TravelCenters of America Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Results

February 22, 2022

Company Delivers Solid Financial Improvement over Prior Year

Net Income Increased 278% for the 2021 Fourth Quarter Over Prior Year Period

Net Income Increased 490% for the Full Year Over Prior Year Period

Adjusted EBITDA Increased 48% for the 2021 Fourth Quarter Over Prior Year Period

WESTLAKE, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TravelCenters of America Inc. (Nasdaq: TA) today announced financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2021.

Jonathan M. Pertchik, TA’s Chief Executive Officer, made the following statement regarding the 2021 fourth quarter results:

“During the fourth quarter, the quality and resilience of TA’s business model has demonstrated yet again our ability to achieve improved profitability across nearly all business lines, resulting in a 278% increase in net income and a 48% increase in Adjusted EBITDA as compared to the prior year period. Additionally, our focus on operational improvements, as well as pricing and labor efficiency, further supported achieving these results despite ongoing COVID-related labor and supply chain challenges and inflationary cost pressures.

As we proceed through 2022, our company’s 50th anniversary year, we are excited to leverage our liquidity to execute on our capital plan, with a focus on site refreshes, technology improvements and expanding our network, which includes franchising and growing the pipeline of potential acquisitions. These initiatives are focused on directly benefiting both professional driver and motorist guests. Our capital plan thus far has resulted in more customers doing business with us and we look forward to the continued execution of our strategy of attracting new customers to TA. Our primary focus is driving top line growth, while maintaining pricing and cost discipline given the backdrop of ongoing external pressures on labor and input costs.”

Reconciliations to GAAP:

Adjusted net income, adjusted net income per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDAR are non-GAAP financial measures. The U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, financial measures that are most directly comparable to the non-GAAP measures disclosed herein are included in the supplemental tables below.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Highlights:

Cash and cash equivalents of $536.0 million and availability under TA’s revolving credit facility of $90.6 million for total liquidity of $626.6 million as of December 31, 2021.
The following table presents detailed results for TA’s fuel sales for the 2021 and 2020 fourth quarters.

(in thousands, except per gallon amounts)	Three Months Ended December 31,
(in thousands, except per gallon amounts)	2021		2020		Change
Fuel sales volume (gallons):
Diesel fuel		510,777		492,674	3.7	%
Gasoline		66,135		63,246	4.6	%
Total fuel sales volume		576,912		555,920	3.8	%

Fuel gross margin	$	109,060	$	79,374	37.4	%
Fuel gross margin per gallon	$	0.189	$	0.143	32.2	%

The following table presents detailed results for TA’s nonfuel revenues for the 2021 and 2020 fourth quarters.

(in thousands)	Three Months Ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2021			2020			Change
Nonfuel revenues:
Store and retail services	$	187,043		$	171,346		9.2	%
Truck service		181,559			166,263		9.2	%
Restaurant		77,061			75,156		2.5	%
Diesel exhaust fluid		40,282			29,979		34.4	%
Total nonfuel revenues	$	485,945		$	442,744		9.8	%

Nonfuel gross margin	$	291,848		$	270,137		8.0	%
Nonfuel gross margin percentage		60.1	%		61.0	%	(90) pts

Net income of $12.8 million increased $20.0 million, or 278.2%, and adjusted net income of $13.2 million improved $11.7 million, or 813.8%, as compared to the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDA of $52.9 million increased $17.1 million, or 47.9%, as compared to the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDAR was $117.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021.

Growth Strategies

TA’s Transformation Plan consists of numerous initiatives across its organization for the purpose of expanding its travel center network, improving and enhancing operational profitability and efficiency, and strengthening its financial position all in support of its core mission to return every traveler to the road better than they came.

Since the beginning of 2019, TA has entered into franchise agreements for 59 travel centers to be operated under TA’s travel center brand names, including 26 new agreements in 2021. Four began operations during 2019, ten began operations during 2020 and five began operations during 2021, and TA expects the remaining 40 to open by the second quarter of 2024.

TA’s capital expenditures plan for 2022 is expected to be in the range of $175.0 million to $200.0 million and includes projects to enhance the guest experience through significant upgrades at TA’s travel centers, the expansion of restaurants and food offerings and improvements to TA’s technology systems infrastructure. Approximately 75% of TA’s capital expenditures in 2022 are focused on growth initiatives that TA expects to meet or exceed TA’s 15% to 20% cash on cash return hurdle.

Importantly, TA is committed to embracing environmentally friendly sources of energy through its eTA division, which seeks to deliver sustainable and alternative energy to the marketplace by working with the public sector, private companies and customers to facilitate this initiative. Recent accomplishments include continued expansion of TA’s biodiesel blending capabilities, increasing the availability of diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF, at all diesel pumps nationwide and placement of electric vehicle charging stations. TA believes its large, well-located sites may provide it with the opportunity to make both fossil and, eventually, non-fossil fuels available throughout its nationwide network of sites.

