Aramark Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2021 Results

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 53rd 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 53rd 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 53rd 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

Amortization of Acquisition-Related Intangible Assets - adjustments to eliminate the change in amortization expense resulting from the purchase accounting applied to the January 26, 2007 going-private transaction and amortization expense recognized on other acquisition-related intangible assets.

Severance and Other Charges - adjustments to eliminate severance expenses in the applicable period ($7.9 million net expense reduction for the fourth quarter of 2021, $13.3 million net expense reduction for fiscal 2021, $20.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $152.7 million for fiscal 2020).

Effect of Next Level Acquisition - adjustments to eliminate the operating results of Next Level Hospitality that are not comparable to the prior year periods.

Merger and Integration Related Charges - adjustments to eliminate merger and integration charges primarily related to the Avendra and AmeriPride acquisitions, including costs for transitional employees and integration related consulting costs, and charges related to plant consolidation, mainly asset write-downs, the implementation of a new revenue accounting system and other expenses.

Goodwill Impairment - adjustment to eliminate the impact of a non-cash impairment charge to goodwill.

Tax Reform Related Employee Reinvestments - adjustments to eliminate certain reinvestments associated with tax savings created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, including employee training expenses and retirement contributions.

Estimated Impact of 53rd Week - adjustments to eliminate the estimated impact of a 53rd week of operations during fiscal 2020.

Gains, Losses and Settlements impacting comparability - adjustments to eliminate certain transactions that are not indicative of our ongoing operational performance, primarily for income from prior years' loss experience under our general liability, automobile liability and workers' compensation programs ($18.1 million for fiscal 2021 and $10.3 million for fiscal 2020), the impact of the change in fair value related to certain gasoline and diesel agreements ($0.2 million gain for the fourth quarter of 2021, $5.8 million gain for fiscal 2021, $3.1 million gain for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $0.5 million loss for fiscal 2020), charges related to hyperinflation in Argentina ($0.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2021, $1.8 million for fiscal 2021, $1.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $2.5 million for fiscal 2020), pension withdrawal charges ($0.7 million for fiscal 2021 and $0.1 million for fiscal 2020), non-cash impairment charges related to various assets ($30.6 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2020), a non-cash charge related to operating lease right-of-use assets, property and equipment and other assets from disposal by abandonment of certain rental properties ($28.5 million for fiscal 2020), non-cash charges related to information technology assets ($4.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $26.1 million for fiscal 2020), gain from the insurance proceeds received related to the impact of property damage from a tornado in Nashville ($16.3 million for fiscal 2020), non-cash gain from settlement of a multiemployer pension plan obligation ($6.7 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2020), external consulting fees related to growth initiatives ($3.2 million for fiscal 2020), payroll tax charges related to equity award exercises by the Company's former chief executive officer ($1.7 million for fiscal 2020), expenses related to legal settlements ($1.0 million net expense reduction for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2020) and other miscellaneous charges.

Gain on Equity Investment - adjustment to eliminate the impact of a non-cash gain from an observable price change related to an equity investment.

Loss on Defined Benefit Pension Plan Termination - adjustment to eliminate the impact of a non-cash loss from the termination of certain single-employer defined benefit pension plans.

Effect of Refinancing and Other on Interest and Other Financing Costs, net - adjustments to eliminate expenses associated with refinancing activities undertaken by the Company in the applicable period such as charges related to the payment of call premiums ($11.9 million for fiscal 2021 and $23.1 million for fiscal 2020) and non-cash charges for the write-offs of unamortized debt issuance costs, debt discounts and debt premiums related to the repayment of borrowings ($1.5 million loss for the fourth quarter of 2021, $8.3 million loss for fiscal 2021 and $2.2 million gain for fiscal 2020).

Effect of Tax Legislation on Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes - adjustments to eliminate the impact of tax legislation that is not indicative of our ongoing tax position based on the new tax policies, including the impact related to the CARES Act for net operating losses being carried back to prior fiscal years ($12.2 million benefit for the fourth quarter of 2021, $50.3 million benefit for fiscal 2021, $0.4 million provision for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $58.4 million benefit for fiscal 2020), a valuation allowance against certain foreign tax credits ($6.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2021, $36.5 million for fiscal 2021 and $11.8 million reversal for the fourth quarter of 2020) and the reversal of a benefit related to the production activities deduction that is only permitted in years with taxable income ($1.8 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2021).

Tax Impact Related to Shareholder Transactions - adjustments to eliminate the tax impact of equity award exercises by the Company's former chief executive officer ($2.3 million expense for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $22.3 million net benefit for fiscal 2020) and the tax impact related to cash proceeds received from Mantle Ridge for short-swing profits earned through transactions in the Company's common stock ($4.1 million expense for fiscal 2020).

Tax Impact of Adjustments to Adjusted Net Income (Loss) - adjustments to eliminate the net tax impact of the adjustments to adjusted net income (loss) calculated based on a blended U.S. federal and state tax rate for U.S. adjustments and the local country tax rate for adjustments in jurisdictions outside the U.S. Adjustment also eliminates the valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets in a foreign subsidiary that is deemed not realizable (approximately $8.6 million for fiscal 2020).

Effect of Currency Translation - adjustments to eliminate the impact that fluctuations in currency translation rates had on the comparative results by presenting the periods on a constant currency basis. Assumes constant foreign currency exchange rates based on the rates in effect for the prior year period being used in translation for the comparable current year period.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect our current expectations as to future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the performance of our business, our financial results, our operations, our liquidity and capital resources, the conditions in our industry and our growth strategy. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "outlook," "aim," "anticipate," "are or remain or continue to be confident," "have confidence," "estimate," "expect," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "see," "look to" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative versions of such words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may change at any time, actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those that we expected.

Some of the factors that we believe could affect or continue to affect our results include without limitation: the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic; the pandemic's impact on the U.S. and global economies, including particularly the client sectors we serve and governmental responses to the pandemic; the manner and timing of benefits we expect to receive under the CARES Act or other government programs; unfavorable economic conditions; natural disasters, global calamities, new pandemics, sports strikes and other adverse incidents; the failure to retain current clients, renew existing client contracts and obtain new client contracts; a determination by clients to reduce their outsourcing or use of preferred vendors; competition in our industries; increased operating costs and obstacles to cost recovery due to the pricing and cancellation terms of our food and support services contracts; currency risks and other risks associated with international operations, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-corruption law compliance; risks associated with suppliers from whom our products are sourced; disruptions to our relationship with our distribution partners; the contract intensive nature of our business, which may lead to client disputes; our expansion strategy and our ability to successfully integrate the businesses we acquire and costs and timing related thereto; continued or further unionization of our workforce; liability resulting from our participation in multiemployer defined benefit pension plans; the inability to hire and retain key or sufficient qualified personnel or increases in labor costs; laws and governmental regulations including those relating to food and beverages, the environment, wage and hour and government contracting; liability associated with noncompliance with applicable law or other governmental regulations; new interpretations of or changes in the enforcement of the government regulatory framework; the failure to maintain food safety throughout our supply chain, food-borne illness concerns and claims of illness or injury; a cybersecurity incident or other disruptions in the availability of our computer systems or privacy breaches; our leverage; the inability to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness; debt agreements that limit our flexibility in operating our business; and other factors set forth under the headings Item 1A "Risk Factors," Item 3 "Legal Proceedings" and Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and other sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on November 24, 2020 as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and which may be obtained by contacting Aramark's investor relations department via its website at www.aramark.com. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included herein and in our other filings with the SEC. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included herein or that may be made elsewhere from time to time by, or on behalf of, us. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, changes in our expectations, or otherwise, except as required by law.