What was the total amount of Hardees' advertising funds expense for the fiscal year 2024?
Hardees Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Long-term debt, less current portion | | 1,112,394 | | 1,108,022 | | Finance leases, less current portion | | 21,279 | | 23,370 | | Operating leases, less current portion | | 338,608 | | 366,233 | | Deferred income tax liabilities, net | | 159,524 | | 171,393 | | Other long-term liabilities | | 246,968 | | 263,631 | | Total liabilities | | 2,061,428 | | 2,121,083 | | Commitments and contingencies (Notes 8, 9, 10 and 14) | | | | | | Equity: | | | | | | Common stock, $0.01 par value; 100 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2025 and 2024 | | _ | | | | Additional paid-in capital | | 736,970 | | 736,438 | | Accumulated deficit | | (564,357) | | (495,148) | | Accumulated other comprehensive loss | | (504,557) $(55)$ | | (1,157) | | Total equity | | 172,558 | | 240,133 | | Total liabilities and equity | | 2,233,986 | $ | 2,361,216 | | rotal natimites and equity | . Ψ | 4,433,960 | Ψ | 4,501,410 |
CKE RESTAURANTS HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands)
| Fiscal 2025 | Fiscal 2024 |
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Source: Item 21 — Financial Statements (FDD pages 84–85)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the total advertising funds expense for the fiscal year 2024 was $184,744. This figure represents the expenses related to advertising and marketing programs shared between company-operated and franchised Hardees restaurants. These contributions are typically determined as a percentage of revenue.
For a prospective Hardees franchisee, this number is important for understanding the scale of advertising investment made by the franchise system. It demonstrates the financial commitment Hardees makes to support brand awareness and attract customers. Franchisees should consider this expense in relation to their own revenue projections to assess the potential return on investment from advertising efforts.
It's also worth noting that advertising contributions are generally determined based on a percentage of revenue, meaning that as a franchisee's revenue grows, so will their contribution to the advertising fund. This model ensures that advertising investment scales with the growth of the franchise system. The FDD also indicates that advertising costs for company-operated restaurants' contributions to the Advertising Funds is eliminated in consolidation.