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Operator
Welcome to the Middleby Third Quarter Conference Call. Management will open with remarks, then will turn the call over for a question and answer session.
(Operator Instructions)
Please note, today's conference is being recorded.
With us today from Management are Selim Bassoul, Chairman and CEO, and Tim FitzGerald, CFO. Mr. FitzGerald, please go ahead with your opening remarks.
- CFO
Good morning and thank you for joining us today on our third quarter conference call.
Net sales in the 2013 third quarter of $360 million increased 39.7% from $257.7 million in the third quarter of 2012. The third quarters sales reflect the impact of acquisitions completed in the past 12 months, including Viking, Nieco, and Stewart Systems. These acquisitions are not fully reflected in the prior year comparative results and accounted for $71.8 million in sales or 27.9% of the sales growth in the quarter.
Excluding the impact of these acquisitions, sales increased 11.8% over the prior year quarter. This increase reflects an organic sales increase of 11.7% at our Commercial Food Service Group and 12.2% at our Food Processing Group. At the Commercial Food Service Group, we continue to realize growth driven by increased sales to restaurant chains looking to upgrade equipment and adopt new technologies to improve efficiency of store operations.
Sales in international markets remain strong with overall growth approaching 10%, as strong sales of Latin America, MidEast, and Europe continued to be offset by slower sales in Asia, impacted by a temporary slowdown in store openings with a major restaurant chain customer in China. We expect continued growth in the Commercial Food Service segment for the fourth quarter, although the growth rate likely will moderate from the third quarter as the third quarter was particularly strong with chain rollout activities.
Sales in the Food Processing Group continued to also realize strong growth, reflecting demand by food processing customers looking to modernize existing production operations and new customers developing operations in international markets. While we anticipate continuing strength in demand in the outlook at this segment, we anticipate a decline in the fourth quarter in comparison to a very strong quarter in the 2012 prior year, which had grown 30% and included several large customer projects.
Sales at Viking amounted to $58 million during the third quarter and reflected a general improvement in industry conditions. We expect that revenues will continue in the fourth quarter in the $55 million to $60 million range; however, it will continue to be difficult to predict due to the impact of distribution changes that we continue to implement. Gross margin for the second quarter increased to $141.4 million from $100.4 million in the prior year and the gross margin rate was 39.3%, as compared to 39% in the prior year quarter.
The gross margin rate reflects the impact of lower margins at the recent acquisitions in the Food Processing Group and Viking. However, the dilutive effect of Viking significantly lessened during the quarter as the gross margin at that business improved to 37.9% as compared to 28.5% the first quarter and 30.7% in the second quarter. The improvement in the gross margin rate at Viking reflects the benefits of purchasing savings, SKU simplification actions, and restructuring of distribution channels. We anticipate the gross margin will continue to remain above 35% for the remainder of the year, but may not necessarily be as strong as the third quarter, due to the continuing impact of distribution changes in the fourth quarter.
Selling and distribution expenses during the quarter increased $15.8 million to $41.8 million. $13.2 million of the increase was attributable to expense from the recent acquisitions, with the remaining increase associated with direct costs on higher sales volumes. General and administrative expenses increased by $5.1 million to $32.2 million. The increase in G&A expenses for the quarter was primarily attributable to incremental costs from the acquisitions.
The tax provision in the third quarter amounted to $20.9 million at a 33.9% effective rate as compared to the prior year provision of $11.9 million at a 28.6% effective rate. The prior year third quarter provision reflected favorable reserve adjustments for reduced stated tax exposures. As a result, the third quarter provision in the current year increased in comparison. However, we estimate that the effective tax rate will continue to be below 35% for the remainder of this year.
Cash flows for the third quarter from operating activities were $59.6 million as compared to $39.7 million in the prior year quarter and reflected the strength in the third quarter earnings. Non-cash expenses added back and calculating operating cash flows amounted to $11.9 million for the quarter, including $4.7 million of intangible amortization, $4.2 million of depreciation, and $3 million of non-cash stock-based compensation.
Total debt at the end of the quarter was reduced to $537.4 million as compared to $618 million of the end of the second quarter; reflecting the repayment using operating cash flows and as a result, the Company's debt-to-EBITDA leverage ratio for the quarter dropped below 2 times. As it relates to the Viking acquisition, we're pleased with the continuing progress made during the quarter to reduce operating costs, improve product quality and customer service, and realize synergistic opportunities with our Commercial Food Service business.
