Mister Car Wash - 10-K annual report 2023

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

OR

Commission File Number 001-40542

Mister Car Wash, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (520) 615-4000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing price of the shares of common stock on The New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2023, was $855,722,734.

The number of shares of registrant’s common stock outstanding as of February 15, 2024 was 315,472,253.

MISTER CAR WASH, INC.

INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of present and historical facts contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including without limitation, statements regarding our intent, belief and expectations about our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and approach are forward-looking. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “vision,” or “should,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. However, the absence of these words or similar terminology does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to us. Such beliefs and assumptions may or may not prove to be correct. Additionally, such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, those identified in Part I. Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and in Part II. Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as guarantees of future performance. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Any forward-looking statement that we make in this Annual Report on Form 10-K speaks only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless otherwise stated or the context requires otherwise, references to “Mister Car Wash,” “Mister,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to Mister Car Wash, Inc. and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Market and Industry Data

This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes estimates regarding market and industry data that we prepared based on management’s knowledge and experience in the markets in which we operate, together with information obtained from various sources, including publicly available information, industry reports and publications, surveys, our customers, distributors, suppliers, trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by management upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets which we believe to be reasonable. In presenting this information, we have made certain assumptions that we believe to be reasonable based on such data and other similar sources and on our knowledge of, and our experience to date in, the markets for the services we offer. Market share data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations inherent in any statistical survey of market shares. In addition, customer preferences are subject to change. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market share data. References herein to the markets in which we conduct our business refer to the geographic metropolitan areas in which we operate our locations.

PART I

Item 1. Business

Who We Are

Mister Car Wash, Inc. is the largest national car wash brand, primarily offering express exterior cleaning services, with interior cleaning services at select locations, across 476 car wash locations in 21 states, as of December 31, 2023. Founded in 1996, we employ an efficient, repeatable and scalable process, which we call the “Mister Experience,” to deliver a clean, dry and shiny car every time. The core pillars of the “Mister Experience” are providing the highest quality car wash and ensuring the experience is quick and convenient. We offer a monthly subscription program, Unlimited Wash Club ® ("UWC"), as a flexible, quick and convenient option for customers to keep their cars clean.

Our purpose is simple: Inspire People to Shine®. This starts with our people. We attract and retain a pool of talent by investing in their training and development through our specialized programs and our MisterLearn training platform that allows us to develop and promote entry-level team members to leadership roles. As a result, our team members are highly engaged and deliver memorable experiences to our customers. We have proven our people-first approach is scalable and has enabled us to develop a world class team, comprised of both internally developed talent and external hires from top service organizations. We believe our purpose-driven culture is critical to our success.

We believe Mister Car Wash offers an affordable, feel-good experience, enjoyed by all who value a clean, dry and shiny car. As we grow and to serve the approximately 290 million registered vehicles in the United States as of the end of 2023, we are dedicated to putting our team members first and delivering a consistent, convenient and high-quality car wash experience at scale.

Products and Services

Our car wash locations consist of two formats: (a) Express Exterior Locations (406 locations as of December 31, 2023) and (b) Interior Cleaning Locations (70 locations as of December 31, 2023). All locations offer express exterior wash packages and have exterior-only lanes. Every wash includes our T3 Cleaning Conditioner, Wheel Cleaner, and Dynamic Dry system.

Express Exterior Locations

Express Exterior Locations offer self-drive exterior cleaning services and include free vacuums available for customer use. Customers purchase a wash or sign-up for a UWC membership through sales kiosks or assisted by team members and remain in their vehicle through the tunnel and wash process. Customers have the option to use free self-serve vacuums at any time before or after their exterior wash.

Interior Cleaning Locations

Interior Cleaning Locations offer exterior and interior cleaning services, including vacuuming by our team members. Customers purchase a wash or sign-up for a UWC membership through sales kiosks or assisted by team members and either remain in their vehicle through the tunnel and wash process or wait in the lobby. Customers who purchase interior cleaning services have their vehicles vacuumed and cleaned by Mister team members.

Our Customers

We serve a diverse mix of customers, which include individual retail customers and UWC Members, which include both retail and corporate customers. Given the broad appeal of our services, we have a wide variety of customers spanning a broad set of demographics. The portfolio of cars serviced across our locations is diverse and represents a balance across new and old cars and across all vehicle price points. Our customer service, convenient locations and easy-to-manage membership programs have helped position our locations as the “go-to” destinations for our customers’ car wash needs.

Markets

We are the largest national car wash brand and have developed extensive resources and capabilities over our 25-year history. Our scale, consistency of operations at every location and culture of continuous improvement have allowed us to develop an efficient and high-quality customer experience with every wash.