Conference Call

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, TA will host a conference call to discuss its financial results and other activities for the three months and year ended December 31, 2021. Following management’s remarks, there will be a question and answer period.

The conference call telephone number is 877-329-4614. Participants calling from outside the United States and Canada should dial 412-317-5437. No pass code is necessary to access the call from either number. Participants should dial in about 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call. A replay of the conference call will be available for about a week after the call. To hear the replay, dial 877-344-7529 in the United States, 855-669-9658 in Canada, and 412-317-0088 in other countries. The replay pass code is 10160345.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available in a listen only mode on TA’s website at www.ta-petro.com. To access the webcast, participants should visit TA’s website about five minutes before the call. The archived webcast will be available for replay on TA’s website for about one week after the call. The transcription, recording and retransmission in any way of TA’s fourth quarter conference call is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of TA. The Company’s website is not incorporated as part of this press release.

About TravelCenters of America Inc.

TravelCenters of America Inc. (Nasdaq: TA) is the nation’s largest publicly traded full-service travel center network. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, its more than 18,000 team members serve guests in over 276 locations in 44 states and Canada, principally under the TA®, Petro Stopping Centers® and TA Express® brands. Offerings include diesel and gasoline fuel, truck maintenance and repair, full-service and quick-service restaurants, travel stores, car and truck parking and other services dedicated to providing great experiences for its guests. TA is committed to sustainability, with its specialized business unit, eTA, focused on sustainable energy options for professional drivers and motorists, while leveraging alternative energy to support its own operations. TA operates over 600 full-service and quick-service restaurants and nine proprietary brands, including Iron Skillet® and Country Pride®. For more information, visit www.ta-petro.com.

TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) (in thousands, except per share amounts)

	Three Months Ended December 31,						Year Ended December 31,
	2021			2020			2021			2020
Revenues:
Fuel	$	1,543,809		$	840,104		$	5,374,695		$	3,084,323
Nonfuel		485,945			442,744			1,946,732			1,747,418
Rent and royalties from franchisees		3,768			3,814			15,417			14,296
Total revenues		2,033,522			1,286,662			7,336,844			4,846,037

Cost of goods sold (excluding depreciation):
Fuel		1,434,749			760,730			4,981,903			2,750,971
Nonfuel		194,097			172,607			771,292			685,391
Total cost of goods sold		1,628,846			933,337			5,753,195			3,436,362

Site level operating expense		247,287			214,379			955,385			870,329
Selling, general and administrative expense		43,273			36,867			155,355			145,038
Real estate rent expense		64,249			63,850			255,627			255,743
Depreciation and amortization expense		24,263			38,676			96,507			127,789
Other operating income, net		(1,633	)		—			(2,275	)		—

Income (loss) from operations		27,237			(447	)		123,050			10,776

Interest expense, net		11,820			8,415			46,786			30,479
Other (income) expense, net		(857	)		270			810			1,379
Income (loss) before income taxes		16,274			(9,132	)		75,454			(21,082	)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes		(3,488	)		1,956			(17,263	)		6,178
Net income (loss)		12,786			(7,176	)		58,191			(14,904	)
Less: net loss for noncontrolling interest		—			(1,109	)		(333	)		(1,005	)
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	$	12,786		$	(6,067	)	$	58,524		$	(13,899	)

Net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders:
Basic and diluted	$	0.87		$	(0.42	)	$	4.01		$	(1.23	)

Weighted average vested shares of common shares		14,290			14,151			14,252			10,961
Weighted average unvested shares of common shares		343			304			336			344

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with TA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA INC.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES AND OTHER DATA

(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

TA believes the non-GAAP financial measures presented in the tables below are meaningful supplemental disclosures. Management uses these measures in developing internal budgets and forecasts and analyzing TA’s performance and believes that they may help investors gain a better understanding of changes in TA’s operating results and its ability to pay rent or service debt when due, make capital expenditures and expand its business. These non-GAAP financial measures also may help investors to make comparisons between TA and other companies and to make comparisons of TA’s financial and operating results between periods.

The non-GAAP financial measures TA presents should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders, net income (loss), income (loss) from operations, operating margin, total fuel gross margin and nonfuel revenues or net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders as an indicator of TA’s operating performance or as a measure of TA’s liquidity. Also, the non-GAAP financial measures TA presents may not be comparable to similarly titled amounts calculated by other companies.

TA believes that adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are meaningful disclosures that may help investors to better understand TA’s financial performance by providing financial information that represents the operating results of TA’s operations without the effects of items that do not result directly from TA’s normal recurring operations and may allow investors to better compare TA’s performance between periods and to the performance of other companies. TA calculates EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense, as shown below. TA calculates adjusted EBITDA by excluding items that it considers not to be normal, recurring, cash operating expenses or gains or losses.