We anticipate EBITDA margins, which improved from 12% in the first quarter to 15% in the second quarter and now, 18% in the third quarter will continue to progress as we move into 2014. We remain confident in our initially stated expectation that we will achieve EBITDA margins in excess of 20% for this business in 2014, ahead of our initial stated expectations.
Karen, if you could now open the call for questions and answers, that would be great.
Operator
(Operator Instructions)
Peter Lisnic, Baird.
- Analyst
This is Josh filling in for Pete.
I just wanted to ask about the Viking margin improvements, certainly very impressive there. As you think about moving the EBITDA margin to 20%-plus, is that improvement going to come from the gross margin line like it has been, or would you need some sales leverage to work into operating expense to get to that margin target?
- CFO
We expect some continued improvement both in the gross margins, as well as from leverage of the business. The targets that we have of 20% or better are driven by efficiencies, so it's not necessarily sales growth. Improvement in both SG&A, as well as gross margin, but not all driven by sales growth.
- Analyst
Okay. That make sense. It's more structural, I got you.
On the Food Processing side, I appreciate that quarter-over-quarter you have variability because of the type of the projects. Could you give us a sense of what the order environment is like? Maybe not even this quarter, but what it has been and what you expect it to be on a book-to-bill basis? Longer-term, how does the outlook look at this point?
- CFO
Josh, it was hard to hear, but I think you're asking about the overall environment for Food Processing. So, in answer to the question, the environment remains consistent. We've seen a lot of activity with customers; particularly in international markets. They're looking to open new processing facilities and definitely a lot of upgrades to existing plants as well.
I think the overall market remains pretty strong. That business has always been a little bit more lumpy in nature, just given the size of the large projects which we're overcoming in the fourth quarter and early part of next year, as we had a particularly large project. From the macro standpoint, that business segment, the outlook remains very positive.
- Analyst
I was wondering about the Celfrost acquisition, do you expect those products to remain in the Indian market, or do you anticipate export opportunities from that business?
- Chairman and CEO
At this moment, we are expecting two things -- one, further penetration in the Indian market because we've become a leading player between MWW India and Celfrost, where we become one of the best platforms in India, for not only selling equipment, but for servicing our chains in that market. Number two, down the road, we do expect export opportunities from India to other emerging markets; specifically in the Middle East where we just came back literally from the Milan show and there was a lot of interest in the Celfrost refrigeration technology to be exported into the Middle East.
- Analyst
Great, thank you for your time.
Operator
(Operator Instructions)
Tony Brenner, Roth Capital Partners.
- Analyst
Tim, did you mention what the increase in international sales was for the third quarter in total?
- CFO
I mentioned that it was about 10% for the Commercial Food Service Group.
- Analyst
Was there any pickup in Europe in that figure?
- CFO
Yes, actually, there was. In fact, Europe was actually our strongest increase in the quarter, so we're starting to see some improvement in those markets; particularly, the UK was strong for us.
- Analyst
Okay, thank you. Back to Celfrost, [selling] other valuated opportunities on the cold side and products like cold rooms and ice making machines and freezers?
- Chairman and CEO
Yes, I think Celfrost provides -- it's a very micro, micro manufacturer of refrigeration. I don't want to say that we are even a player yet, at this moment. But it's our first entry into refrigeration in terms of two things -- one, a broad line and a value offering. I think what Celfrost provides is significant technology by being able to create an entree to walk-in coolers and refrigerator and freezer and under counter.
Very attractive to that part of the world, the Indian Ocean continent being India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, a lot of hotel facilities being built there, and as I mentioned previously, extension, expansion into the Middle East. We look at that as a future expansion for us with good margins, because their ability to produce a low-cost and well-featured product has a lot of attraction to many of our chain customers in that part of the world.
I think also the Celfrost acquisition, Tony, provides a significant service upgrade for our existing customers in India. Now, the combination of our Indian operations that have been in place for over 10 years and Celfrost makes us the leading platform for servicing chains in that market.
- Analyst
A quarter ago, Selim, you talked about intending to consolidate your three bakery food processing businesses. What kind of trend timeframe are you thinking about in terms of doing that?
- Chairman and CEO
We have started the process, there has been some movement between our three baking platforms. I think it would be in full swing, we should see the benefit of that most probably in the fourth quarter of 2014. Basically, you'll see some benefits of it in 2014 and full benefit in 2015.
