Chuy’s reports Q1 EPS 42c, consensus 36c

Reports Q1 revenue $110.5M , consensus $111.67M…Steve Hislop, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chuy‘s Holdings, Inc., stated, “In the first quarter, we experienced the same weather and macro challenges facing the broader restaurant industry leading to top-line growth that was below our expectations. That said, we were encouraged by the sequential monthly improvements in our underlying trends as we moved through the quarter, when adjusted for the Easter calendar shift. In addition, we continued to see growth in our off-premise business as consumers embrace the opportunity to enjoy Chuy’s high-quality, made-from-scratch food from the comfort of their own home. Finally, despite top-line headwinds, our team’s continued focus on four-wall operational excellence allowed us to deliver an 18.8% restaurant-level operating margin which remains among the best in our industry.” Hislop added, “Unit growth remains a core piece of our long-term growth strategy. During the quarter, we successfully opened one restaurant in New Braunfels, TX, followed by an additional restaurant opening in Austin, TX, subsequent to the end of the first quarter. We are pleased with the performance of our new restaurants thus far and remain on track to achieve our restaurant opening goals for the year.”