscal 2021. The unaudited pro forma financial information as presented above is for informational purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that would have been achieved if the acquisition had taken place at the beginning of fiscal 2021, nor is it necessarily an indication of trends in future results for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, differences between the assumptions used to prepare the pro forma information, cost savings from operating efficiencies, potential synergies, and the impact of incremental costs incurred in integrating the two brands.

For the periods subsequent to the acquisition that are included in 2022, Del Taco had total revenues of $316.9 million and net earnings of $6.5 million.

4. SUMMARY OF REFRANCHISINGS AND FRANCHISE ACQUISITIONS

Refranchisings— The following table summarizes the number of restaurants sold to franchisees and gains recognized in each fiscal year (dollars in thousands):

(1)Amounts in 2024, 2023, and 2022 include additional proceeds of $1.5 million, $0.9 million, and $1.4 million, respectively, related to the extension of the underlying franchise and lease agreements from the sale of restaurants in prior years.

(2)Amount in 2024 is primarily comprised of a $2.2 million loss on sale of assets related to a Del Taco refranchising transaction that closed in the second quarter of 2024. Amount in 2023 is primarily related to charges for a restaurant that was closed due to refranchising the related market.

Franchise acquisitions— In 2024, Del Taco purchased 10 franchise-operated restaurants for $86 thousand as part of three separate transactions, and recognized related gains of $2.7 million. In 2022, Jack in the Box acquired 13 franchise restaurants for total consideration of $0.3 million, comprised of franchise receivables owed to the Company as of the acquisition date. There wereno such acquisitions in 2023. We account for the acquisition of franchised restaurants using the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations. The purchase price allocations were based on fair value estimates determined using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

The following table provides detail of the combined acquisitions in the following periods (dollars in thousands):

(1)The amounts related to outstanding receivables from franchisee forgiven upon acquisition

Assets held for sale— Assets classified as held for sale consisted of the following at each fiscal year-end (in thousands):

(1)Consists of properties that are currently leased to franchisees which we intend to sell the underlying real estate directly to the franchisee and/or sell and leaseback with a third party within the next twelve months.

(2)Consists primarily of owned properties of closed restaurants which we are actively marketing for sale.

5. GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during fiscal 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in thousands):

As of the June 9, 2024 testing date, the balance of the Del Taco reporting unit goodwill was $194.0 million. During the third quarter of 2024, the Company identified triggering events that indicated the goodwill allocated to the Del Taco reporting unit might be impaired. The triggering events related to i) a recent negative trend in Del Taco same store sales, ii) lower margins due in part to lower sales and wage increases required in California effective April 1, 2024 under AB 1228 and iii) unfavorable changes in the economic environment specifically impacting our industry, including inflation and interest rates. As a result, the Company performed a quantitative test over the Del Taco reporting unit, noting that the fair value of the reporting unit was less than the carrying value, which resulted in an impairment of goodwill of $162.6 million. The Company determined that there was no such triggering event for the Jack in the Box reporting unit during 2024.

In performing a quantitative test for impairment of goodwill for Del Taco, we primarily use the income approach method of valuation that includes the discounted cash flow method and the market approach that includes the guideline public company method to determine the fair value of the reporting unit. Significant assumptions made by management to estimate fair value under the discounted cash flow method include future cash flow assumptions. The Company also performed a quantitative analysis over its indefinite-lived intangible trademark asset, as well as over its definite-lived intangible assets to determine whether any impairment would need to be recognized, noting none.

In connection with the goodwill impairment test, the Company also performed a quantitative analysis over its long-lived assets, noting impairment of $0.1 million, which was recorded in the third quarter of 2024.

The net carrying amounts of intangible assets are as follows (in thousands):

The following table summarizes, as of September 29, 2024, the estimated amortization expense for each of the next five fiscal years (in thousands):

6. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial assets and liabilities —The following table presents the financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands):

(1)We maintain an unfunded defined contribution plan for key executives and other members of management. The fair value of this obligation is based on the closing market prices of the participants’ elected investments. The obligation is included in “Accrued liabilities” and “Other long-term liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheets.

(2)We did not have any transfers in or out of Level 1, 2, or 3.

The following table presents the carrying value and estimated fair value of our Class A-2 Notes as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023 (in thousands):

The fair value of the Class A-2 Notes was estimated using Level 2 inputs based on quoted market prices in markets that are not considered active markets. As of September 29, 2024, we had $6.0 million of outstanding borrowings under our Variable Funding Notes. The fair value of these loans approximates their carrying value due to the variable rate nature of these borrowings.

Non-financial assets and liabilities — Our non-financial instruments, which primarily consist of property and equipment, operating lease right-of-use assets, goodwill, and intangible assets, are reported at carrying value and are not required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis. However, on an annual basis, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable, non-financial instruments are assessed for impairment. If applicable, the carrying values are written down to fair value.

In connection with our impairment reviews performed during 2024, the Company impaired certain assets. For further information, see Note 4, Summary of Refranchisings and Assets Held For Sale, Note 5, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Net, and Note 9, Other Operating Expenses, Netin the notes to the consolidated financial statements.