We will travel to million dollars initiatives and cost, so we will see some of that in the fourth quarter of 2014 and most of it in the first and second quarter of 2015. We're talking, this will drive multi-million dollars - it's a multi-million dollar initiative in cost. We'll see some of it in the fourth quarter of 2014 and most of it in the first and second quarter of -- 2015.
- Analyst
How big is that bakery sector in terms of revenues? Is that is $65 million or $70 million business now or much different than that?
- CFO
It's about $50 million to $70 million is kind of the range.
- Analyst
Your warning about fourth quarter comparisons on the Commercial Food Service side and the Food Processing side, you gave the same warning a quarter ago and you had a sequential increase in organic growth. Here you're citing a 30% year ago pop in organic sales on the Food Processing side in the fourth quarter, but in the third quarter a year ago, organic sales were up 40%. And I'm wondering, is anything new, or why should we take these warnings seriously?
- Chairman and CEO
I can answer that briefly. First, we were overlapping the Chili's basically and we were able to overcome the remaining of the Chili's order, of the Brinker order, of $10 million. We were able to offset that and luckily the timing of the waterless steamer rollout offset that.
What is different in the fourth quarter is we basically picked up a turnkey project of food processing, which is, at that time, was over $50 million, which came into the fourth quarter. It's much bigger and the timeframe of that rollout or that installation is a lot shorter, so it was much more condensed than the Brinker rollout, which basically took 18 months to occur. So, basically -- I understand what everybody is saying, okay, are we sandbagging here? Maybe that's a good word to say that, it's not true.
It's all timing. We were concerned about the Chili's ending and we were able to get a rollout with our waterless steamers that offset that. We're talking about offsetting $10 million. In the fourth quarter, it's difficult to offset $50 million that's rolled out basically fourth quarter and first quarter of 2015; a much greater installation and that's where I think we're having a serious warning for the fourth quarter, in terms of being able to overlap that installation.
It's basically timing. I'm not saying that fundamentally we see anything wrong, it's just a timing issue as we've seen a big order come in, in basically two quarters.
- CFO
Tony, just to somewhat repeat and further that, some of that rollout was the wireless steamer, but there was a few others as well. They accelerated into the third quarter. They were kind of pulled in. I think we didn't expected that was going to rollout so rapidly, so I think that was on Commercial Food Service.
The warning we gave on food processing was on the second half as a whole, as we knew it was going to start to ramp down as we exited Q3 into Q4. Q4 is where we really get (inaudible - multiple speakers)
- Chairman and CEO
Tony, I need to hit on something more important that Tim just mentioned. The two rollouts that we just did having to do with waterless steamer and dry well, the success of how well those technologies have been accepted by our customers, in that case two different customers, have basically expedited the rollout.
They were enamored and so excited about the results, not only in terms of saving, but also in the quality of the food that the rollout took place. We were supposed to rollout the waterless steamer literally through the first quarter of 2015 and it got so expedited because they loved the results.
- Analyst
Are there additional customers you had signed up for waterless steamers?
- Chairman and CEO
We just presented it. Remember, it's a technology that was developed and worked with a specific seafood chain and we just basically launched it to the general market. Initially, as you've always done, we always wanted to have a large customer attached to our technology, so we've worked with that customer to tweak and make sure it works.
They are a large user of steamers and we made sure that it worked for them. As we rolled out -- in fact, we could not take another customer on the waterless steamer because they expedited the orders and the installations. I think you'll see a significant response.
I just mentioned, I just came back from the show in Milan, the HOST show, which is held every two years. The waterless steamer was the hot topic, especially in emerging markets where drains and water are difficult, the water quality is very bad and many people shy away from using steam. And they steam because the product, menu offering demands steam and they were excited about that waterless steamer.
We had people in line to watch it. The other thing that we exhibited, which we did not exhibit with that specific chain, that we did in the US, which was mostly seafood and vegetable, were able to demonstrate at the show, steaming rice with no water. It was amazing.
People saw dry rice being steamed without water and coming up to phenomenal rice quality. We basically demonstrated different types of rice. We demonstrated basmati rice, we demonstrated long grain rice, like the Uncle Ben's, we demonstrated European rice, and Chinese rice, which is sticky rice. People were amazed by all the different types of rice that we demonstrated at the show.
- Analyst
Tim, you indicated that organic growth for Food Processing year-over-year would be lower in the fourth quarter, is that right?
- CFO
That's correct.
Operator
Joel Tiss, BMO Capital Markets.
