Aramark Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2021 Results

Q4 SUMMARY

• Revenue +32%; Organic Revenue +37%
  • Improved performance led by the FSS United States segment
  • Revenue at 90% of pre-COVID level; Organic Revenue at 87% of pre-COVID level
• Operating Income up $226 million; Adjusted Operating Income (AOI) up $177 million versus prior year
  • Operating Income Margin of 3.7%; AOI Margin of 4.8% on a constant-currency basis
  • Higher profitability driven by improved sales volume and effective cost management
• EPS increased $0.73 to $0.14; Adjusted EPS increased $0.56 to $0.21

FISCAL YEAR 2021 SUMMARY

• Record Net New Business of over $500 million; 5x higher than previous 5-year average
  • Annualized gross new business totaled nearly $1.25 billion, highest in Company history
  • Retention rate of 95.5% improved 150 basis points compared to historical five-year average
  • Annualized Net New Business over $500 million, representing 3.1% of pre-COVID revenue
• Revenue (6)%; Organic Revenue (7)%
  • Business activity increased as the year progressed due to client re-openings and new service offerings
  • Revenue +35% and Organic Revenue +35% in the second half of fiscal 2021
• EPS of $(0.36); Adjusted EPS of $(0.30)
• Strong cash flow performance and maintained high level of liquidity
  • Cash provided by operating activities of $657 million, increasing $480 million versus prior year; Free Cash Flow of $282 million, a year-over-year improvement of $469 million
  • Over $2 billion in cash availability at year-end

Note: Net New Business is an internal statistical metric used to evaluate Aramark’s new sales and retention performance. A definition of the metric can be found under Selected Operational and Financial Metrics.

Fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2020 included a 53^rd week of operations. Organic Revenue and other Adjusted financial metrics are based on 52 weeks for comparability purposes.

PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) today reported fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2021 results.

“Our fourth quarter and full year results reflected the progress we have made across our business as organic revenue reached 87% of pre-COVID levels. The Company achieved record Net New Business performance across lines of business, geographies, and client size—demonstrating the execution of our strategic growth initiatives, which we are confident will position Aramark to drive higher sustainable growth and create meaningful value for our stakeholders,” said John Zillmer, Aramark’s Chief Executive Officer. “Despite the challenges presented over the last fiscal year, Aramark generated strong, steady performance due to our focus on innovation, ability to control costs and flex our business model to meet shifting client demands, and unwavering commitment to serving customers.”

FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS*

Consolidated revenue was $3.6 billion, an increase of 32% compared to the prior year. Organic Revenue, which adjusts for the effect of currency, the Next Level Hospitality acquisition, and the 53^rd week of operations in the prior year, improved 37% year-over-year. An accelerated pace of new client wins, combined with improving business re-opening activity and pricing pass-through, resulted in revenue at 90% and organic revenue at 87% of pre-COVID levels, led by the FSS United States segment.

• FSS United States organic revenue increased 58% compared to the fourth quarter last year with the following sector performance:

• FSS International grew organic revenue 21% year-over-year driven by stronger performance in Canada and Europe. Sports & Entertainment, Higher Education and white-collar Business & Industry in FSS International reported improved business activity with the pace of re-openings behind the U.S.
• Uniform & Career Apparel organic revenue increased 5% versus the prior year with rental revenues approaching pre-COVID levels and adjacency services reporting another quarter of double-digit growth. Clients in the hospitality industry, particularly in Canada, experienced greater demand, although still below pre-COVID levels.

Operating Income was $132 million, an increase of $226 million compared to the prior year. Adjusted Operating Income was $165 million, a year-over-year increase of $177 million, resulting in an AOI margin of 4.8% on a constant-currency basis. Quarterly margin progression reflected operating leverage from increased sales volumes, partially offset by costs associated with new client wins and re-opening of existing locations as well as investments to drive growth and enhance operating infrastructure.

• FSS United States strategically layered in operating costs to support increased levels of activity, particularly in Education, while continuing to invest in growth resources.
• FSS International benefited from previously implemented cost savings actions, with continued participation in government reimbursement programs.
• Uniform & Career Apparel leveraged efficiencies from higher volume levels and favorable merchandise amortization costs, partially offset by investment in growth resources and inventory write-downs for certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Corporate managed overhead costs to support the lines-of-business as revenues recovered.

FOURTH QUARTER GAAP SUMMARY

Fourth quarter fiscal 2021 GAAP results improved across all metrics compared to the prior year as the business continued to recover from the impact of COVID-19. On a GAAP basis, revenue was $3.6 billion, operating income was $132 million, net income attributable to Aramark stockholders was $35 million and diluted earnings per share was $0.14. These results included the contribution from the Next Level Hospitality acquisition that occurred in June 2021. Comparatively, fourth quarter 2020 revenue was $2.7 billion, operating loss was $94 million, net loss attributable to Aramark stockholders was $149 million and diluted loss per share was $0.59. Fourth quarter fiscal 2020 GAAP results included a 53^rd week of operations. A reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP measures is included in the Appendix.

FISCAL 2021 SUMMARY

Fiscal 2021 reflected business performance improvement over the course of the year with particular strength in the second half as all segments reported year-over-year revenue growth due to increased levels of business activity. Net New Business reached record levels, driven by increased new business wins and improved retention.

On a GAAP basis, revenue was $12.1 billion, operating income was $191 million, net loss attributable to Aramark stockholders was $91 million and diluted loss per share was $0.36. GAAP metrics in fiscal 2021 included approximately four months of operations from Next Level Hospitality. Comparatively, fiscal 2020 revenue was $12.8 billion, operating loss was $265 million, net loss attributable to Aramark stockholders was $462 million and diluted loss per share was $1.83. Fiscal 2020 GAAP results included a 53^rd week of operations across all metrics and GAAP operating loss and diluted loss per share included certain non-cash impairment charges and costs related to organizational realignment.

Organic Revenue for the year was $11.8 billion with sequential improvement each quarter. Adjusted Operating Income of $292 million resulted in an AOI margin of 2.4% on a constant-currency basis, compared to 2.3% in fiscal 2020 at higher revenue levels. Disciplined cost management, the Company’s flexible operating model, and the ability to leverage operating efficiencies as sales volumes recovered throughout the year contributed to improved margin performance.

CURRENCY

In the fourth quarter, a weaker U.S. dollar increased reported revenue by $25 million, Adjusted Operating Income by $0.4 million and had a negligible impact on adjusted earnings per share. The effect of currency translation benefited fiscal 2021 results by $168 million in reported revenue, $4 million in Adjusted Operating Income and approximately two cents for adjusted loss per share.

CASH FLOW AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE

Aramark generated Net Cash provided by operating activities of $657 million, improving $480 million compared to the prior year, and Free Cash Flow totaled $282 million in the fiscal year, an increase of $469 million compared to the prior year. This improvement was due to better operational performance, complemented by disciplined working capital and capital expenditure management as well as the benefit of federal tax refunds and deferred payroll taxes related to the CARES Act.

At year-end, Aramark had over $2.0 billion in cash availability. The Company’s strong cash flow and liquidity position provided a platform to further advance its capital allocation priorities. In the fourth quarter, Aramark strengthened its balance sheet with proactive debt repayments of over $170 million.

DIVIDEND DECLARATION

The Company’s Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of 11 cents per share of common stock. The first quarter fiscal 2022 dividend will be payable on December 7, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 30, 2021.

BUSINESS UPDATE

Aramark executed the following strategic actions over the course of the year, while navigating a complex operating environment due to COVID-19:

• Adding senior leadership talent and making organizational changes that significantly bolstered industry and line of business expertise, including sales leadership in many key roles;
• Investing in growth-oriented opportunities within the business;
• Enhancing sales training and development programs;
• Further aligning compensation with strategic objectives, including Net New Business which now represents 40% of the Company’s bonus incentive plan across the organization;
• Strengthening client and supplier relationships; and
• Enhancing operating infrastructure, including cybersecurity.