In addition, TA believes that, because it leases a majority of its travel centers, presenting adjusted EBITDAR may help investors compare the value of TA against companies that own and finance ownership of their properties with debt financing, since this measure eliminates the effects of variability in leasing methods and capital structures. This measure may also help investors evaluate TA’s valuation if it owned its leased properties and financed that ownership with debt, in which case the interest expense TA incurred for that debt financing would be added back when calculating EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDAR is presented solely as a valuation measure and should not be viewed as a measure of overall operating performance or considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income (loss) because it excludes the real estate rent expense associated with TA’s leases and it is presented for the limited purposes referenced herein. TA calculates EBITDAR as net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, real estate rent expense and depreciation and amortization expense and adjusted EBITDAR by excluding items that it considers not to be normal, recurring, cash operating expenses or gains or losses.

TA believes that net income (loss) is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted net income (loss), EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDAR, and that net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders.

TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA INC.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES AND OTHER DATA

(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

The following tables present the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures to the respective most directly comparable GAAP financial measures for the three months and years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Calculation of adjusted net income:	Three Months Ended December 31,						Year Ended December 31,
Calculation of adjusted net income:	2021			2020			2021			2020
Net income (loss)	$	12,786		$	(7,176	)	$	58,191		$	(14,904	)
Add: QSL impairment⁽¹⁾		—			13,715			650			13,715
Add: Asset write offs⁽²⁾		—			—			—			8,906
Add: Reorganization Plan costs⁽³⁾		—			1,076			—			5,364
Add: Field employee bonus expense⁽⁴⁾		—			—			—			3,769
Add: Goodwill impairment⁽⁵⁾		—			—			—			3,046
Add: Executive compensation expense⁽⁶⁾		—			—			—			2,109
Add: Equity investment ownership dilution⁽⁷⁾		—			—			1,826			—
Add (less): Employee retention tax credit⁽⁸⁾		1,644			(3,268	)		1,644			(3,268	)
Add: Impairment of property and equipment⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—			6,574
Add: Impairment of operating lease assets⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—			1,262
Less: Gain on sale of assets, net ⁽¹⁰⁾		—			—			(897	)		—
Less: Net gain on Seymour insurance recovery⁽¹¹⁾		(1,109	)		—			(1,109	)		—
Less: Tax impact of adjusting items⁽¹²⁾		(135	)		(2,904	)		(533	)		(10,452	)
Adjusted net income	$	13,186		$	1,443		$	59,772		$	16,121

Calculation of adjusted net income per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders (basic and diluted):	Three Months Ended December 31,						Year Ended December 31,
	2021			2020			2021			2020
Net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders (basic and diluted)	$	0.87		$	(0.42	)	$	4.01		$	(1.23	)
Add: QSL impairment⁽¹⁾		—			0.95			0.04			1.21
Add: Asset write offs⁽²⁾		—			—			—			0.79
Add: Reorganization Plan costs⁽³⁾		—			0.07			—			0.47
Add: Field employee bonus expense⁽⁴⁾		—			—			—			0.33
Add: Goodwill impairment⁽⁵⁾		—			—			—			0.27
Add: Executive compensation expense⁽⁶⁾		—			—			—			0.19
Add: Equity investment ownership dilution⁽⁷⁾		—			—			0.13			—
Add (less): Employee retention tax credit⁽⁸⁾		0.11			(0.23	)		0.11			(0.29	)
Add: Impairment of property and equipment⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—			0.58
Add: Impairment of operating lease assets⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—			0.11
Less: Gain on sale of assets, net⁽¹⁰⁾		—			—			(0.06	)		—
Less: Net gain on Seymour insurance recovery⁽¹¹⁾		(0.08	)		—			(0.08	)		—
Less: Tax impact of adjusting items⁽¹²⁾		(0.01	)		(0.20	)		(0.04	)		(0.92	)
Adjusted net income per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders (basic and diluted)	$	0.89		$	0.17		$	4.11		$	1.51

TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA INC. RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES AND OTHER DATA (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

Calculation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA:	Three Months Ended December 31,						Year Ended December 31,
Calculation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA:	2021			2020			2021			2020
Net income (loss)	$	12,786		$	(7,176	)	$	58,191		$	(14,904	)
Add (less): Provision (benefit) for income taxes		3,488			(1,956	)		17,263			(6,178	)
Add: Depreciation and amortization expense		24,263			38,676			96,507			127,789
Add: Interest expense, net		11,820			8,415			46,786			30,479
EBITDA		52,357			37,959			218,747			137,186
Add: Reorganization Plan costs⁽³⁾		—			1,076			—			5,364
Add: Field employee bonus expense⁽⁴⁾		—			—			—			3,769
Add: Executive compensation expense⁽⁶⁾		—			—			—			2,109
Add: Equity investment ownership dilution⁽⁷⁾		—			—			1,826			—
Add (less): Employee retention tax credit⁽⁸⁾		1,644			(3,268	)		1,644			(3,268	)
Add: Impairment of operating lease assets⁽⁹⁾		—			—			—			1,262
Less: Gain on the sale of assets, net⁽¹⁰⁾		—			—			(897	)		—
Less: Net gain on Seymour insurance recovery⁽¹¹⁾		(1,109	)		—			(1,109	)		—
Adjusted EBITDA	$	52,892		$	35,767		$	220,211		$	146,422