- Analyst
It's actually Richard Carlson in for Joel. Congratulations on a great quarter. Just an easy question from us, we're just looking at the balance sheet and I guess this is more of a working capital-type question, but it seems like typically, your inventories and accounts receivable peak in the third quarter. I just want to see how that jump is now that we're on a normalized basis and how you see it finishing the year?
- CFO
That's right, it usually peaks in the third quarter. I would expect to see some of the same trends, although as we're making the distribution changes with Viking, there are still continuing investments there. As we own more of our own distribution, we'll have more inventory that's out there in our own warehouses in the field. That is some of an offsetting impact that we'll probably continue to see, which is a little bit difficult to predict exactly the impact of that right now.
- Analyst
All right. So, there's a chance it won't completely fall off in the fourth quarter, as we normally would see, so it could carry over a little bit into next year?
- CFO
That's correct.
- Analyst
Okay, great. Thank you so much.
Operator
Greg Halter, Great Lakes Review.
- Analyst
Regarding the distribution change, any distributors purchased in the third quarter?
- CFO
Yes, there was two additional markets that were added in the third quarter.
- Analyst
How many more do you have to address before the end of the year? I guess that's your goal?
- CFO
We're focused on the East Coast of the US right now. We're essentially from the Midwest, Chicago, Dallas, on through the Western part of the United States. That's all run through Viking-owned distribution now, so we're kind of focused on the Eastern part of the country now.
- Analyst
Okay. Your debt levels have come down significantly from the second quarter and the first quarter. Just wondered what the Outlook is for debt going forward?
- CFO
We continue to generate a lot of cash flow, so I would expect that we would continue to have debt repayment in the fourth quarter, barring any other acquisition-type activities. The cash flow in the second half of the year is typically stronger than the first half, which is even probably more accentuated this year, given that we had a lot of working capital investments related to Viking this year. Although we continue to make investments there, as I mentioned on a previous question, we'll probably see on the other piece of the business, working capital levels start to come down a little bit, so we should still have a pretty good fourth quarter cash flow.
- Analyst
When do you expect to file your 10-Q?
- CFO
That'll be filed at the end of the day on Thursday.
- Analyst
Any thoughts on additional opportunities on the acquisition side?
- CFO
As a general question, the pipeline remains strong. We're focused on acquisitions in really all three business segments. We see good opportunities in Commercial Food Service, Food Processing and we're obviously working on distributor acquisitions, but also developing a pipeline there of other complementary brands and products.
- Analyst
Okay. I know you have your own new products in Viking, which we saw at the investor day. I believe Thermador, I think that's who it is, has been having full-page ads in the New York Times, I don't know if you've seen those, maybe other papers. How would you view that? Is that their response to your new products to just make sure they're out there? What's going on in that regard?
- Chairman and CEO
I will answer that, Greg. Viking is the leader in cooking, there is no doubt. Even before we bought the Company, Viking created that segment, and I will tell you that when you think about Viking in terms of cooking, specifically in ranges and ovens and cooktop, they have a fantastic position.
I had a chance to visit many of our dealers overseas. I just came back on Sunday and I visited many, many of our distributors overseas. The excitement about Viking has come alive with the acquisition. The reason has been the fact that Middleby is known to be innovative. Middleby is known to be very strong on customer service. I don't think that we are affected by what the competition is doing. I think Viking has its own place.
People will know Viking brand and in addition, I think the technology that is associated with Middleby, we've been at this game for a long time. I will tell you that one of the things that I've heard from distributors, as their customers have come back to ask for Viking, it had a lot to do with Middleby acquisition. Think about us today, Middleby has very strict adherence to quality. A customer, like a pizza chain, will rely on our oven. If that oven is down, they can't make pizza, they can't bake pizzas, period. They can sell cokes and sodas, but they can't make pizzas.
Literally, what we brought is a huge discipline on quality that Middleby has established over the years in a much stricter environment. I will give the example of Starbucks. If our TurboChef oven goes down or at 7-11, they're out of business for breakfast, or Subway, they can't toast sandwiches. So the question has been, literally, how do we take our discipline and embrace it at Viking? That has been very well welcomed by our customers.
I think our competitors now have become maybe aware, I don't know if that's a stretch to respond to us or not, but at this moment, we're very excited about Viking. The brand is strong. I've been out there meeting with the distributors and getting them very excited about all the technology. They understand the Middleby No Quibble Warranty, which has been now established out on the West Coast with Viking. We're very excited about that brand and its potential.
