First Watch Restaurant Group Inc

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY

(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AMOUNTS)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(IN THOUSANDS)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - continued

(IN THOUSANDS)

(1)Leased assets and liabilities obtained in fiscal 2024 include $28.1 million from business acquisitions.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Nature of Business and Organization

First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. (collectively with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, “the Company,” or “Management”) is a Delaware holding company. The Company operates and franchises restaurants in 29 states operating under the “First Watch” trade name, which are focused on made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch. The Company does not operate outside of the United States and all of its assets are located in the United States. As of September 29, 2024, the Company operated 466 company-owned restaurants and had 81 franchise-owned restaurants.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Company reports financial information on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Sunday of each calendar year. The quarters ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023 were 13-week periods. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023 (“2023 Form 10-K”).

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2023 Form 10-K and include all adjustments necessary for the fair statement of the consolidated financial statements for the quarterly periods presented. The results of operations for quarterly periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for other quarterly periods or the entire fiscal year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires Management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from the estimates and such differences could be material.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Certain assets and liabilities are carried at fair value. Fair value is the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair values due to their short-term maturities.

Interest Rate Swaps

As an element of the Company’s interest rate risk management strategy, Management uses interest rate swaps. The intent of these instruments is to reduce cash flow exposure to variability in future interest rates on the Company’s debt. Management has elected to designate and qualify the interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges. As such, the instruments are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. Thereafter, gains or losses on the instruments are recognized in equity as changes to Other Comprehensive Income and subsequently reclassified into earnings at the time of the Company’s debt interest payments.

Summary of Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280), Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires incremental disclosures related to a public entity’s reportable segments but does not change the definition of a segment, the method for determining segments, or the criteria for aggregating operating segments into reportable segments. The new guidance requires that a public entity disclose, on an annual and interim basis, disaggregated expense information that is regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) and included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss. The disclosures are also required for public entities that have a single reporting segment. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and should be adopted retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which establishes new income tax disclosure requirements including disaggregated information about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as disaggregated information on income taxes paid. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and should be applied on a prospective basis with the option to apply the standard retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard.

Recent accounting guidance not discussed herein is not applicable, did not have, or is not expected to have a material impact to the Company.

3. Business Acquisitions

During the first and second quarters of 2024, the Company acquired, intwo separate transactions, substantially all the assets associated with 22 franchise-operated First Watch restaurants. For both transactions, the purchase price was allocated to the fair value of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. The allocations were based on preliminary valuations and are subject to adjustment as additional information is available. The Company expects to finalize the valuation of these assets not later than one year from the respective acquisition date. Transaction costs of $1.5 million were incurred in relation to the acquisitions and were recorded to Transaction expenses, net within the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income. The details of each acquisition are as follows:

Goodwill reflects the value of expected synergies and assembled workforce, and was assigned to the Company’s single reporting unit. The Company will treat the transactions as asset acquisitions for income tax purposes, which allows for any goodwill recognized to be tax deductible and amortized over a 15-year statutory life.

The weighted average estimated useful life of the reacquired rights is 5.5 years.

Pro-forma financial information of the acquired restaurants for periods prior to the acquisition dates is not presented due to the immaterial impact on our consolidated financial statements.

4. Revenues

The following tables include a detail of liabilities from contracts with customers:

Changes in deferred gift card contract liabilities were as follows:

Changes in deferred franchise fee contract liabilities were as follows:

Revenues recognized disaggregated by type were as follows:

5. Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consisted of the following:

6. Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consisted of the following:

7. Debt

Long-term debt, net consisted of the following:

Credit Facility

FWR Holding Corporation (“FWR”), a subsidiary of the Company, is the borrower under the credit agreement dated October 6, 2021 (“Credit Agreement”), which provided for (i) a $100.0 million term loan A facility (the “Term Facility”) and (ii) a $75.0 million revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility” and, together with the Term Facility, collectively, the “Credit Facility”).

On February 24, 2023, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Credit Agreement to replace the London interbank offer rate (“LIBOR”) with a secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”) pursuant to the terms and LIBOR fallback language in the Credit Agreement. All outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement continued to bear interest at LIBOR until March 27, 2023.

On January 5, 2024, the Company entered into Amendment No. 2 to the Credit Agreement (the “Second Amendment”) with terms substantially identical to the Credit Agreement to (i) replace the $100.0 million Term Facility with a new $100.0 million term loan A facility (the “New Term Facility”), (ii) replace the $75.0 million Revolving Credit Facility with a new $75.0 million revolving credit facility (the “New Revolving Credit Facility”), (iii) increase the New Revolving Credit Facility by $50.0 million, bringing the aggregate committed amount under the New Revolving Credit Facility to $125.0 million and (iv) add a new $125.0 million incremental delayed draw term loan facility (the “New Delayed Draw Term Facility”). The New Delayed Draw Term Facility is available to FWR for a period of 18 months from the date of the Second Amendment and the proceeds may be used to fund permitted acquisitions and new restaurant capital expenditures, repay revolving loans and/or replenish balance sheet cash, in each case, used for such permitted acquisitions or capital expenditures.

