Dunkin’ Brands reports strong Q3

Advertisement Dunkin' Brands posted significantly higher earnings and an increase in revenues for the third quarter, fueled by strong donut sales in the U.S., new store openings worldwide and its international ice cream business. Despite the continuing global economic challenges and fierce competitive environment, Dunkin' Brands also reported same-store sales gains across its domestic and international Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins systems. This included 2.8 percent same-store growth in Dunkin' Donuts U.S. alone, which was driven by increased average tickets and higher traffic. For the three months ended Sept. 29, the chain's net income jumped 34 percent to $29.5 million, up from $7.4 million in the three-month period a year ago. Per share earnings for the quarter were 26 cents compared with a loss of $1.01 last year, which was attributed to an accounting adjustment tied to its initial public offering last July. "We continue to leverage our asset-light, nearly 100-percent franchised model to drive strong shareholder returns," Nigel Travis, chief executive officer, Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc., and president, Dunkin' Donuts U.S., said in a statement. "With the exceptional growth of the Dunkin' Donuts brand over the past two years and our intense focus on franchisee profitability, our franchisees are seeing very strong unit economics and in turn are driving our robust restaurant expansion across the U.S."