- Analyst
Sounds good. I wonder if you could give a quick word on what's happening with the test kitchens and some of the chains that you've been working with, as well as the new products. Thanks.
- Chairman and CEO
We continue to work with many, many chains on many, many platforms. I think our innovation, going from waterless steamer to dry well to ventless to kitchen of the future to hydrovection to 30-second toaster, to name just a few. I can keep on going and going and going.
I think all of those technologies are being tested. I think our test kitchen, our labs are busy. We're testing a lot. I can answer telling you that every almost restaurant in 2013 has thrived to update their menu offerings and raising average check through product mix rather than price increases, which makes Middleby in the heart of this.
A better menu, in order to raise your average check through product mix because they can't raise price. Everybody's looking at that and they are working with us to look at menu offerings that are consistent, that are fast, and they don't take much labor. Because as you increase the kitchen, think of it as a factory.
You keep on adding SKUs in that kitchen, it becomes very complex, especially if you're a chain of 200 stores, 500 stores, 1,000 stores, or 5,000 stores. That's where Middleby continues to work with many, many on introducing concept that reduce labor, improve speed, and improve quality.
Operator
Schon Williams, BB&T Capital Markets.
- Analyst
Congratulations on the quarter. Maybe just a quick housekeeping question, Tim, since we don't have the Q, could you just give the EBIT margins or the EBITDA margins by segment?
- CFO
The EBITDA margins overall were about 22%. As I mentioned with Viking, we were at 18% for the quarter. Commercial Food Service was in the 26% range and Food Processing was in the 16% to 17% range.
- Analyst
That's helpful. Bigger picture here, I wondered if you could talk a little bit about what's happening with some of the Western QSRs in Asia right now. There have been a couple of missteps, and even one customer talking about pulling back a little bit in Asia. Can you just give us an update on where you see that market near-term, and then more medium-to long-term?
- Chairman and CEO
I can answer that question. What happened, Schon, in that market is the fact that there has been unreliable suppliers of chicken, let's call it of protein, because it's not only chicken. What happened, it's affected some of our customers. It's not the fault of the restaurant or the operator of the chain.
Certainly there has not been much regulation legislation of those markets the way we have in the Western world, in terms of legislating the food chain, food supply. That's a great opportunity for us because on the Food Processing side, we're seeing significant interest in a food processor or our customers asking their supplier to look at better food safety in the way they are, whether handling the chicken or handling the meat or the pork. I think that's going to be a good interest for us because we are parting with some of our customers who have faced significant supply challenges to work with their suppliers.
In many instances, for example, in Thailand, we just had worked with several large food processors to upgrade their food safety in purchasing new equipment so they can go back and become a strong contender for those US chains and say, listen, I'm certified, I'm using Western equipment, I'm using similar equipment that a Smithfield or Maple Leaf or a Hormel or Kraft will use in the United States. That has been a big boon for us for Food Processing in those emerging markets.
What's going to happen in the long-term? I think Asia will continue and not only Asia. I think across India, I think the chains, both US and local chains, will continue thriving. I think unit expansion will continue. I don't see that abating at all.
I think what happened in China was specifically a little bit of a setback, but I think I see no pullback. I would be surprised if there is any pullback in Asia or in the Middle East. I just visited the Middle East after I had been in Europe, and I have to tell you, you see not only any more QSR, you're seeing traditional casual dining being welcomed. I was just there, a Cheesecake Factory has just opened up in Dubai, opened up, I think, in Kuwait, and now opening up in Lebanon. PF Chang's just opened in Lebanon.
It's exciting to see. Just to let you know, when I was visiting the Middle East, those chains are packed. People are waiting 45 minutes, an hour; similar to the way people used to wait in the heydays here on getting into a casual dining chain is happening in the emerging markets.
- Analyst
That's good color, thank you. Could we go back to the Celfrost acquisition? I'm still having a tough time wrapping my head around it. It's the cold side of the kitchen, a product line that you haven't traditionally been involved with. When I hear some of your competitors talking about walk-in freezers, they don't seem as excited as you are. Can you help me understand, is there is something about the product mix at Celfrost or something about that geography, the emerging market opportunity that's different than some of the traditional competitors out there?
- CFO
Schon, Celfrost is a leader in India. This was primarily a strategy to become the leader in that market. They're very strong with the US chains, as well as the local chains. They've got 15 sales offices throughout India and their products are highly complementary to our cooking products. When we think, in that market, cold is a good strategic play alongside hot, so we really can penetrate our customers further in a fast-growing market.
