Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
305 Hartmann Drive
Lebanon, Tennessee 37087-4779
February 18, 2020
Via EDGAR Transmission
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance, Office of Trade & Services
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attention: Tony Watson
Bill Thompson
Re: | Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (the Registrant) |
Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended August 2, 2019
Filed September 27, 2019
File No. 001-25225
Gentlemen:
We hereby submit the Registrants response to the comments of the Staff (the Staff) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) conveyed in a letter to the Registrant dated February 5, 2020 in connection with the Staffs review of the Registrants Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 2, 2019. For your convenience, we have reproduced the Staffs comments in bold preceding our responses.
Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended August 2, 2019
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Key Performance Indicators, page 28
1. | Please tell us how you have complied with the disclosure guidance in Item 10(e)(i) of Regulation S-K related to your presentation of store operating margins. |
Response:
Notwithstanding our analysis and response in the paragraph below, the Registrant has reviewed its disclosures, including the financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) and key performance indicators located within Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and has determined that the line item store operating income in the financial statements and the discussion of store operating margins is not meaningfully utilized as a measurement by the Registrant, nor does the Registrant believe this measure is regarded as material by the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
February 18, 2020
Page 2
Registrants investors. As a result, the Registrant has determined not to include this measure as a separate line item in future filings. Therefore, the current disclosures reflected in the Annual Report on Form 10-K on: (i) page 28 of the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K regarding the definition of store operating margins, (ii) page 29 reflecting the percentage relationship of store operating income to total revenue, and (iii) page 45 the line item store operating income on the face of the consolidated statements of income will not appear in future filings (beginning with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2020).
The relationship of store operating income to total revenue referred to in the Registrants disclosures as store operating margin is determined directly from the face of the Registrants audited consolidated statements of income. The two financial statement line items are total revenue and store operating income, the latter of which is the subtotal of total revenue less the first three line items of the consolidated statements of income: cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation and rent); labor and other related expenses; and other store operating expenses. Store operating income reflects revenues less all costs applicable to such revenues (i.e. depreciation, rent, labor) and thus may be characterized as a measure of gross profit, a commonly accepted measure in accordance with US GAAP. As a result, the Registrant does not believe there is anything to reconcile to US GAAP, as the current presentation is comprised solely of US GAAP line items from the face of the consolidated statements of income.
Consolidated Statements of Income, page 45
2. | Please tell us your consideration of the guidance in Item 10(e)(ii)(C) of Regulation S-K related to your presentation of store operating income on the face of the statements of income. |
Response:
The Registrant believes that the line item store operating income, as presented on the face of the Registrants consolidated statements of income, reflects revenues less all costs applicable to such revenues (i.e. depreciation, rent, labor) and thus may be characterized as a measure of gross profit, a commonly accepted measure in accordance with US GAAP. Accordingly, the Registrant does not regard Item 10(e)(ii)(C) as applicable to its presentation of store operating income. There are no inclusions or exclusions (or adjustments that have the effect of including or excluding amounts), as required in the definition of non-GAAP financial measure set forth in Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K, from this line item as presented in the consolidated statements of income in accordance with US GAAP.
However, as noted above, following further review of its disclosures and the presentation of this measure, the Registrant believes the measure of store operating income is not meaningfully utilized by the Registrants management and not material to investors, and has therefore determined not to include this line item in the consolidated statements of income to be presented in future filings.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
February 18, 2020
Page 3
If you have any questions regarding the Registrants responses to the Staffs comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at (615) 443-9869 or Richard Wolfson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at (615) 235-4003.
Sincerely, |
/s/ Jill M. Golder |
Jill M. Golder |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
cc: | Richard M. Wolfson, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
Howard H. Lamar III (of Bass Berry & Sims PLC)