7. INDEBTEDNESS

The detail of our long-term debt at the end of each fiscal year is as follows (in thousands):

Securitization refinancing transaction— On February 11, 2022, the Company completed the sale of $550.0 million of its Series 2022-13.445% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-I (the “Class A-2-I Notes”) and $550.0 million of its Series 2022-14.136% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-II (the “Class A-2-II” and, together with the Class A-2-I Notes, the “2022 Notes”). Interest payments on the 2022 Notes are payable on a quarterly basis. The anticipated repayment dates of the 2022 Class A-2-I Notes and the Class A-2-II Notes are February 2027 and February 2032, respectively (the “Anticipated Repayment Dates”), unless earlier prepaid to the extent permitted. The anticipated repayment dates of the existing 2019-1 Class A-2-II Notes and the Class A-2-III Notes are August 2026 and August 2029, respectively.

The Company also entered into a revolving financing facility of Series 2022-1 Variable Funding Senior Secured Notes (the “Variable Funding Notes”), which permits borrowings up to a maximum of $150.0 million, subject to certain borrowing conditions, a portion of which may be used to issue letters of credit. As of September 29, 2024, we had $6.0 million in outstanding borrowings and had available borrowing capacity of$94.5 million, net of letters of credits issued of$49.5 million.

The net proceeds of the sale of the 2022 Notes were used to repay in full of $570.7 million in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Company’s Series 2019-1 Class A-2-I Notes, together with the applicable make-whole premium and unpaid interest, and was used to fund a portion of the Company’s acquisition of Del Taco. As a result, the Company recorded a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $5.6 million during the second quarter of 2022, which was comprised of the write-off of certain deferred financing costs and a specified make-whole premium payment, and is presented in “Interest expense, net” in the consolidated statement of operations. Additionally, in connection with the 2022 Notes, the Company capitalized $17.4 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense over the Anticipated Repayment Dates, utilizing the effective interest rate method. The costs related to our Variable Funding Notes are presented within “Other assets, net” and are being amortized over the Anticipated Repayment Date of February 2027 using the straight-line method. As of September 29, 2024, the effective interest rates, including the amortization of debt issuance costs, were 4.851%,5.258%,3.796%, and 4.347% for the Series 2019-1 Class A-2-II Notes, Series 2019-1 Class A-2-III Notes, Series 2022-1 Class A-2-I Notes, and Series 2022-1 Class A-2-II Notes, respectively.

The 2022 Notes were issued in a privately placed securitization transaction pursuant to which certain of the Company’s revenue-generating assets, consisting principally of franchise-related agreements, real estate assets, and intellectual property and license agreements for the use of intellectual property, are held by the Master Issuer and certain other limited-purpose, bankruptcy remote, wholly owned indirect subsidiaries of the Company that act as Guarantors of the Notes and that have pledged substantially all of their assets, excluding certain real estate assets and subject to certain limitations, to secure the Notes.

The quarterly principal payment on the Class A-2 Notes may be suspended when the specified leverage ratio, which is a measure of outstanding debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, adjusted for certain items (as defined in the Indenture), is less than or equal to 5.0 x. Exceeding the leverage ratio of 5.0 x does not violate any covenant related to the Class A-2 Notes. Subsequent to closing the issuance of the 2022 Notes, the Company has had a leverage ratio of greater than 5.0 x and, accordingly, the Company is making the scheduled principal payments on its 2022 Notes and Series 2019-1 Notes.

Variable Funding Notes— Depending on the type of borrowing under the Variable Funding Notes, interest on the Variable Funding Notes will be based on (i) the prime rate, (ii) overnight federal funds rates, (iii) the London interbank offered rate for U.S. Dollars or (iv) the lenders’ commercial paper funding rate plus any applicable margin, as set forth in the Variable Funding Note Purchase Agreement. There is a scaled commitment fee on the unused portion of the Variable Funding Notes facility of between 50 and 100 basis points. The principal and interest on the Variable Funding Notes were repaid in full in October 2024. Following the anticipated repayment date (and any extensions thereof), additional interest will accrue equal to 5.00% per annum.

Guarantees and collateral— Pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated July 8, 2019 (the “Guarantee and Collateral Agreement”), among the Guarantors, in favor of the trustee, the Guarantors guarantee the obligations of the Master Issuer under the Indenture and related documents and secure the guarantee by granting a security interest in substantially all of their assets. The Notes are secured by a security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Master Issuer and the Guarantors (collectively, the “Securitization Entities”). The assets of the Securitization Entities include most of the revenue-generating assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, which principally consist of franchise-related agreements, certain company-operated restaurants, intellectual property and license agreements for the use of intellectual property. Upon certain trigger events, mortgages will be required to be prepared and recorded on the real estate assets.

Revolving credit facility —In connection with the Del Taco acquisition, Del Taco’s existing debt of $115.2 million related to a Syndicated Credit Facility dated August 5, 2015, was repaid and extinguished on the Closing Date. On the Closing Date, Del Taco entered into a new syndicated credit facility with an aggregate principal amount of up to $75.0 million, which now matures on February 28, 2025. The Company capitalized $0.3 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense over the expected term of the credit facility. The revolving credit facility, as amended, included a limit of $20.0 million for letters of credit, all of which were cancelled as of September 29, 2024. As of September 29, 2024, we had no outstanding borrowings and available borrowing capacity of $75.0 million under the facility.

Bridge commitment letter —In connection with the Merger Agreement, the Company secured commitments for a bridge financing facility in an amount of up to $600.0 million (the “Bridge Facility”). No amounts were drawn under the Bridge Facility, which was terminated as a result of our securitization refinancing transaction. The Company expensed approximately $2.1 million for the unamortized issuance costs associated with this commitment which is presented in “Interest expense, net” in the consolidated statement of operations.

Maturities of long-term debt— Assuming repayment by the Anticipated Repayment Dates and based on the leverage ratio as of September 29, 2024, principal payments on our long-term debt outstanding at September 29, 2024 for each of the next five fiscal years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):

8. LEASES

Nature of leases— We own restaurant sites and we also lease restaurant sites from third parties. Some of these owned or leased sites are leased and/or subleased to franchisees. Initial terms of our real estate leases are generally 20 years, exclusive of options to renew, which are generally exercisable at our sole discretion for 1 to 20 years. In some instances, our leases have provisions for contingent rentals based upon a percentage of defined revenues. Many of our restaurants also have rent escalation clauses and require the payment of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. Variable lease costs include contingent rent, cost-of-living index adjustments, and payments for additional rent such as real estate taxes, insurance, and common area maintenance, which are excluded from the measurement of the lease liability. We also lease certain restaurant and office equipment with initial terms generally ranging from 3 to 8 years. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.

As lessor, our leases and subleases primarily consist of restaurants that have been leased to franchisees subsequent to refranchising transactions. The lease descriptions, terms, variable lease payments and renewal options are generally the same as the lessee leases described above. Revenues from leasing arrangements with our franchisees are presented in “Franchise rental revenues” in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings, and the related expenses are presented in “Franchise occupancy expenses.”

Company as lessee—Leased assets and liabilities consisted of the following as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023(in thousands):

(1)Included in “Property and equipment, net” on our consolidated balance sheets.

(2)Included in “Current maturities of long-term debt” and “Long-term debt, net of current maturities” on our consolidated balance sheets.

The following table presents the components of our lease costs in fiscal 2024, 2023, and 2022 (in thousands):

(1)Included in “Depreciation and amortization” in our consolidated statements of earnings.

(2)Included in “Interest expense, net” in our consolidated statements of earnings.

(3)Operating lease, short-term and variable lease costs associated with franchisees and company-operated restaurants are included in “Franchise occupancy expenses” and “Occupancy and other,” respectively, in our consolidated statements of earnings. For our closed restaurants, these costs are included in “Other operating expense, net” and all other costs are included in “Selling, general and administrative expenses.”

(4)Includes $41.0 million, $39.9 million, and $38.2 million in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, of property taxes and common area maintenance costs which are reimbursed by sub-lessees.

The following table presents supplemental information related to leases:

The following table presents as of September 29, 2024, the annual maturities of our lease liabilities (in thousands):

(1)Total future lease payments include non-cancellable commitments of $0.6 million for finance leases and $1,375.1 million for operating leases.

Assets recorded under finance leases are included in property and equipment, and consisted of the following at each fiscal year-end (in thousands):

The following table includes supplemental cash flow and non-cash information related to our lessee leases (in thousands):

Sale and leaseback transactions —In fiscal 2024, we soldone restaurant property in a sale and leaseback transaction for net proceeds of $1.7 million, and recorded a total loss of less than $0.1 million. The lease has been accounted for as an operating lease and contains an initial term of 20 years.

In fiscal 2023, we soldone restaurant property in a sale and leaseback transaction for net proceeds of $3.7 million, and recorded a total loss of less than $0.1 million. The lease has been accounted for as an operating lease and contains an initial term of 20 years.

In fiscal 2022, we sold four restaurant properties in sale and leaseback transactions for net proceeds of $10.8 million, and recorded total losses of $0.2 million. The leases have been accounted for as operating leases and contain initial terms of 16 years and 20 years.

Company as lessor — The following table presents rental income (in thousands):

(1)Primarily relates to closed restaurant properties included in “Other operating expense, net” in our consolidated statements of earnings.

The following table presents as of September 29, 2024, future minimum rental receipts for non-cancellable leases and subleases (in thousands):

Assets held for lease and included in property and equipment consisted of the following at each fiscal year-end (in thousands):

9. OTHER OPERATING EXPENSE, NET

Other operating expense, net, in the accompanying consolidated statements of earnings is comprised of the following in each fiscal year (in thousands):

Acquisition, integration and strategic initiatives — Costs incurred primarily related to severance, retention bonuses, strategic consulting fees and technology integration from the acquisition of Del Taco.

Cost of closed restaurants — Cost of closed restaurants primarily include ongoing costs associated with closed restaurants and cancelled project costs.

Restaurant impairment charges — In 2024, impairment charges included $3.4 million relating to under-performing Jack in the Box restaurants currently held for use, $1.2 million relating to under-performing Jack in the Box restaurants to be closed, and $2.6 million relating to underperforming Del Taco restaurants. In 2023, impairment charges included $4.4 million relating to under-performing Del Taco restaurants currently held for use. In 2022, impairment charges included amounts related tonine Jack in the Box company-operated restaurants that were closed in connection with the sale of the related markets as well as amounts related to Jack in the Box restaurants leased or subleased to franchisees for which the lease and franchise agreements were terminated early.

Accelerated depreciation —When a long-lived asset will be replaced or otherwise disposed of prior to the end of its estimated useful life, the useful life of the asset is adjusted based on the estimated disposal date and accelerated depreciation is recognized. In 2024, 2023 and 2022, accelerated depreciation primarily related to facility improvements, restaurant remodels, and information technology assets.

Gains on acquisition of restaurants —In 2024, gains primarily relate to the gains on acquisition of Del Taco restaurants. Refer also to Note 4, Summary of Refranchisings and Franchise Acquisitions, in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for results of these tests and for additional information.

Losses (gains) on disposition of property and equipment, net — In 2024, losses primarily relate to the disposal of other property and equipment for Del Taco, partially offset by gains primarily relating to the sale of Jack in the Box restaurant properties to franchisees who were leasing the properties from us prior to the sale. In 2023, gains primarily relate to the sale of Jack in the Box restaurant properties to franchisees who were leasing the properties from us prior to the sale. In 2022, gains primarily relate to the sale of closed restaurant properties.

10. SEGMENT REPORTING

The Company’s principal business consists of developing, operating and franchising our Jack in the Box and Del Taco restaurant brands, each of which is considered a reportable operating segment. In 2024, our chief operating decision maker revised the method by which they determine performance and strategy for our segments. This change was made to reflect a shared-services model whereby each brand’s results of operations are assessed separately and do not include costs related to certain corporate functions which support both brands. This segment reporting structure reflects the Company’s current management structure, internal reporting method and financial information used in deciding how to allocate Company resources. Based upon certain quantitative thresholds, each operating segment is considered a reportable segment. This change to our segment reporting did not change our reporting units for goodwill.

The Company measures and evaluates our segments based on segment revenues and segment profit. The reportable segments do not include an allocation of the costs related to shared service functions, such as accounting/finance, human resources, audit services, legal, tax and treasury. These costs are reflected in the caption “Shared services” below.

Our measure of segment profit excludes depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation, company-owned life insurance (“COLI”) gains/ losses, net of changes in our non-qualified deferred compensation obligation supported by these policies, acquisition, integration, and strategic initiatives, gains on the sale of company-operated restaurants, gains on acquisition of restaurants, and amortization of favorable and unfavorable leases and subleases, net.

The following table provides information related to our operating segments in each period (in thousands):

We do not evaluate, manage or measure performance of segments using asset, pension or post-retirement expense, interest income and expense, or income tax information; accordingly, this information by segment is not prepared or disclosed.

11. INCOME TAXES

Income taxes consist of the following in each fiscal year (in thousands):

Our expense (benefit) for income taxes differs from the amount computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory rate to pre-tax income (loss). The sources and tax effects of the differences are as follows (in thousands):

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at each fiscal year-end are presented below (in thousands):

Deferred tax assets as of September 29, 2024 include state gross net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $11.4 million, of which $9.1 million has an indefinite carryforward. The remainder will expire at various times between 2026 and 2042. At September 29, 2024, California Enterprise Zone Credit carryforwards expired, and the Company released $1.0 million of deferred tax assets and $1.0 million of valuation allowances thereto. We believe it is more likely than not that all other deferred tax assets will be realized through future taxable income or alternative tax strategies.

The major jurisdictions in which the Company files income tax returns includes the United States and states in which we operate that impose an income tax. The federal statutes of limitations have not expired for fiscal year 2021 and forward. The statutes of limitations for California, which constitutes the Company's major state tax jurisdiction, have not expired for fiscal years 2018 and forward.

12. RETIREMENT PLANS

We sponsor programs that provide retirement benefits to our employees. These programs include defined contribution plans, defined benefit pension plans, and postretirement healthcare plans.

Defined contribution plans — At the beginning of fiscal year 2024, we maintainedtwo qualified savings plans pursuant to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”); the Jack in the Box Inc. Easy$aver Plus Plan and the Del Taco Savings Plan. Effective January 1, 2024, the Del Taco Savings Plan was merged into the Easy$aver Plus Plan so that now we maintainone qualified savings plan. The plan allows all employees who meet certain age and minimum service requirements to defer a percentage of their pay on a pre-tax basis. Our contributions under these plans were $3.3 million, $2.3 million, and $2.1 million in each fiscal years 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

We also maintain an unfunded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan for key executives and other members of management whose compensation deferrals or company matching contributions to the qualified savings plan are limited due to IRC rules. Effective January 1, 2016, this non-qualified plan was amended to replace the company matching contribution with an annual restoration match that is intended to “restore” up to the full match for participants whose elective deferrals (and related company matching contributions) to the qualified savings plan were limited due to IRC rules. A participant’s right to the Company restoration match vests immediately. This plan allows participants to defer up to 50% of their salary and 85% of their bonus, on a pre-tax basis. Our contributions under the non-qualified deferred compensation plan were $0.2 million in fiscal year 2024, $0.1 million in fiscal year 2023, and less than $0.1 million in fiscal year 2022.