We want to be the market leader there and I think that's really the primary strategy. Opportunistically, those products have a good fit in other emerging markets. We mentioned the Middle East, for example. We do see the strategy that we're going to implement having some carryover into other markets as well.
- Analyst
Housekeeping question, the $13 million that you mentioned on the SG&A side, acquisition-related, barring any more acquisition activity in Q4, does that go away, or do we still have a little bit of a lingering effect?
- CFO
The increase is driven by the acquisitions we bought, so it's kind of incremental just because of the business operations we have. We would continue to have a run rate that would be similar in Q4 to Q3.
- Analyst
That's helpful. Thanks a lot, guys.
Operator
We have run out of time for any additional questions. I would like to turn the conference back to Management for any concluding remarks.
- Chairman and CEO
Thank you.
Again, as you've been part of the Middleby family for a long time, both as an investor, or as an analyst, as a shareholder, or if you're new to the story, Middleby is no ordinary industrial company. We are a high-tech firm with focus on energy, speed, ventless, and water saving. Our customers are unlikely to abandon products like our TurboChef ovens, our Blodgett hydrovection, our Alcar RapidPak processing equipment, once they are convinced they actually enhance their food preparation and saves them a lot of money.
We're taking that same high-tech approach to Viking. As we have basically purchased Viking for the last 10 months, we have worked with their engineering team to produce innovation that creates a virtuous cycle in which consumers are curious about new products and retailers and happy to see them come through their doors. As we are launching over 50 new products in 2014, our retailers and our distributors will have had a chance to pick up on those new products have become very excited.
Let's talk about innovation, among many projects, it has a potential to be a game changer is our IMC waste management. It's taking food waste and turning it into compost or biofuel, basically pellets, at an affordable cost with a payback of less than 14 months.
The other project that we started 2011 was to address water usage and water consumption. The food and beverage sector is a huge user of water and also one of the first segments to invest in water footprinting. Our dry well technology and our waterless steamers are just two examples of our push into investing in a basic natural resource such as water. If you remember, in 2000, we were the first to address utilities, meaning gas and electrical consumption, and we became the leaders in energy savings. We are, today, a leader in cooking equipment that basically reduces water consumption.
The [cert] initiative is to integrate several of our patented technologies to work together. What is unique is our waterless steamer is also ventless. Our two-minute pizza oven is also ventless. Our dry well is also ventless. We see the emerging markets as a principal driver of opportunities in those technologies.
As I mentioned, I just came back from the Milan show and we just started showing those technologies. It was exciting to see local chains and Western chains in markets such as UK, France, Germany, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, India, markets as far as Malaysia got so excited about our technologies.
Talking about emerging markets, Middleby already generates over 26% of its revenues from outside the US, and this is growing at double-digit growth. With the acquisition of Celfrost in India and our opening of our Brazilian office, and our Philippines and China manufacturing, and UK and Germany and France and Denmark and Australia, we have a best in class international footprint among any food service or food processing company.
This platform will provide strong future growth. We also see Viking benefiting greatly of our Middleby worldwide infrastructure. What's happening to our customers? In 2013, our chain customers faced strong headwinds from food costs, beef and seafood inflation, labor costs, and some uncertainty in the marketplace given some legislation that were enacted in 2013 and 2012. As I mentioned, many of our chain customers are updating their menu offerings and raising the average check through product mix and not through price increases.
The fast casual segment, where we have a leadership position, continues its unit expansion, both in the US and overseas. I believe that in 2014, our restaurant customers will face better years than 2013 in the US. The restaurant industry will gain in both traffic and ticket. Internationally, the restaurant industry will continue to aggressively open stores in emerging markets. I can assure you that most restaurants today are making technology investments in their back kitchen to reduce labor, to provide consistency, quality, and speed to table.
The other thing that I've seen is a trend where people are saying, similar to the Brinker, allow me to automate my kitchen so I can move people from the kitchen to the front of the house so I can improve my service levels to my customers in the front of the house. That's becoming pervasive through many casual dining chains that have approached us, to emulate what Brinker has done -- is take people out of the back and put them in the front to service their customers even better.
This ends my comments and thank you for attending our earnings call conference. Thank you.
Operator
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your participation in today's conference. This does conclude the program and you may now disconnect. Everyone have a good day.