Calculation of adjusted EBITDAR:	Three Months Ended December 31,		Year Ended December 31,
Calculation of adjusted EBITDAR:	2021		2021
Adjusted EBITDA ⁽¹³⁾	$	52,892	$	220,211
Add: Real estate rent expense		64,249		255,627
Adjusted EBITDAR	$	117,141	$	475,838

Total fuel gross margin and nonfuel revenues:	Three Months Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
Total fuel gross margin and nonfuel revenues:	2021		2020		2021		2020
Fuel gross margin	$	109,060	$	79,374	$	392,792	$	333,352
Non fuel revenues		485,945		442,744		1,946,732		1,747,418
Total fuel gross margin and nonfuel revenues	$	595,005	$	522,118	$	2,339,524	$	2,080,770

⁽¹⁾	QSL Impairment. TA had classified its Quaker Steak & Lube, or QSL, business as held for sale as of December 31, 2020. The sale was completed on April 21, 2021. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, TA recorded impairment charges of $0.6 million and $13.7 million, respectively, relating to its QSL business, which is included in depreciation and amortization expense in TA’s consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽²⁾	Asset Write Offs. During the year ended December 31, 2020, TA wrote off $8.1 million and $0.8 million related to programs that were canceled and intangibles relating to three QSL franchises that closed in April 2020, respectively. These amounts were included in depreciation and amortization expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽³⁾	Reorganization Plan Costs. On April 30, 2020, TA commenced a company wide reorganization plan. During the three months and year ended December 31, 2020, TA recognized $1.1 million and $5.4 million, respectively, of costs related to the reorganization plan and other separation agreements, which were included in selling, general and administrative expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁴⁾	Field Employee Bonus Expense. In March and April 2020, TA paid cash bonuses to certain employees who continued to work at its locations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These bonuses resulted in additional compensation expense of $3.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which were included in site level operating expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁵⁾	Goodwill Impairment. During the year ended December 31, 2020, TA recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $3.0 million with respect to its QSL reporting unit, which was recognized in depreciation and amortization expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁶⁾	Executive Compensation Expense. TA agreed to accelerate the vesting of previously granted stock awards and make cash payments as part of TA’s retirement and separation agreements with certain former executive officers. The accelerations and cash payments resulted in additional compensation expense of $2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which were included in selling, general and administrative expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁷⁾	Equity Investment Ownership Dilution. During the year ended December 31, 2021, TA reduced its ownership in Epona, LLC, owner of QuikQ LLC, an equity method investment, to less than 50%, for which a loss of $1.8 million was included in other (income) expense, net in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁸⁾	Employee Retention Tax Credit. On March 27, 2020, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, as a response to the economic uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, included provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits. As a result, TA recognized expense of $1.6 million and income of $3.3 million for the three months and years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, in site level operating expense in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽⁹⁾	Impairment of Property and Equipment and Operating Lease Assets. During the year ended December 31, 2020, TA recognized $6.6 million and $1.3 million of impairment charges to property and equipment and operating lease assets, respectively, related to certain standalone QSL restaurants. The impairment charges were recognized in depreciation and amortization expense and real estate rent expense, respectively, in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽¹⁰⁾	Gain on Sale of Assets, Net. In May 2021, TA sold a property located in Mesquite, Texas for a sales price of $2.2 million, excluding selling costs. TA recognized a gain on the sale of $1.5 million. On April 21, 2021, TA completed the sale of its QSL business for $5.0 million, excluding costs to sell and certain closing adjustments. TA recognized a loss on the sale of $0.6 million. The gain and loss on the sale of assets were included in other operating income, net for the year ended December 31, 2021.
⁽¹¹⁾	Net Gain on Seymour Insurance Recovery. Following a fire at TA’s Seymour, Indiana travel center in July 2020, TA pursued recoveries under its property and business interruption insurance policies. During the three months and year ended December 31, 2021, TA recognized a net gain of $1.1 million related to these recoveries as a benefit to other (income) expense, net in TA’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
⁽¹²⁾	Tax Impact of Adjusting Items. TA calculated the income tax impact of the adjustments described above by using its estimated statutory rate of 25.2% for the three months and years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
⁽¹³⁾	Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDAR. Please refer to the preceding table for the reconciliation from net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA.