Panera Bread Company Issues Q3 2011 EPS Guidance Above Analysts' Estimates; Issues Q4 2011 EPS Guidance Below Analysts' Estimates; Raises FY 2011 EPS Guidance

Panera Bread Company announced that for the third quarter of 2011, it expects earnings per diluted share (EPS) of $0.92 to $0.94 versus $0.75 per diluted share in the third quarter of fiscal 2010. For the fourth quarter of 2011, it expects earnings per diluted share in the range of $1.35 to $1.37, versus $1.21 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, which implies diluted earnings per share growth of 12% to 13%. The third and fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 diluted earnings per share targets includes comparable Net Bakery-Cafe Sales Growth. The Company also announced that for fiscal 2011, it is raising its targeted earnings per diluted share to $4.54 to $4.58. According to I/B/E/S Estimates, analysts were expecting the Company to report EPS of $0.91 for the third quarter of 2011; EPS of $1.39 for the fourth quarter of 2011 and EPS of $4.55 for fiscal 2011.