We believe our key differentiators include our unified national brand, robust training & development programs which generate a talent pipeline, dedicated regional support infrastructure, sophisticated technology and proprietary product formulation, and strategic market density "network effect".

Key Growth Drivers

Grow Our UWC Members to Drive Predictable Earnings Growth and Higher Annual Customer Spend

We believe there is an opportunity to continue to grow UWC penetration in core, acquired and greenfield locations. In 2023, we increased overall UWC penetration from 68% to 71% of total wash sales. We estimate that the average UWC Member spends more than four times the retail car wash consumer, providing us an opportunity to increase our sales as penetration increases. At both new greenfield and acquired locations, we have developed proven processes for growing UWC membership per location.

Build Upon Our Established Success in Opening Greenfield Locations

During 2023, we successfully opened 35 greenfield locations and expect to lead our future location growth through greenfield locations. We have developed a process for opening new greenfield locations, from site selection to post-opening local marketing initiatives, which has driven our greenfield performance consistently over time. We plan to continue to invest in this part of our growth strategy and have a development pipeline for future locations in existing and adjacent markets nationwide.

Pursue Opportunistic Acquisitions in Highly Fragmented Industry

We will continue to employ a disciplined approach to acquisitions, carefully selecting locations that meet our criteria for a potential Mister Car Wash site. We have a track record of location growth through acquisitions and have a process for integrating acquired locations, which includes a variety of upgrades to each location that has led to the successful integration of over 100 acquisitions during our history.

Drive Scale Efficiencies and Robust Free Cash Flow Generation

We will continue to utilize our scale to drive operating leverage as our business grows. As we open and acquire new locations and maximize throughput at our existing locations through our ongoing focus on operational excellence, we believe we will have an opportunity to generate meaningful efficiencies of scale.

Marketing

We lead with a unified national brand across our entire footprint. To acquire, convert and retain our customers at a local level, we use a mix of traditional and digital marketing tactics and channels to emphasize our convenient, easy, and high-quality wash experience.

Competitive Conditions

The car wash industry is fragmented, and we compete with a variety of operators including national, regional and local independent car wash operators, and gasoline and convenience retailers that also offer car washes. We believe our scale allows us to compete effectively due to our convenience, quality, price, and service.

Resources

Our Proprietary Products and Advanced Technology

Our research and development team is responsible for car wash processes, equipment and technology improvements. The team tests new products, formulations, processes and ideas in select markets before rolling out improvements and changes across the broader platform. Through continuous research and development, Mister Car Wash has

formulated a balanced wash process that factors in conveyor length, line speed, water quality, mechanical equipment, ambient temperature and soil conditions.

Suppliers and Distribution

We maintain long-term relationships with our key vendors. We believe our scale and large volume purchases provide us leverage in securing competitive pricing. Our key purchases include car wash equipment and parts and wash chemicals.

While we maintain a limited stock of parts and supplies for repairs and maintenance, most equipment, chemicals, and other supplies are purchased on an as-needed basis, which generally are shipped directly from the vendors to our locations. We have deep industry knowledge and maintain relationships with previous and prospective vendors to quickly address issues that may arise with our current supply chain.

In 2018, we entered into an agreement with a supplier of a comprehensive suite of hardware, software, and management systems for our car wash locations which better track our membership and customer loyalty programs, streamline our operations and enhance our ability to track costs.

Intellectual Property and Trademarks

We own intellectual property, including patents, patent applications, technology, trade secrets, know-how and trademarks in the United States and internationally. As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 56 trademark registrations and applications, including registrations for “Mister Car Wash,” “Hotshine,” “Mister Hotshine” and “Unlimited Wash Club,” and held one U.S. patent, one foreign patent and one pending U.S. patent application. Our issued patents are expected to expire between 2024 and 2025. We have also registered the Internet domain name: “mistercarwash.com”.

We believe that our trademarks and other proprietary rights are important to our success and our competitive position, and, therefore, we devote resources to the protection of our trademarks and proprietary rights. However, we believe that no single patent, trademark or intellectual property asset is material in relation to our business as a whole.

Seasonality

As a result of our presence in certain markets that are subject to seasonal weather patterns, some of our business is seasonal. However, our 21-state geographic diversity typically limits the weather impacts of a specific region on overall performance. Additionally, we do experience a majority of sales of UWC memberships during the first six months of the year.

Human Capital

We are centered around our purpose of Inspiring People to Shine, and that starts with our team members. To recruit and retain the most qualified team members in the industry, we focus on treating our team members well by paying them competitive wages, offering them attractive benefit packages, offering robust training and development opportunities, and providing an operational support infrastructure with opportunities for upward mobility. We believe engaged employees are more productive, are more likely to have a positive impact on other employees around them and are more likely to deliver great customer service.

