Panera Bread launches pay-what-you-want nonprofit restaurant

CLAYTON, Mo. -- Panera Bread Co. is asking customers at a new restaurant to pay what they want.

The national bakery and restaurant chain launched a new nonprofit store here this week that has the same menu as its 1,400 other locations. But the prices are a little different -- there aren't any. Customers are told to donate what they want for a meal, whether it's the full suggested price, a penny or $100.

The new store in the upscale St. Louis suburb of Clayton is the first of what Panera hopes will be many in the nation. Ronald Shaich, Panera's CEO until last week, was on hand at the new bakery Monday to explain the system to customers.

The pilot restaurant is run by a nonprofit foundation. If it can sustain itself financially, Panera will expand the model around the country within months. It all depends on whether customers will abide by the motto hanging above the deli counter: ``Take what you need, leave your fair share.''
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Panera Bread reports very strong trends in comparable bakery-cafe sales and increases Q4 EPS target

HIGHLIGHTS
- Oct. 2009 Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 6.8% (calendar basis)
- Nov. 2009 Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 6.1% (calendar basis)
- Dec. 2009 Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 9.6% (calendar basis)
- Jan. 2010 to date Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 9.4%
- Q4 2009 EPS target raised to $0.94 to $0.95 (net of $0.05 of expected asset retirement expenses)

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Panera profit beats view, shares up on outlook

LOS ANGELES, Oct 27 (Reuters) - U.S. bakery-cafe operator Panera Bread Co (PNRA.O) posted quarterly profit that beat expectations, forecast 2010 earnings above analysts' view and said this quarter's sales were on the uptick, sending shares up nearly 5 percent

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Panera Bread Reports Q3 EPS of $0.61 (including $0.04 in net charges), up 35% over Q3 2008

HIGHLIGHTS
- Company-owned comparable sales (calendar basis) up 6.9% in the first 27 days of Q4 09
- Franchise comparable sales (calendar basis) up 6.3% in the first 27 days of Q4 09
- Q3 2009 Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 3.3% over Q3 2008
- Q3 2009 operating margin up 230 bps over Q3 2008
- Q3 2009 net income up 38% over Q3 2008
- Q4 2009 EPS target $0.85 to $0.87 (net of $0.05 of expected asset retirement expenses)
- FY 2010 EPS target set at $3.05 to $3.15 (up 14% to 18% versus target for FY 2009)

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Panera Bread Reports Q2 EPS of $0.65

HIGHLIGHTS
- Q2 2009 net income up 28% over Q2 2008
- Q2 2009 operating margin up 140 bps over Q2 2008
- Q2 2009 system-wide comparable bakery-cafe sales flat, net of the Easter impact
- Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales up 2.8% for the first 27 days of Q3 2009
- Q3 2009 EPS target set at $0.55 to $0.59 (up 22% to 31% versus Q3 2008)
- FY 2009 EPS target tightened to $2.60 to $2.68 (up 17% to 21% versus FY 2008 with one less week)

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http://www.panerabread.com/pdf/er-20090728.pdf

Panera Bread first quarter earnings

Panera Bread Reports Q1 EPS of $0.57, up 39% over Q1 2008
HIGHLIGHTS
- Q1 2009 operating profit up 36% over Q1 2008
- Comparable system-wide bakery-cafe sales increased 0.7% in Q1 2009
- Q1 2009 Company-owned new unit AWS of $41,922
- Q2 2009 EPS target set at $0.62 to $0.66 (up 19% to 27% versus Q2 2008)
- FY 2009 EPS target re-affirmed at $2.55 to $2.71 (up 15% to 22% versus FY 2008)