010113 Wendy's Same-Store Sales Up 2.6%January 7, 2001New York - No. 3 U.S. burger chain Wendy's International Inc. said preliminary sales for U.S. stores open at least a year rose 2.6% in December from a year earlier. The Dublin, Ohio-based company, which also runs Tim Hortons restaurants in Canada, still expects to report earnings per share growth of 17% to 19% in 2000, before the results of closing restaurants in Argentina. Wendy earned $1.26 per share in 1999, excluding asset gains. Wendy's long-term goal for earnings-per- share growth continues to be in the 12% to 15% range. For its company-operated restaurants in the United States, fourth-quarter same-store sales grew by 3.2% versus a 6.4% increase in the same quarter a year ago. The company and its franchisees opened 545 new restaurants systemwide in 2000, exceeding the previously stated goal of opening 500 to 520 new units systemwide for the year.
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