Team Members

We continually focus our efforts on refining our staffing model to ensure our wash locations run as efficiently as possible. This will allow us to continue our focus on competitive wages and benefits as well as investing in the training and development of our team members. We invest in the training and development of our team members through our specialized programs and our MisterLearn training platform that allows us to develop and promote entry-level team members to leadership roles. As a result, our team members are highly engaged and deliver memorable experiences to our customers. Through these efforts, we expect to build strength in our bench of future leaders while increasing retention and diversity.

As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 6,600 team members, which is a 4% increase from the prior year. This increase was primarily due to adding 40 net locations throughout the year.

Environmental Matters & Other Governmental Regulation

We are subject to various laws and regulations, including those governing labor and employment including minimum wages and paid sick time, workplace safety, employee and public health, consumer protection, recurring debit and credit card charges, information security, consumer protection, data privacy, marketing and advertising, environmental protection and compliance, including recycling, waste and water usage, zoning and land use, taxation and public company compliance. We monitor changes in these laws and believe that we are in material compliance with applicable laws.

We are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to ownership and operation of underground storage tanks; the release or discharge of regulated materials into the air, water and soil; the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of regulated materials, including wastes; the exposure of persons to hazardous materials; remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater; and the health and safety of employees dedicated to such transportation and storage activities.

Environmental laws and regulations can restrict or impact our business activities in many ways, such as:

Compliance with existing laws, rules, and regulations has not historically had a material impact on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. With respect to acquired locations, we conduct due diligence regarding potential exposure to environmental liabilities and overall regulatory compliance but cannot be certain that we have identified or will identify all adverse environmental conditions or non-compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

For further discussion, see Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Governmental Regulation – Our locations are subject to certain environmental laws and regulations.”

Available Information

Our website address is www.mistercarwash.com. We post, and stockholders may access without charge, our recent filings and any amendments to our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and our Proxy Statement as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

We may use our website as a distribution channel of material information about the Company. Financial and other important information regarding the Company is routinely posted on and accessible through the Investor Relations sections of its website at https://ir.mistercarwash.com.

The reference to the Company's or other websites herein does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on or available through our website, and you should not consider such information to be a part of this Form 10-K.

The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us, at http://www.sec.gov.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. The risks described below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations in future periods.

Risks Related to Our Business

Global economic conditions, including inflation and supply chain disruptions, could adversely affect our operations.

General global economic downturns and macroeconomic trends, including heightened inflation, capital market volatility, interest rate fluctuations, and economic slowdown or recession, may result in unfavorable conditions that could negatively affect demand for our services and exacerbate some of the other risks that affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Domestic markets experienced significant inflationary pressures in fiscal year 2023. In addition, in fiscal year 2023 the Federal Reserve in the U.S. raised interest rates in response to concerns about inflation, which, coupled with reduced government spending and volatility in financial markets, had the effect of further increasing economic uncertainty and heightening these risks. Interest rate increases or other government actions taken to reduce inflation could also result in recessionary pressures. Additionally, these risks which are beyond our control, could adversely affect operating costs and administrative expenses such as wages, benefits, supplies and inventory costs, legal claims, insurance costs and borrowing costs. Any such increase could reduce our sales and profit margins if we do not choose, or are unable, to pass the increased costs to our customers.

Furthermore, consumer purchases of car washes decline during periods when economic or market conditions are unstable or weak. Reduced consumer confidence and spending cutbacks may result in reduced demand for our services, which could result in lost sales. Reduced demand also may require increased selling and promotional expenses, thereby impacting our profitability. Prolonged or pervasive economic downturns could slow the pace of new greenfield openings, reduce comparable sales or cause us to close certain locations, which could have a material negative impact on our financial performance.

We may be unable to sustain or increase demand for our UWC subscription program, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and rate of growth.

Because our UWC subscription program accounted for 71% of our total wash sales in 2023, our continued business and revenue growth is largely dependent on our ability to continue to attract and retain UWC Members. We may not be successful, however, in continuing to grow the number of UWC Members on a net basis from period to period and our membership levels may decline.

UWC Members can cancel their membership at any time and may decide to cancel or forego memberships due to any number of reasons, including increased prices for UWC membership or for our services, quality issues with our services, harm to our reputation or brand, seasonal usage, or individuals’ personal economic pressures. Increasing governmental regulation of automatically renewing subscription programs may negatively impact our marketing of this program. A decline in the number of UWC Members could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If we fail to acquire, open and operate new locations in a timely and cost-effective manner or fail to successfully enter new markets, our financial performance could be materially and adversely affected.

Our growth strategy depends on growing our location base, both through greenfield expansion and acquisitions, in existing and new geographic regions and operating our new locations successfully. Our ability to execute our growth strategy on favorable terms and successfully operate new locations may be exposed to significant risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

The realization of any of the above risks could significantly and adversely affect our ability to meet our financial expectations, our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, the market price of our common stock, and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations. We cannot assure you that our growth strategy will be successful, or that such expansion will be completed in the time frames or at the costs we estimate.

In addition, there can be no assurance that newly opened or acquired locations will achieve sales or profitability levels comparable to those of our existing locations in the time periods estimated by us, or at all. In instances where new or acquired locations are geographically proximate to existing locations, such locations may also adversely impact the comparable store sales growth of our existing car wash locations. Changes in areas around our locations or to the adjacent streets that reduce car traffic or otherwise render the locations unsuitable, could cause our sales to decline or otherwise be less than expected. If our locations fail to achieve, or are unable to sustain, acceptable total sales and profitability levels, our business may be materially and adversely affected, and we may incur significant costs associated with the early closure of such locations. Our plans to accelerate the growth of our location base may increase this risk.

If we are unable to compete successfully against other companies and operators in our industry, we may lose customers and market share and our revenues may decline.

The car wash industry is fragmented, and we compete with a variety of operators. We believe customers consider a number of competitive factors, including name and brand recognition, location, price, product availability and customer service.

In addition, our reputation is critical to our continued success. If we fail to maintain high standards for, or receive negative publicity relating to, customer service or quality, as well as our integrity and reputation, we could lose customers to our competition.

Competition may also require us to reduce our prices, alter current service offerings, or change some of our current operating strategies. If we do not have the resources, expertise and consistent execution, or otherwise fail to develop successful strategies, to address these potential competitive disadvantages, we may lose customers and market share, and our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategies on a timely basis or at all.

We believe that maintaining and enhancing our reputation and brand recognition are critical to our relationships with existing customers and our ability to attract new customers. The promotion of our brand may require us to make substantial investments and we anticipate that, as our market becomes increasingly competitive, these marketing initiatives may become increasingly difficult and expensive. Our marketing activities may not be successful or yield increased revenue, and to the extent that these activities yield increased revenue, the increased revenue may not offset the expenses we incur, and our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

In addition, any factor that diminishes our reputation or that of our management, including failing to meet the expectations of our customers, could make it substantially more difficult for us to attract new customers. The marked increase in the use of social media platforms that provide individuals with access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons results in the opportunity for dissemination of information, including inaccurate information. Information posted may be averse to our interests or inaccurate, each of which may harm our performance, prospects or business. The harm may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.

If we do not successfully maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition with our customers, our business may not grow and we could lose our relationships with customers, which would materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to a number of risks and regulations related to credit card and debit card payments we accept.

Our customers pay for our services using a variety of different payment methods, including credit and debit cards, gift cards, and prepaid cards. We rely on internal systems and those of third parties to process payment. Acceptance and processing of these payment methods are subject to certain rules, regulations, and industry standards, including data storage requirements, additional authentication requirements for certain payment methods, and require payment of interchange and other fees. For credit card and debit card payments, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time. An increase in those fees would require us to either increase the prices we charge for our memberships, which could cause us to lose UWC Members or suffer an increase in our operating expenses, either of which could harm our operating results.

If we or any of our processing vendors have problems with our billing software or the billing software malfunctions, it could have an adverse effect on our member satisfaction and could cause one or more of the major credit card companies to disallow our continued use of their payment products. In addition, if our billing software fails to work properly and, as a result, we do not automatically charge our UWC Members’ credit cards or debit cards on a timely basis or at all, we could lose membership revenue, which would materially and adversely affect our operating results.

If we fail to adequately control fraudulent credit card and debit card transactions, we may face civil liability, diminished public perception of our security measures and significantly higher credit card and debit card related costs, each of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We are subject to a number of federal regulations relating to the use of debit and credit cards, such as the Electronic Funds Act and the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, which provide guidelines and parameters for payment processing on debit cards and credit cards, respectively, and certain state regulations relating to automatic renewal, including, among others, the California Business & Professional Code Section 17601-17606, as amended, which provides requirements we must follow for the automatic renewal of subscription fees such as those charged to our UWC Members. We may also face legal liability or reputational harm for any failure, or any allegation that we have failed, to comply with such consumer protection laws relating to consumer debit or credit transactions. We also are subject to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard ("PCI DSS"), issued by the PCI Council and to the American National Standards Institute ("ANSI") data encryption standards and payment network security operating guidelines, as well as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act ("FACTA"). Failure to comply with these guidelines or standards may result in the imposition of financial penalties or the allocation by debit and credit card companies of the costs of fraudulent charges to us.