In fiscal 2021, Aramark reported record Net New Business that was five times greater than the average of the previous five years. Annualized gross new business wins totaled nearly $1.25 billion, with a meaningfully greater contribution from first-time outsourcing than prior years. Retention rates increased to 95.5%, or 150 basis points higher than the average of the previous five years, driven by improvements in the Company’s hospitality culture and customer service.

Each segment reached performance milestones in driving Net New Business. Net New Business in fiscal 2021 of over $500 million, represented 3.1% of pre-COVID revenue. This compared to a five-year historical average for Net New Business of approximately $90 million, or 0.6% of revenue. The Company believes that this level of Net New Business positions Aramark to sustainably grow revenue in the mid-single digits when Base Business growth returns to normalized levels. The Company expects to further build upon this level of Net New Business to drive sustainably higher growth prospectively.

OUTLOOK

The Company provides its expectations for organic revenue growth, Adjusted Operating Income and Free Cash Flow on a non-GAAP basis, and does not provide a reconciliation of such forward-looking non-GAAP measures to GAAP due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliations, including adjustments that could be made for the impact of the change in fair value related to certain gasoline and diesel agreements, severance and other charges and the effect of currency translation. The fiscal 2022 outlook reflects management’s current assumptions regarding the continued impact of COVID-19 on Aramark and its clients. The extent to which COVID-19 continues to impact business, operations, and financial results, including the duration and magnitude of such impact, will depend on numerous evolving factors that are difficult to accurately predict, including those discussed in the Risk Factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Aramark believes it is well-positioned to perform strongly in the recovery period and continue to build on its early Net New Business momentum. In fiscal 2022, the Company currently expects the following full-year performance:

• Organic growth between +23% and +27%, with revenue expected to approach pre-COVID levels by year-end. The impact from acquisitions and foreign currency fluctuations is expected to add approximately 2% to revenue
  • Revenue outlook reflects a continued impact from COVID-19 in fiscal 2022 of approximately $1.6 billion to $1.9 billion, or approximately 10% to 12% of pre-COVID revenue, partially offset by net new business and pricing pass-through
• Adjusted Operating Income (AOI) margin in a range of 5.0% to 5.5% with the second half of the year reaching 6.0% to 6.5%
  • AOI margin outlook considers the impact of COVID-19, noted above. In many cases, the Company has brought back operating and above unit costs in advance of full revenue recovery. As COVID-impacted volumes recover, Aramark expects this transitional impact on AOI margin to unwind, with an incremental margin on the remaining COVID-19 volume recovery of 15% to 20%. AOI margin will also be temporarily affected by the start-up of new accounts, which typically have lower margins in year one with an acceleration thereafter. The magnitude of new account start-ups in fiscal 2022 has grown meaningfully following recent New Business wins
  • Pricing, supply chain initiatives and operational efficiencies are expected to offset cost inflation
• Free Cash Flow between $300 million and $400 million, which includes repaying approximately $65 million of deferred payroll taxes associated with the CARES Act
• Annualized Net New Business in a range of $550 million to $650 million, which would represent 3.5% to 4.0% of pre-COVID revenue and an increase relative to the record performance achieved in fiscal 2021

Aramark ultimately expects mid-single digit organic revenue growth and ongoing margin progression, with margins that exceed pre-COVID levels. The Company looks forward to sharing further details on its expected multi-year progression at Aramark’s upcoming Analyst Day.

“Our investments in growth are generating results. The robust pipeline of opportunities continues to grow, enabling Aramark to enter the new fiscal year with exceptionally strong momentum. I’m emboldened by our team’s drive and remain confident in our ability to build on this success and deliver for our stakeholders as the recovery period is underway,” Zillmer continued.