Loans drawn under the New Delayed Draw Term Facility will amortize in equal quarterly installments at the same amortization rate per annum as then applicable to loans under the New Term Facility. The New Term Facility, the New Revolving Credit Facility and the New Delayed Draw Term Facility mature on January 5, 2029.

On April 12, 2024, the Company drew $97.5 million of the $125.0 million New Delayed Draw Term Facility. The proceeds were used to repay $22.5 million of borrowings under the New Revolving Credit Facility and fund the franchise acquisition on April 15, 2024 that was completed for approximately $75.1 million.

As of September 29, 2024, borrowings under the Credit Facility, as amended, bear interest at the option of FWR at either (i) the alternate base rate plus a margin of between 150 and 225 basis points depending on the total rent adjusted net leverage ratio of FWR and its restricted subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (the “Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio”) or (ii) SOFR plus a credit spread adjustment of 10 basis points plus a margin of between 250 and 325 basis points depending on the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio. Refer to Note 8, Interest Rate Swaps, for information about the variable-to-fixed interest rate swap agreements entered in June 2023 and May 2024.

Fair Value of Debt

The estimated fair value of the outstanding debt, excluding finance lease obligations and financing obligations, is classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy and was estimated using discounted cash flow models, market yield and yield volatility. The following table includes the carrying value and fair value of the Company’s debt as of the periods indicated:

8. Interest Rate Swaps

The Company utilizes interest rate swaps to hedge a portion of the cash flows of the Company’s variable rate debt.

On June 23, 2023, the Company entered intotwo variable-to-fixed interest rate swaps. These interest rate swaps have an aggregate notional amount of $90.0 million and mature on October 6, 2026. Under the terms of the interest rate swaps, the Company will pay a weighted average fixed rate of 4.16% on the notional amount and will receive payments from the counterparties based on the three-month SOFR rate.

On May 17, 2024, the Company entered intotwo additional variable-to-fixed interest rate swaps. These interest rate swaps have an aggregate notional amount of $60.0 million and mature on June 30, 2027. Under the terms of the interest rate swaps, the Company will pay a weighted average fixed rate of 4.42% on the notional amount and will receive payments from the counterparties based on the three-month SOFR rate.

The fair value measurement of the interest rate swaps was based on the contractual terms and used observable market-based inputs. The interest rate swaps were valued using a discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows using observable inputs including interest rate curves and credit spreads. Although the majority of the inputs used to value the instruments fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments utilized Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and the counterparties. The Company has determined that the impact of the credit valuation adjustments was not significant to the overall valuation. As a result, the derivative was classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Amounts reported in Other comprehensive income related to the interest rate swaps will be reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the Company’s variable-rate debt. During the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024, a total of $0.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively, was reclassified from Other comprehensive income (loss) as a reduction to Interest expense. Over the next 12 months, the Company estimates that $0.8 million will be reclassified as an increase to interest expense.

9. Leases

The following table includes detail of lease assets and liabilities:

(1) Excludes all variable lease expense.

The components of lease expense are as follows:

(1) Includes contingent rent expense of$0.4 million and$0.5 million during the thirteen weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, respectively, and$1.3 million and $1.4 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, respectively.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:

Supplemental information related to leases was as follows:

(1) Based on the Company’s incremental borrowing rate.

As of September 29, 2024, future minimum lease payments for operating and finance leases consisted of the following:

(1) Excludes approximately $112.8 million of executed operating leases that have not commenced as of September 29, 2024.

10. Equity and Stock-Based Compensation

Equity transactions

During the first quarter of 2024, funds managed by the Company’s largest stockholder, Advent International, L.P. (“Advent”) sold 6,900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock through an underwritten secondary public offering, including 900,000 shares of common stock that were sold pursuant to the underwriter’s option to purchase additional shares, which was exercised in full. All net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock were distributed to the selling stockholders. The Company incurred approximately $0.5 million of costs in connection with the offerings that were recorded within Transaction expenses, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).

During the second quarter of 2023, Advent sold 3,500,000 and 3,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock through underwritten secondary public offerings that were completed on May 18, 2023 and June 13, 2023, respectively. The selling stockholders sold an additional 525,000 and 450,000 shares of common stock on May 18, 2023 and July 3, 2023, respectively, pursuant to the terms of the underwriter’s option associated with each secondary offering. All net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock were distributed to the selling stockholders. The Company incurred approximately $1.0 million of costs that were recorded within Transaction expenses, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Stock option awards

There were no stock option awards granted during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024. A summary of stock option activity during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 is as follows:

The aggregate intrinsic value is based on the difference between the exercise price of the stock option and the closing price of the Company’s common stock on Nasdaq on the last trading day of the period.