Any material interruptions or failures in our payment-related systems could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. If we are unable to comply with the security standards established by banks and the payment card industry, we may be subject to fines, restrictions and expulsion from card acceptance programs, which could materially and adversely affect our retail operations and the UWC program.

We depend on a limited number of suppliers for most of our car wash equipment and certain supplies.

We rely on a limited number of suppliers for most of the car wash equipment and certain other supplies we use in our operations. Our ability to secure such equipment and supplies from alternative sources as needed may be time-consuming or expensive or may cause a temporary disruption in our supply chain. In recent months, we have anticipated intermittent shortages of certain supplies from our standard vendors and, accordingly, we enhanced our sourcing procedures to identify alternative suppliers and avoid any actual shortages, albeit sometimes at additional cost. Additionally, we do not have a supplier contract with our main supplier of car wash tunnel equipment, and our orders are based on purchase orders. As such, we are subject to the risk that a supplier will not continue to provide us with the required car wash tunnel equipment. We also do not carry a significant inventory of such equipment. Increasingly during 2021, the delivery times were extended on certain equipment for our greenfield pipeline but, through alternative sourcing, we have thus far avoided any significant disruptions. Shortages or interruptions in the supply of car wash equipment and other supplies could occur for reasons within or beyond the control of us and the supplier. Decreased fuel supplies are anticipated to increase fuel prices, which may adversely impact our transportation costs. Any shortage or interruption to our supply chain could reduce our sales and profit margins, which in turn may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our locations may experience difficulty hiring and retaining qualified personnel, resulting in higher labor costs.

The operation of our locations requires both entry-level and skilled team members, and trained personnel continue to be in high demand and short supply at competitive compensation levels in some areas, which is likely to result in increased labor costs. Accordingly, we may experience increased difficulty hiring and maintaining such qualified personnel. In addition, the formation of unions may increase the operating expenses of our locations. Our ability to meet our labor needs is subject to many factors such as prevailing wage rates, minimum wage legislation, unemployment levels, and actions by our competitors with respect to compensation levels and incentive plans. Any such future difficulties could result in a decline in customer service negatively impacting sales at our locations, which could in turn materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Many of our key personnel have worked for us for a significant amount of time or were recruited by us specifically due to their experience. Our success depends in part upon the reputation and influence within the industry of our senior managers. Each of our executive officers and other key employees may terminate his or her relationship with us at any time and the loss of the services of one or a combination of our senior executives or members of our senior management team may significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business or development objectives and could materially harm our business. Further, contractual obligations related to confidentiality and noncompetition may be ineffective or unenforceable, and departing employees may share our proprietary information with competitors in ways that could adversely impact us.

We rely on cash from our operating activities to make lease payments for the land and buildings where many of our locations are situated, which may strain our cash flow and expose us to potential liabilities and losses.

We lease the land and buildings where a significant number of our locations are located. The terms of the leases and subleases vary in length, with primary terms (i.e., before consideration of option periods) expiring on various dates. In addition, we may not be able to terminate a particular lease if or when we would like to do so, which could prevent us from closing or relocating certain underperforming locations. Our obligations to pay rent are generally non-cancelable, even if the location operated at the leased or subleased location is closed. Thus, if we decide to close locations, we generally are required to continue paying rent and operating expenses for the balance of the lease term. The performance of any of these obligations may be expensive. We may not assign or sublet the leased locations without consent of the landlord. When we assign or sublease vacated locations, we may remain liable on the lease obligations if the assignee or sub-lessee does not perform. Accordingly, we are subject to the risks associated with leasing locations which can have a material adverse effect on us.
 

As leases expire, we may be unable to negotiate renewals on commercially acceptable terms or at all, which could cause us to close locations in desirable locations or otherwise negatively affect profits, which in turn could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We depend on net cash provided by operating activities to pay our rent and other lease expenses and to fulfill our

other cash needs. If our business does not generate sufficient cash provided by operating activities, and sufficient funds are not otherwise available to us from borrowings under our First Lien Term Loan and Revolving Commitment or from other sources, we may not be able to service our lease expenses, grow our business, respond to competitive challenges or fund our other liquidity and capital needs, which would harm our business.

Changes in applicable tax laws could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our effective tax rate could also change materially as a result of various evolving factors, including changes in income tax law or changes in the scope of our operations.