Defined benefit pension plans — We sponsortwo defined benefit pension plans, a “Qualified Plan” covering substantially all full-time employees hired prior to January 1, 2011, and an unfunded supplemental executive retirement plan (“SERP”) which provides certain employees additional pension benefits and was closed to new participants effective January 1, 2007. In fiscal 2011, the Board of Directors approved changes to our Qualified Plan whereby participants no longer accrue benefits effective December 31, 2015. Benefits under both plans are based on the employees’ years of service and compensation over defined periods of employment.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company amended its Qualified Plan to purchase certain annuity contracts from a third-party company, relieving the Company of its related obligation for future payment (the “Annuity Purchase Agreement”). As a result of the Annuity Purchase Agreement, the Company’s Qualified Plan paid $14.4 million from its plan assets to the third-party, thereby reducing the plan’s pension benefit obligation (“PBO”).

Postretirement healthcare plans — We also sponsortwo healthcare plans, closed to new participants, that provide postretirement medical benefits to certain employees who have met minimum age and service requirements. The plans are contributory, with retiree contributions adjusted annually, and contain other cost-sharing features such as deductibles and coinsurance.

Obligations and funded status —The following table provides a reconciliation of the changes in benefit obligations, plan assets, and funded status of our retirement plans for each fiscal year (in thousands):

The net actuarial loss arising in the current year is primarily attributable to the impact of lower discount rates, partially offset by an increase in the actual return on plan assets.

Additional year-end pension plan information — The PBO represents the actuarial present value of benefits attributable to employee service rendered to date, including the effects of estimated future pay increases. The accumulated benefit obligation (“ABO”) also reflects the actuarial present value of benefits attributable to employee service rendered to date but does not include the effects of estimated future pay increases. Therefore, the ABO as compared to plan assets is an indication of the assets currently available to fund vested and nonvested benefits accrued through the end of the fiscal year. The funded status is measured as the difference between the fair value of a plan’s assets and its PBO. Since the Qualified Plan is frozen and the SERP has no active participants, the PBO and ABO are equal.

As of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023, respectively, the Qualified Plan’s ABO was less than the fair value of its plan assets. The SERP is an unfunded plan and, as such, had no plan assets as of September 29, 2024 and October 1, 2023. The following sets forth the PBO, ABO, and fair value of plan assets of our pension plans as of the measurement date in each fiscal year (in thousands):

Net periodic benefit cost —The components of the fiscal year net periodic benefit cost were as follows (in thousands):

Prior service costs are amortized on a straight-line basis from date of participation to full eligibility. Unrecognized gains or losses are amortized using the “corridor approach” under which the net gain or loss in excess of 10% of the greater of the PBO or the market-related value of the assets, if applicable, is amortized. For our Qualified Plan, actuarial losses are amortized over the average future expected lifetime of all participants expected to receive benefits. For our SERP, actuarial losses are amortized over the expected remaining future lifetime for inactive participants, and for our postretirement health plans, actuarial losses are amortized over the expected remaining future lifetime of inactive participants expected to receive benefits.

Assumptions — We determine our actuarial assumptions on an annual basis. In determining the present values of our benefit obligations and net periodic benefit costs as of and for the fiscal years ended September 29, 2024, October 1, 2023, and October 2, 2022, we used the following weighted-average assumptions:

(1)Determined as of end of year.

(2)There is no assumed rate of increase, as there areno active employees in any of the fiscal years presented.

(3)Determined as of beginning of year.

The assumed discount rates were determined by considering the average of pension yield curves constructed of a population of high-quality bonds with a Moody’s or Standard and Poor’s rating of “AA” or better whose cash flow from coupons and maturities match the year-by-year projected benefit payments from the plans. As benefit payments typically extend beyond the date of the longest maturing bond, cash flows beyond 30 years were discounted back to the 30th year and then matched like any other payment.

The assumed expected long-term rate of return on assets is the weighted-average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the pension obligations. The long-term rate of return on assets was determined taking into consideration our projected asset allocation and economic forecasts prepared with the assistance of our actuarial consultants.

The assumed discount rate and expected long-term rate of return on assets have a significant effect on amounts reported for our pension and postretirement plans. If the discount rate and expected rate of return on assets used were to decrease by 0.25%, fiscal 2024 earnings before income taxes would have decreased by $0.1 million and decreased by $1.0 million, respectively.

For measurement purposes, the weighted-average assumed health care cost trend rates for our postretirement health plans were as follows for each fiscal year:

The assumed healthcare cost trend rate represents our estimate of the annual rates of change in the costs of the healthcare benefits currently provided by our postretirement plans. The healthcare cost trend rate implicitly considers estimates of healthcare inflation, changes in healthcare utilization and delivery patterns, technological advances and changes in the health status of the plan participants. The healthcare cost trend rate assumption has a significant effect on the amounts reported.

