Red Robin beats estimates in 4Q; shares soar

The company's results topped Wall Street expectations. Its shares soared nearly 19 percent Tuesday.

Red Robin earned $6.5 million, or 45 cents per share, for the period that ended Dec. 30. That's compared with $2.9 million, or 20 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of the prior year. After excluding charges for debt refinancing and other one-time items, it earned 59 cents per share, up from 28 cents per share a year earlier.

The company's total revenue increased nearly 17 percent to $240.7 million from $206 million, with a boost from an extra week in the most recent quarter.

Analysts polled by FactSet expected the company to earn 46 cents per share on revenue of $235.1 million.

Red Robin CEO Steve Carley said Red Robin outpaced the industry for customer growth.

The company said revenue from its company-owned stores open at least a year increased 1.4 percent. This is considered a key measure of financial performance because it strips away the impact of recently opened and closed stores. As of the end of the quarter, there were 339 company-owned Red Robin restaurants.