We are subject to income taxation at the federal and state level due to the scope of our operations. We have also recorded non-income tax-based liabilities such as those related to sales, property, payroll and withholding tax. We have structured our operations in a manner designed to comply with current prevailing laws but the Internal Revenue Service, state and/or local taxing authorities could seek to impose incremental or new taxes on our business operations. In addition, changes in federal and state tax rates, laws and regulations may result in additional income and non-income tax liabilities being imposed on us and have an adverse effect on our effective tax rate, results of operations and financial condition. Lastly, changes in the scope of our operations, including expanding into new geographies, could increase our income tax liabilities and have an adverse impact on our effective tax rate.

Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Capital Requirements

Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and competitive position.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $897.2 million of indebtedness, net of unamortized debt issuance costs, outstanding pursuant to an amended and restated first lien credit agreement entered into on May 14, 2019 “(First Lien Term Loan”). To service this debt and any additional debt we may incur in the future, we need to generate cash. Our ability to generate cash is subject, to a certain extent, to our ability to successfully execute our business strategy, including acquisition activity, as well as general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. There can be no assurance that our business will be able to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future borrowings or other financing will be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable us to service our debt and fund our other capital needs. To the extent we are required to use our cash flow from operations or the proceeds of any future financing to service our debt instead of funding working capital, capital expenditures, or acquisitions, we will be less able to plan for, or react to, changes in our business, industry and in the economy generally. This places us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt. There can be no assurance that we will be able to refinance any of our debt on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that the terms of that debt will allow any of the above alternative measures or that these measures would satisfy our scheduled debt service obligations. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow to repay or refinance our debt on favorable terms, it could significantly adversely affect our financial condition and the value of our outstanding debt. Our ability to restructure or refinance our debt will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition. Any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations, make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions.

The terms of our Credit Facilities impose certain operating and financial restrictions on us that may impair our ability to adapt to changing competitive or economic conditions.

The credit agreements governing our Credit Facilities contain, and any agreements evidencing or governing other future debt may contain, certain restrictive covenants that limit our ability, among other things, to engage in certain activities that are in our long-term best interests, including our ability to:

In addition, the First Lien Term Loan contains a springing maximum first lien net leverage ratio financial covenant. Our ability to meet this requirement can be affected by events beyond our control, and we may not be able to satisfy such financial covenants. Our ability to comply with these covenants and restrictions may be affected by events and factors beyond our control. Our failure to comply with any of these covenants or restrictions could result in an event of default under our Credit Facilities. An event of default would permit the lending banks under the facility to take certain actions, including terminating all outstanding commitments and declaring all amounts outstanding under our credit facility to be immediately due and payable, including all outstanding borrowings, accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable with respect to such borrowings and any terminated commitments.

In addition, the lenders would have the right to proceed against the collateral we granted to them, which includes substantially our assets.
 

In order to support the growth of our business, we may need to incur additional indebtedness or seek capital through new equity or debt financings, which sources of additional capital may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.

We intend to continue to make significant investments to support our business growth, respond to business challenges or opportunities, develop new services, enhance our existing services and operating infrastructure and potentially acquire complementary businesses and assets. For the year ended December 31, 2023, our net cash provided by operating activities was $204.7 million. As of December 31, 2023, we had $19.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, which were held for working capital purposes.

Our future capital requirements may be significantly different from our current estimates and will depend on many factors, including the need to:

Accordingly, we may need to engage in equity or debt financings or other arrangements to secure additional funds. Additional financing may not be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our ordinary shares. In addition, during times of economic instability, it has been difficult for many companies to obtain financing in the public markets or to obtain debt financing, and we may not be able to obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on

terms satisfactory to us, it could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are a holding company and depend on our subsidiaries for cash to fund operations and expenses.

We are a holding company that does not conduct any business operations of our own. As a result, we are largely dependent upon cash distributions and other transfers from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations and to make future dividend payments, if any. The deterioration of the earnings from, or other available assets of, our subsidiaries for any reason could impair their ability to make distributions to us.

Risks Related to Government Regulation

Our business is subject to various laws and regulations and changes in such laws and regulations, or failure to comply with existing or future laws and regulations, could adversely affect our business.

Our business is subject to numerous and frequently changing federal, state and local laws and regulations. We routinely incur significant costs in complying with these regulations. New or existing laws, regulations and policies, liabilities arising thereunder and the related interpretations and enforcement practices, particularly those dealing with minimum wages, paid sick time, workplace safety, employee and public health emergencies, advertising and marketing, consumer protection, recurring debit and credit card charges, information security, data privacy, environmental protection including recycling, waste, water usage, zoning and land use, taxation and public company compliance, may result in significant added expenses or may require extensive system and operating changes that may be difficult to implement and/or could materially increase our cost of doing business. In addition, we are subject to environmental laws pursuant to which we could be strictly liable for any contamination at our current or former locations, or at third-party waste disposal sites, regardless of our knowledge of or responsibility for such contamination.