Plan assets — Our investment philosophy is to invest assets in a prudent manner to meet the obligation of providing benefits to Plan participants and their beneficiaries in accordance with the time horizon appropriate for the Plan while employing asset diversification to minimize the risk of large losses. Our asset allocation strategy utilizes multiple investment managers in order to maximize the plan’s return while minimizing risk. We regularly monitor our asset allocation, and senior financial management and the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors review performance results quarterly. We continually review our target asset allocation for our Qualified Plan and when changes are made, we reallocate our plan assets over a period of time, as deemed appropriate by senior financial management, to achieve our target asset allocation. Our plan asset allocation at the end of each fiscal 2024 and 2023 and respective target allocations were as follows:

The Company measures its defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the month-end date closest to its fiscal year end, which is a practical expedient under FASB authoritative guidance. The fair values of the Qualified Plan’s assets by asset category are as follows (in thousands):

(1)Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of commercial paper, short-term bills and notes, and short-term investment funds, which are valued at quoted prices in active markets for similar securities.

(2)Global equity is comprised of investments in publicly traded common stocks and other equity-type securities issued by companies throughout the world, including convertible securities, preferred stock, rights and warrants.

(3)Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value (“NAV”) per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient are not categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in this table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the statement of financial position.

(4)Liability-hedging assets are comprised of investments in fixed income securities or derivatives thereof that are intended to mitigate interest rate risk or reduce the interest rate duration mismatch between the assets and liabilities of the Plan.

(5)Alternative credit includes investments in a range of public and private credit securities, including below investment grade rated bonds and loans, securitized credit, and emerging market debt.

(6)Real assets are investments in public and private debt and equity investments, including but not limited to real estate, infrastructure, timberland and agriculture/farmland.

Future cash flows — Our policy is to fund our plans at or above the minimum required by law. As of the date of our last actuarial funding valuation, there wasno minimum requirement. We do not anticipate making any contributions to our Qualified Plan in fiscal 2025. Contributions expected to be paid in the next fiscal year, the projected benefit payments for each of the next five fiscal years, and the total aggregate amount for the subsequent five fiscal years are as follows (in thousands):

We will continue to evaluate contributions to our Qualified Plan based on changes in pension assets as a result of asset performance in the current market and economic environment. Expected benefit payments are based on the same assumptions used to measure our benefit obligations at September 29, 2024 and include estimated future employee service, if applicable.

13. SHARE-BASED EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

Stock incentive plans — We offer share-based compensation plans to attract, retain, and motivate key officers, employees, and non-employee directors to work toward the financial success of the Company.

Our stock incentive plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and have been approved by the stockholders of the Company. The terms and conditions of our share-based awards are determined by the Compensation Committee for each award date and may include provisions for the exercise price, expirations, vesting, restriction on sales, and forfeitures, as applicable. We issue new shares to satisfy stock issuances under our stock incentive plans.

Our Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (“Prior Plan”) authorized the issuance of up to 11,600,000 common shares in connection with the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock purchase rights, restricted stock bonuses, restricted stock units, or performance units to our employees and directors. As of January 1, 2023, no additional awards were granted under the Prior Plan. Our Jack in the Box Inc. 2023 Omnibus Incentive Plan (“Plan”) authorizes the issuance of up to 2,500,000 common shares plus Prior Plan returning shares in connection with outstanding awards as of January 6, 2023 that on or following such date are not issued, settled in cash, or fail to vest. The Plan is intended to help the Company secure and retain the services of eligible award recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company, and provide a means by which such persons may benefit from increases in value of the common stock. The Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, or performance stock awards, to our employees and directors. There were 1,987,156 shares of common stock available for future issuance under this plan as of September 29, 2024.

We also maintain a deferred compensation plan for non-management directors under which those who are eligible to receive fees or retainers may choose to defer receipt of their compensation. The deferred amounts are converted to stock equivalents. The plan requires settlement in shares of our common stock based on the number of stock equivalents and dividend equivalents at the time of a participant’s separation from the Board of Directors. This plan provides for the issuance of up to 350,000 shares of common stock in connection with the crediting of stock equivalents. There were 106,576 shares of common stock available for future issuance under this plan as of September 29, 2024.

Compensation expense — The components of share-based compensation expense, included within “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” in our consolidated statements of earnings, in each fiscal year are as follows (in thousands):

Nonvested restricted stock units —Nonvested restricted stock units (“RSUs”) are generally issued to employees and non-employee directors. Grants to executive officers of time-vesting RSUs vest ratably over four years orthree years, are subject to a stock holding requirement of 50% of after-tax net shares resulting from the vesting of RSUs, and must be held until the multiple of base salary stock ownership is met. There were 22,582 RSU’s vesting over four years, and 104,419 RSU’s vesting over three years, outstanding as of September 29, 2024. RSUs issued to non-management directors vest 12 months from the date of grant, or upon termination of board service, including RSUs for which the director elected to defer receipt until termination of board service, and totaled 77,470 units outstanding as of September 29, 2024. RSUs issued to certain other employees either cliff vest or vest ratably over three years and totaled 177,267 units outstanding as of September 29, 2024. These awards are amortized to compensation expense over the estimated vesting period based upon the fair value of our common stock on the award date discounted by the present value of the expected dividend stream over the vesting period.

The following is a summary of RSU activity for fiscal 2024:

As of September 29, 2024, there was approximately $11.8 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years. The weighted-average grant date fair value of awards granted was $67.74, $68.56, and $78.28 in fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. In fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, the total fair value of RSUs that vested and were released was $8.0 million, $4.6 million, and $2.5 million, respectively.

