UPDATE: Dunkin' Brands Q4 Profit Misses Expectations

reported weaker-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter. Net income attributable to Dunkin' Brands climbed to $52.5 million, or $0.50 per share, up from $42.1 million, or $0.39 per share, in the year-ago period. Its adjusted earnings came in at $0.46 per share. Its revenue climbed 5.5% to $193.2 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.47 per share on revenue of $191.37 million. Comparable sales at its Dunkin' Donuts stores climbed 1.4% in the US. Dunkin' Donuts U.S. revenue climbed 3.9% to $144.1 million in the quarter, while international revenue surged 19.7% to $6.7 million. Baskin-Robbins US revenue rose 3.9% to $8.5 million, while international revenue surged 9.8% to $29.9 million in the quarter. The company's board declared a Q1 dividend of $0.265 per share, a 15% gain from the fourth quarter dividend. The company's board also approved a new $700 million share repurchase program. "Highlights from our performance in 2014 included: strong domestic restaurant level unit economics; robust U.S. restaurant development for both brands, including the opening of our first traditional Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in California; growing transactions in the Dunkin' Donuts U.S. business in the face of macroeconomic and competitive headwinds; the launch of both the DD Perks loyalty program, which now has more than 2.5 million members, and Baskin-Robbins online cake ordering; and progress with the retooling of our international businesses as demonstrated by the signing of significant international development agreements in Sweden, Austria, and China," said Nigel Travis, Chairman & CEO, Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. Dunkin' Brands shares rose 0.47% to close at $46.60 yesterday.