CONFERENCE CALL SCHEDULED

The Company has scheduled a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET today to discuss its earnings. This call and related materials can be heard and reviewed, either live or on a delayed basis, on the Company’s web site, www.aramark.com on the investor relations page.

About Aramark

Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list, the Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity,” the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Selected Operational and Financial Metrics

Adjusted Revenue (Organic)

Adjusted Revenue (Organic) represents revenue growth, adjusted to eliminate the effect of the Next Level Acquisition, the effect of material divestitures, the estimated impact of the 53rd week and the impact of currency translation.

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) represents operating income (loss) adjusted to eliminate the change in amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets; the impact of the change in fair value related to certain gasoline and diesel agreements; severance and other charges; the effect of the Next Level acquisition; merger and integration related charges; asset impairments; the estimated impact of the 53rd week and other items impacting comparability.

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) (Constant Currency)

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) (Constant Currency) represents Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) adjusted to eliminate the impact of currency translation.

Adjusted Net Income (Loss)

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) represents net income (loss) attributable to Aramark stockholders adjusted to eliminate the change in amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets; the impact of changes in the fair value related to certain gasoline and diesel agreements; severance and other charges; the effect of the Next Level acquisition; merger and integration related charges; asset impairments; the estimated impact of the 53rd week; gain on an equity investment; loss on defined benefit pension plan termination; the effects of refinancings on interest and other financing costs, net, less the tax impact of these adjustments; the impact of tax legislation; the tax benefit attributable to the former CEO’s equity award exercises; the tax impact related to shareholder contribution and other items impacting comparability. The tax effect for adjusted net income (loss) for our U.S. earnings is calculated using a blended U.S. federal and state tax rate. The tax effect for adjusted net income (loss) in jurisdictions outside the U.S. is calculated at the local country tax rate.

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Constant Currency)

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Constant Currency) represents Adjusted Net Income (Loss) adjusted to eliminate the impact of currency translation.

Adjusted EPS

Adjusted EPS represents Adjusted Net Income (Loss) divided by diluted weighted average shares outstanding.

Adjusted EPS (Constant Currency)

Adjusted EPS (Constant Currency) represents Adjusted EPS adjusted to eliminate the impact of currency translation.

Covenant Adjusted EBITDA

Covenant Adjusted EBITDA represents net income attributable to Aramark stockholders adjusted for interest and other financing costs, net; provision for income taxes; depreciation and amortization and certain other items as defined in our debt agreements required in calculating covenant ratios and debt compliance. The Company also uses Net Debt for its ratio to Covenant Adjusted EBITDA, which is calculated as total long-term borrowings less cash and cash equivalents.

Free Cash Flow

Free Cash Flow represents net cash provided by operating activities less net purchases of property and equipment and other. Management believes that the presentation of free cash flow provides useful information to investors because it represents a measure of cash flow available for distribution among all the security holders of the Company.

Net New Business

Net New Business is an internal statistical metric used to evaluate Aramark’s new sales and retention performance. The calculation is defined as the annualized value of gross new business less the annualized value of lost business.

We use Adjusted Revenue (Organic), Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) (including on a constant currency basis), Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (including on a constant currency basis), Adjusted EPS (including on a constant currency basis), Covenant Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow as supplemental measures of our operating profitability and to control our cash operating costs. We believe these financial measures are useful to investors because they enable better comparisons of our historical results and allow our investors to evaluate our performance based on the same metrics that we use to evaluate our performance and trends in our results. These financial metrics are not measurements of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. Our presentation of these metrics has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. You should not consider these measures as alternatives to revenue, operating income (loss), net income (loss), or earnings (loss) per share, determined in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Revenue (Organic), Adjusted Operating Income (Loss), Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Adjusted EPS, Covenant Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow as presented by us may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies because not all companies use identical calculations.

Explanatory Notes to the Non-GAAP Schedules

Amortizatio

Contacts

Inquiries:
Felise Kissell

(215) 409-7287

Kissell-Felise@aramark.com

Scott Sullivan

(215) 238-3953

Sullivan-Scott1@aramark.com

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