At Second Cup, we know that in order to provide the best coffee for our Guests, we must continue to work in harmony with both the environment and people who provide us with the best quality coffee beans. To both our Guests and coffee producers, we pledge that our coffee growing environment is treated with the utmost respect and dignity. All of our coffee producers provide a safe and healthy work environment and employees are compensated in a fair and equitable manner. As well, Second Cup continues to provide financial remuneration for quality beans to directly benefit the farmers, workers and mills. This is our promise.
Second Cup Royalty Income Fund Announces 2008 Fourth Quarter Same Café Sales and Annual Adjustment to Royalty Pool
Jan 15, 2009
4:35pm
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Jan. 15 /CNW/ - Second Cup Royalty Income Fund (the
"Fund") and The Second Cup Ltd. ("Second Cup") announced today their unaudited
same café sales results for the fourth quarter and the annual adjustment to
the number of Second Cup cafés in the royalty pool (the "Royalty Pool"). The
sales of Second Cup cafés in the royalty pool is the basis on which the Fund's
subsidiary, Second Cup Trade-Marks Limited Partnership ("MarksLP") receives
royalty payments from Second Cup. The Fund expects to release its audited
annual financial results on or before March 9, 2009.
Unaudited Same Café Sales Growth
Same café sales growth for cafés in the Royalty Pool for the fourth
quarter and the year ended December 31, 2008 is expected to be lower by 1.4%
and higher by 0.2% respectively.
"In line with reported lower retail spending throughout Canada, Second
Cup experienced a relatively soft holiday season to deliver a -1.4% in same
café sales for the quarter and +0.2% for the full year. I would like to thank
our franchise partners for their passion and commitment to delivering a great
guest experience every time. We are confident in Second Cup's value
proposition and will continue to reinforce our core fundamentals of superior
quality, inviting and relaxing atmosphere with caring individual owners
committed to growing and maintaining our guest base during these economic
times," commented Stacey Mowbray, President of Second Cup.
Royalty Pool Adjustment
The Royalty Pool is adjusted on January 1 of each year to include sales
from new cafés that have been open for at least 60 days prior to November 1 of
the preceding year, after deducting sales of any Second Cup cafés that have
closed since the previous adjustment date. The Fund (through MarksLP) pays
Second Cup for the additional royalty stream, if any, from the sales of the
new cafés vended in to the Royalty Pool, based upon a formula set out in the
licence and royalty agreement between Second Cup and MarksLP (the
"Agreement"). The formula, designed to be accretive, is based on the sales
from the new cafés and the yield of the Fund's units. The accretion is
achieved by discounting the payment by 7.5%. The payment to Second Cup may be
in the form of cash or additional units of the Fund.
Effective January 1, 2009, 18 cafés with estimated total annual system
sales of $7,209,000 in 2009 were vended in to the Royalty Pool. 16 cafés with
aggregate system sales of $6,194,000 were permanently closed in 2008 and
removed from the Royalty Pool. Accordingly, the total number of cafés in the
Royalty Pool as at January 1, 2009 is 359.
The net system sales increase for the Royalty Pool from this adjustment
is estimated at $1,015,000 resulting in additional annual royalty revenues to
the Fund of $66,000. The 80% initial payment by MarksLP to Second Cup for
these estimated additional royalty revenues is $190,000. MarksLP has elected
to satisfy this payment in cash. This payment was based on a Unit value of
$4.37 per unit, calculated as the weighted average trading price of the units
of the Fund for the 20 trading days ending December 23, 2008. A remaining 20%
adjustment payment will be made on January 1, 2010 based upon the actual
system sales of the 18 new cafés during 2009.
Second Cup has advised the Fund that two new cafés were opened subsequent
to September 2, 2008, bringing the total number of cafés opened in 2008 to 12,
and will be eligible for inclusion in the Royalty Pool effective January 1,
2010.
The Fund also reported that the actual system sales of the 15 cafés added
to the Royalty Pool on January 1, 2008 have now been determined to be
$6,433,000 for the period ended December 31, 2008 compared to the original
estimate of $6,750,000. As a result, a final adjustment payment of $172,000
will be made by MarksLP to Second Cup, satisfied by delivering 18,312
additional units of the Fund. These units were valued at $9.40 per unit,
calculated as the weighted average trading price of the units of the Fund for
the 20 days ending December 21, 2007. In accordance with the Agreement,
MarksLP will also make a cash payment of $20,600 to Second Cup, representing
the distributions that would have otherwise been earned by Second Cup on the
18,312 additional units above had they been issued on January 1, 2008.
Subsequent to the transactions described above, Second Cup will own
approximately 0.8% of the total outstanding units of the Fund. Also, Mr.
Gabriel Tsampalieros, who controls Second Cup, will directly and indirectly
control a total of 1,091,808 units (including the 75,819 units owned by Second
Cup) which are held for investments purposes and which represent 11.0% of the
total outstanding units of the Fund.
December Distribution
As previously announced, the Fund will make a distribution payment of
$0.0940 per unit on January 30, 2009 for the month of December 2008 to
unitholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2008.
The Fund is an open-ended trust established under the laws of the
Province of Ontario. It holds, through a subsidiary, the Canadian trade-marks
and other intellectual property and associated rights used by Second Cup in
connection with the operation of Second Cup cafés in Canada. For more
information on the Second Cup Royalty Income Fund please visit
www.secondcupincomefund.com.
Second Cup is Canada's largest specialty coffee café franchisor and
second largest retailer of specialty coffee, as measured by number of cafés.
For the ultimate on-line coffee experience, visit www.secondcup.com.
%SEDAR: 00021352E
For further information: James Anas, Chief Financial Officer, (905) 362-1833, investor@secondcup.com