Stock options — Option grants have contractual terms ofseven years and employee options vest over athree-year period. Options may vest sooner upon retirement from the Company for employees meeting certain age and years of service thresholds. All option grants provide for an option exercise price equal to the closing market value of the common stock on the date of grant.

The following is a summary of stock option activity for fiscal 2024:

The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above is the amount by which the current market price of our stock on September 29, 2024 exceeds the weighted-average exercise price.

We use a valuation model to determine the fair value of options granted that requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the expected volatility of the stock price. No stock option awards were granted in fiscal 2024, 2023, or 2022.

As of September 29, 2024, there wasno unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options grants. There wereno stock options exercised in fiscal year 2024. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised was less than $0.1 million in fiscal years 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Performance share awards — Performance share awards, granted in the form of stock units, represent a right to receive a certain number of shares of common stock based on the achievement of corporate performance goals and continued employment during the vesting period. Performance share awards issued to executives vest at the end of athree-year period and vested amounts may range from 0% to a maximum of 150% of targeted amounts depending on the achievement of performance measures at the end of athree-year period. If the awardee ceases to be employed by the Company prior to the last day of the performance period due to retirement, disability, or death, the performance share awards become vested pro-rata based on the number of full accounting periods the awardee was continuously employed by the Company during the performance period. The expected cost of the shares is based on the fair value of our stock on the date of grant and is reflected over the vesting period with a reduction for estimated forfeitures. These awards may be settled in cash or shares of common stock at the election of the Company on the date of grant. It is our intent to settle these awards with shares of common stock.

The following is a summary of performance share award activity for fiscal 2024:

As of September 29, 2024, there was approximately $3.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to performance share awards, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.9 years. The weighted-average grant date fair value of awards granted was $70.19, $65.74, and $78.95 in fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The total fair value of awards that became fully vested during fiscal years 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $2.7 million, $1.8 million, and $0.1 million, respectively.

Nonvested restricted stock awards — As part of the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, the Company assumed Del Taco’s historical equity compensation plans. The awards under Del Taco’s historical equity compensation plans that were not subject to accelerated vesting were exchanged for replacement awards of the Company, which included Del Taco’s non-accelerating restricted stock awards. Immediately following the Merger, these replacement awards were modified to accelerate the remaining vesting period to beone year following the Closing Date, other than the awards already scheduled to vest on June 30, 2022.

As of September 29, 2024, there wasno unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock awards. The total fair value of awards that vested and were released during fiscal 2023 was $0.4 million.

Non-management directors’ deferred compensation — All awards outstanding under our directors’ deferred compensation plan are accounted for as equity-based awards and deferred amounts are converted into stock equivalents based on a per share price equal to the average of the closing price of our common stock for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the date the deferred compensation is credited to the director’s account. During fiscal 2024, 2023, and 2022,36,342 shares of common stock were issued in connection with a director retirement.

The following is a summary of the stock equivalent activity for fiscal 2024:

14. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

Repurchases of common stock — In fiscal 2024, the Company purchased 1.1 million shares of its common stock for an aggregate cost of $70.6 million, including applicable excise tax. As of September 29, 2024, there was $180.0 million remaining amount under share repurchase programs authorized by the Board of Directors which do not expire.

Dividends — In fiscal 2024, the Board of Directors declared four cash dividends of $0.44, respectively, totaling $34.2 million. Future dividends are subject to approval by our Board of Directors.

15. AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING

Our basic earnings per share calculation is computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Our diluted earnings per share calculation is computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding adjusted by the number of additional shares that would have been outstanding had the potentially dilutive common shares been issued. Potentially dilutive common shares include nonvested stock awards and units, stock options, and non-management director stock equivalents. Performance share awards are included in the average diluted shares outstanding each period if the performance criteria have been met at the end of the respective periods.

The following table reconciles basic weighted-average shares outstanding to diluted weighted-average shares outstanding in each fiscal year (in thousands):

16. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Purchase commitments—Jack in the Box and Del Taco have long-term food and beverage supply agreements with certain major vendors, which provide food and fountain drink products and marketing support funding to the Company and its franchisees. These agreements require minimum purchases by the Company and its franchisees at agreed upon prices until the total volume commitments have been reached. Based on current pricing and ratio of usage at company-operated to franchised restaurants as of September 29, 2024, total food and beverage purchase requirements under these agreements is estimated to be approximately $89.9 million over the nextsix years.

We also have entered into various arrangements with vendors providing information technology services withno early termination fees. The Company’s unconditional purchase obligations on these contracts total approximately $10.6 million over the next four years.