Our locations are subject to certain environmental laws and regulations.

Our current and former car wash operations and quick lube businesses, as well as our former motor fuel dispensing, are governed by stringent federal, state and local laws and regulations, including environmental regulations of the handling, storage, transportation, import/export, recycling, or disposing of various new and used products the generation, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, and the release of materials into the environment. Additionally, in the course of our operations, we may generate some amounts of material that may be regulated as hazardous substances.

Pursuant to these laws and regulations, or future changes thereto, we may be required to obtain and maintain approvals or permits for the discharge of wastewater or storm water and are required to develop and implement spill prevention, control and countermeasure plans in connection with on-site storage of significant quantities of motor fuel. We believe that we maintain all required discharge permits necessary to conduct our operations, and further believe we are in substantial compliance with the terms thereof.

The federal Clean Air Act, as amended, (“CAA”) and similar state laws impose requirements on emissions to the air from motor fueling activities in certain areas of the country, including those that do not meet state or national ambient air quality standards. These laws may require the installation of vapor recovery systems to control emissions of volatile organic compounds to the air during the motor fueling process.

Under the CAA and comparable state and local laws, permits are typically required to emit regulated air pollutants into the atmosphere. In addition, the federal Clean Water Act ("CWA") and analogous state laws may require us to obtain and maintain individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of wastewater or storm water runoff. While we expect to obtain necessary approvals for our operations, as with all governmental permitting processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a particular permit will be granted, the time it will take for such permit to be issued, and the conditions that may be imposed in connection with the granting of such permit. We are unaware of pending changes to environmental laws and regulations that will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash available for distribution to our stockholders; nonetheless, there exists the possibility that new laws or regulations may be imposed in the future that could result in more stringent and costly compliance requirements that potentially could materially and adversely affect our business. We are not

presently aware of any material liability related to the costs of investigations and cleaning up sites of spills, disposals or other releases of hazardous materials at our current or former locations or business operations.

The historical transportation, distribution and storage of motor fuels (diesel fuel and gasoline) and other chemicals are subject to environmental protection and operational safety laws and regulations.

As of December 31, 2023, we have ceased dispensing gasoline and diesel fuels at all locations. However, our historical operations, at limited locations inherited through acquisitions, involved using underground storage tanks (USTs) for fuel and chemicals. Some of these tanks remain on leased properties, with future obligations for removal and potential environmental remediation. Instances of contamination have been identified in the past, leading to remediation costs. This historical legacy presents ongoing environmental risks and potential liabilities under our lease agreements and environmental laws. We continue to evaluate and address these risks, recognizing their potential impact on our financial condition and operations.

Evolving global climate change regulations and effects of greenhouse gas emissions may adversely affect our operations and financial performance.

There is continuing concern from members of the scientific community and the general public that emissions of greenhouse gases ("GHG") and other human activities have or will cause significant changes in weather patterns and increase the frequency or severity of extreme weather events, including droughts, wildfires and flooding. These types of extreme weather events have and may continue to adversely impact us, our suppliers, our customers and their ability to purchase our products and our ability to timely receive appropriate raw materials to manufacture and transport our products on a timely basis.

Any adverse environmental impact on our locations due to climate change could materially and adversely affect our business and the results of our operations. New federal or state legislation or regulations on greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions that may be imposed in areas of the United States in which we conduct business and that apply to our operations could adversely affect our business.

If such legislation or regulations are enacted, we could incur increased energy, environmental and other costs and capital expenditures to comply with the limitations.

We, along with other companies in many business sectors, are considering and implementing sustainability strategies, specifically ways to reduce GHG emissions. As a result, our customers may request that changes be made to our products or facilities, as well as other aspects of our business, that increase costs and may require the investment of capital. Failure to provide climate-friendly products or demonstrate GHG reductions could potentially result in loss of market share.

Government regulations, weather conditions including drought and natural hazards may affect the availability of water supplies for use at our car wash locations.

Our ability to meet the existing and future water demands at our car wash locations depends on adequate supplies of water. Generally, the water used in our car wash locations is sourced from rivers, lakes, streams and groundwater aquifers and, in some limited instances, through onsite groundwater wells. As such, we typically do not own the water that we use in our operations but instead are dependent on local public and/or private water agencies for most of the water used. Accordingly, governmental restrictions on water use may result in decreased access to water supplies or to temporary suspension of water usage from time to time.

