Kura Sushi USA (KRUS) The 38th Annual Roth Conference summary

Recent performance and trends

• Positive momentum in comps and traffic continued through calendar 2026, with strong results in November, December, and into January and February.

• Promotions, especially IP collaborations like Kirby and Sanrio, contributed to performance, but improvements are also attributed to macro factors and enhancements in the reservation system.

• Traffic gains are broad-based geographically, with some differences due to timing of infills.

• Value perception is increasing, with pricing power supported by customer survey data and competitive positioning against local sushi restaurants.

• Effective pricing actions resulted in a 4.5% increase, mainly on sushi plates, with 1% rolling off in June.

Growth strategy and unit expansion

• Confident in maintaining 20% annual unit growth for the foreseeable future, with strong new unit performance.

• Current restaurant model is working well, with size variations from 1,600 to 7,000 sq ft; considering two-lane layouts for smaller markets.

• Smaller units in metropolitan areas are high performers and may see renewed focus post-COVID.

Financial management and capital allocation

• Ended Q1 with approximately $75 million in cash and a $100 million shelf filed; no urgency to raise capital, with a 1.5–2 year cash runway.

• Integrated financial systems provide daily data for operators, with potential ERP implementation considered in the next few years.