Legal matters— The Company assesses contingencies, including litigation contingencies, to determine the degree of probability and range of possible loss for potential accrual in our financial statements. An estimated loss contingency is accrued in the financial statements if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. As of September 29, 2024, the Company had accruals of $16.2 million for all of its legal matters in aggregate, presented within “Accrued liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheet. Because litigation is inherently unpredictable, assessing contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgments about future events. When evaluating litigation contingencies, we may be unable to provide a meaningful estimate due to a number of factors, including the procedural status of the matter in question, the availability of appellate remedies, insurance coverage related to the claim or claims in question, the presence of complex or novel legal theories, and the ongoing discovery and development of information important to the matter. In addition, damage amounts claimed in litigation against us may be unsupported, exaggerated, or unrelated to possible outcomes, and as such are not meaningful indicators of our potential liability or financial exposure. The Company regularly reviews contingencies to determine the adequacy of the accruals and related disclosures. The ultimate amount of loss may differ from these estimates. Any estimate is not an indication of expected loss, if any, or of the Company’s maximum possible loss exposure and the ultimate amount of loss may differ materially from these estimates in the near term.

Gessele v. Jack in the Box Inc. — In August 2010, five former Jack in the Box employees instituted litigation in federal court in Oregon alleging claims under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Oregon wage and hour laws. The plaintiffs alleged that Jack in the Box failed to pay non-exempt employees for certain meal breaks and improperly made payroll deductions for shoe purchases and for workers’ compensation expenses, and later added additional claims relating to timing of final pay and related wage and hour claims involving employees of a franchisee. In 2016, the court dismissed the federal claims and those relating to franchise employees. In June 2017, the court granted class certification with respect to state law claims of improper deductions and late payment of final wages. The parties participated in a voluntary mediation on March 16, 2020, but the matter did not settle. On October 24, 2022, a jury awarded plaintiffs approximately $6.4 million in damages and penalties. The Company continues to dispute liability and the damage award and will defend against both through post-trial motions and all other available appellate remedies. As of September 29, 2024, the Company has accrued the verdict amount above, as well as pre-judgment and post-judgment interest and an estimated fee award, for an additional $9.3 million. These amounts are included within “Accrued liabilities” on our consolidated balance sheet as of September 29, 2024. The Company will continue to accrue for post-judgment interest until the matter is resolved.

Torrez— In March 2014, a former Del Taco employee filed a purported Private Attorneys General Act claim and class action alleging various causes of action under California’s labor, wage, and hour laws. The plaintiff generally alleges Del Taco did not appropriately provide meal and rest breaks and failed to pay wages and reimburse business expenses to its California non-exempt employees. On November 12, 2021, the court granted, in part, the plaintiff's motion for class certification. The parties participated in a voluntary mediation on May 24, 2022 and June 3, 2022. On June 4, 2022, we entered into a Settlement Memorandum of Understanding (the “Agreement”) which obligates the Company to pay a gross settlement amount of $50.0 million, for which in exchange we will be released from all claims by the parties. On August 8, 2023, the court issued its final approval of the settlement and on August 9, 2023 final judgment was entered. The Company made the full payments for the settlement amounts. As of September 29, 2024, the Company hasno further amounts accrued on its consolidated balance sheet.

J&D Restaurant Group— On April 17, 2019, the trustee for a bankrupt former franchisee filed a complaint generally alleging the Company wrongfully terminated the franchise agreements and unreasonably deniedtwo perspective purchasers the former franchisee presented. The parties participated in a mediation in April 2021, and again in December 2022, but the matter did not settle. Trial commenced on January 9, 2023. On February 8, 2023, the jury returned a verdict finding the Company had not breached any contracts in terminating the franchise agreements or denying the proposed buyers. However, while the jury also found the Company had not violated the California Unfair Practices Act, it found for the plaintiff on the claim for breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and awarded $8.0 million in damages. On May 9, 2023, the court granted the Company’s post-trial motion, overturning the jury verdict and ordering the plaintiff take nothing on its claims. As a result, the Company reversed the prior $8.0 million accrual, and as of September 29, 2024, the Company hasno amounts accrued for this case on its consolidated balance sheet. The Plaintiff has appealed the trial court’s post-trial rulings.

Other legal matters — In addition to the matters described above, we are subject to normal and routine litigation brought by former or current employees, customers, franchisees, vendors, landlords, shareholders, or others. We intend to defend ourselves in any such matters. Some of these matters may be covered, at least in part, by insurance or other third-party indemnity obligation. We record receivables from third party insurers when recovery has been determined to be probable.

Lease guarantees— We remain contingently liable for certain leases relating to our former Qdoba business which we sold in fiscal 2018. Under the Qdoba Purchase Agreement, the buyer has indemnified the Company of all claims related to these guarantees. As of September 29, 2024, the maximum potential liability of future undiscounted payments under these leases is approximately $20.1 million. The lease terms extend for a maximum of approximately 13 more years, and we would remain a guarantor of the leases in the event the leases are extended for any established renewal periods. In the event of default, we believe the exposure is limited due to contractual protections and recourse available in the lease agreements, as well as the Qdoba Purchase Agreement, including a requirement of the landlord to mitigate damages by re-letting the properties in default, and indemnity from the Buyer. The Company has not recorded a liability for these guarantees as we believe the likelihood of making any future payments is remote.

17. SUPPLEMENTAL CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW INFORMATION (in thousands)

18. SUPPLEMENTAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (in thousands)

19. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On November 14, 2024, the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.44 per share, to be paid on December 30, 2024 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 12, 2024. Future dividends will be subject to approval by our Board of Directors.