A summary of the non-vested stock option activity during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 is as follows:

Restricted stock units

During the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024, a total of 467,175 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) were granted. Of the total RSUs granted,353,683 will vest ratably over a period ofthree years from grant date,41,896 will vestone year from the grant date, and the remaining 71,596 will vest 50% on the second anniversary of the grant date and 50% on the third anniversary of grant date. A summary of the Company’s RSU activity during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 is as follows:

The aggregate intrinsic value is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on Nasdaq of $15.74 and $20.10 on September 27, 2024 and December 29, 2023, the last trading days for the periods, respectively.

Stock-based compensation expense was $2.1 million and $1.8 million during the thirteen weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, respectively, and $6.4 million and $5.4 million during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, respectively.

The total related income tax benefit for stock-based compensation expense was $0.1 million and $0.8 million during the thirteen weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, and $1.6 million and $1.3 million during the thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023, respectively.

Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense

The following represents unrecognized stock-based compensation expense and the remaining weighted average vesting period as of September 29, 2024:

11. Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 was 39.6% and 33.2%, respectively, as compared to 18.7% and 25.6% for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 24, 2023, respectively. The change in the effective income tax rates was primarily due to (i) the change in the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, (ii) the benefit of tax credits for FICA taxes on certain employees’ tips and (iii) impact of executive stock-based compensation.

The effective income tax rates for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended September 29, 2024 and September 24, 2023 were different than the blended federal and state statutory rate primarily due to (i) the change in the valuation allowance, (ii) the benefit of tax credits for FICA taxes on certain employees’ tips, (iii) the impacts of executive stock-based compensation and (iv) non-deductible costs associated with the Secondary Offerings.

Valuation allowance

Management evaluates quarterly whether the resulting deferred tax assets are realizable given the Company’s earnings history. Based on the available evidence, the Company does not meet the more likely than not standard related to the realization of a portion of the deferred tax assets as of September 29, 2024. Accordingly, the Company has established a valuation allowance on the portion of deferred tax assets deemed not realizable, including state charitable contribution carryovers, various state loss carryforwards and various federal tax credit carryforwards.

Management continues to assess the rationale for recording a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. As the Company’s future taxable earnings increase and deferred tax assets are utilized, it is possible that a portion of the valuation allowance will no longer be needed. Release of any valuation allowance would result in the recognition of certain deferred tax assets and a decrease to income tax expense in the period of the release. The timing and amount of any release related to future taxable income is currently indeterminable.

Contingent consideration liability

Certain federal loss carryforwards, state loss carryforwards and general business credits were accumulated from operations prior to the August 2017 merger through which the Company became majority owned by Advent. Under the terms of an agreement with the previous stockholders, to the extent that these credits and carryforwards were utilized to reduce taxes payable, the Company was required to pay the previous stockholders an amount equal to tax savings. In accordance with the agreement, an initial contingent consideration liability of $1.2 million was recognized and adjusted periodically for estimated future use and the actual distributions to previous stockholders. By agreement the obligation would lapse following a change in control event.

During the first quarter of 2024, Advent sold common stock of the Company through a secondary public offering. As a result, Advent no longer controlled a majority of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Advent’s first quarter sale, therefore, represents a change of control event as defined in the agreement. Given this change in control event, the remaining $0.6 million of the contingent consideration liability was released through Transaction expenses, net. Final payment to previous stockholders was made in the second quarter of 2024.

12. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

The Company is subject to legal proceedings, claims and liabilities that arise in the ordinary course of business. The amount of the anticipated liability with respect to these matters was not material as of September 29, 2024. In the event any litigation losses become probable and estimable, the Company will recognize anticipated losses.

Unclaimed Property

The Company is subject to unclaimed or abandoned property (escheat) laws which require it to turn over to state governmental authorities the property of others held by the Company that has been unclaimed for specified periods of time. Property subject to escheat laws generally relates to uncashed checks, trade accounts receivable credits and unredeemed gift card balances. During the first quarter of 2022, the Company received a letter from the Delaware Secretary of State inviting the Company to participate in the Delaware Secretary of State’s Abandoned or Unclaimed Property Voluntary Disclosure Agreement Program to avoid being sent an audit notice by the Delaware Department of Finance. On August 31, 2022, the Company was accepted into Delaware’s Voluntary Disclosure Agreement Program, entitling it to certain benefits and protections offered to participants in the program. In 2023, the Company recorded $0.8 million in General and administrative expenses for this matter. In the second quarter of 2024, the Company paid $0.7 million to the State of Delaware to resolve escheat matters related to unclaimed gift card balances. The Company believes any additional payments to the State of Delaware to resolve the remaining escheat matters will not be significant.

Management believes the Company is not currently required to remit any amounts relating to future unredeemed gift cards to states as the Company’s subsidiary that is the issuer of our gift cards was re-domiciled in Florida, which exempts gift cards from the abandoned and unclaimed property laws.

13. Net Income Per Common Share

The following table sets forth the computations of basic and diluted net income per common share:

Diluted net income per common share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average shares outstanding for the theoretical effect of potential common shares that would be issued for stock option awards outstanding and unvested as of the respective periods using the treasury method.