Climate change, drought, overuse of sources of water, the protection of threatened species or habitats or other factors may limit the availability of ground and surface water and our access to water supplies. Ongoing drought conditions currently exist in several areas of the United States, particularly in the western states, where we operate. Governmental restrictions on water use may also result in decreased access to water supplies, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Water service interruptions are also possible due to severe weather events, including winter storms and freezing conditions in colder climate locations, high wind conditions in areas known to experience tornados, earthquakes in areas known to experience seismic activity, high water conditions in areas located in or near designated flood plains, hurricanes, and severe electrical storms.

Any interruption in our ability to access water could materially and adversely affect the results of our operations and financial condition. Furthermore, losses from business interruptions or damage to our facilities might not be covered by our insurance policies and such losses may make it difficult for us to secure insurance coverage in the future at acceptable rates.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Privacy

We are subject to data security and privacy risks that could negatively impact our results of operations or reputation.

We collect, process, transmit and store personal, sensitive and confidential information, including our proprietary business information and that of consumers (including UWC Members), employees and suppliers. The secure processing, maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations.

Increased global IT security threats and more sophisticated and targeted computer crime and increased ransomware attacks pose a risk to the security of our computer systems and networks and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data. Despite our security measures, we have been subject to cyber-attacks and attempts in the past and our IT systems and infrastructure may continue to be vulnerable to computer viruses, cyber-attacks, security breaches caused by employee error or malfeasance or other disruptions in the future. Though no such incident to date has had a material impact on our business, we cannot ensure that our security efforts will prevent unauthorized access or loss of functionality to our or our third-party providers' systems. Any such incident could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. A security breach of our computer systems or those of our third-party service providers and business partners could interrupt or damage our operations or harm our reputation, or both. In addition, any such breach, attack, virus or other event could result in costly investigations and litigation, government enforcement actions, civil or criminal penalties, fines, operational changes or other response measures, loss of consumer confidence in our security measures, and negative publicity that could materially and adversely affect our brand, business, results of operations and financial condition. These costs and losses may not be adequately covered by applicable insurance coverage or other contractual rights available to us.

We must comply with increasingly and complex privacy and security laws and regulations in the United States, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended, and state data privacy laws that have been enacted to date. Although there are limited exemptions for health-related information, including Protected Health Information and clinical trial data, the CCPA and other state privacy laws may increase our compliance costs and potential liability. Similar laws have been proposed or enacted in other states and at the federal level, and when passed, such laws may have potentially conflicting requirements that would make compliance challenging. Our operations are subject to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and similar state laws.

As a general matter, compliance with laws, regulations and any applicable rules or guidance from self-regulatory organizations relating to privacy, data protection, information security and consumer protection may result in substantial costs and may necessitate changes to our business practices, which may compromise our growth strategy, materially and adversely affect our ability to acquire customers and otherwise materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may be unable to adequately protect, and we may incur significant costs in enforcing or defending, our intellectual property and other proprietary rights.

Our success depends in part on our brand image and our ability to enforce and defend our intellectual property and other proprietary rights and differentiate ourselves from our competitors. We rely upon a combination of trademark, patent, trade secret, copyright, and unfair competition laws, and other contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights. We cannot assure you that the steps we take to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent the infringement or other violation of such rights by others, including the imitation and misappropriation of our brand, which could damage our brand identity and the goodwill we have created. To the extent that our intellectual property and other proprietary rights are not adequately protected, third parties may challenge, invalidate, circumvent, infringe or misappropriate our intellectual property or the intellectual property of our third-party licensors, or such intellectual property may not be sufficient to permit us to take advantage of current market trends or otherwise to provide competitive advantages, which could result in costly redesign efforts, discontinuance of certain service offerings or other competitive harm.

We may have to litigate to enforce or determine the scope and enforceability of our intellectual property rights, which is expensive and could exceed applicable insurance coverage, could cause a diversion of resources and may not prove successful. The loss of intellectual property protection or the inability to obtain sufficient rights to use third-party intellectual property could harm our business and ability to compete.

We may be subject to infringement claims.

Although we believe that our services and operations do not infringe upon or otherwise violate the proprietary rights of third parties, we cannot guarantee that we do not, and will not in the future, infringe or otherwise violate the proprietary rights of third parties. Third parties have in the past, and may in the future, assert infringement or other intellectual property violation claims against us with respect to future products, services or operations. Any claim from a third party may result in a limitation on our ability to use our intellectual property. Even if we believe that intellectual property related claims are without merit, defending against such claims is time-consuming, expensive and could result in the diversion of the time and attention of our management and employees. Claims of intellectual property infringement are inherently uncertain, and might require us to redesign affected services, enter into costly settlement or license agreements, pay costly damage awards for which we may not have insurance coverage, or face a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting us from marketing or selling certain of our services. Even if we have an agreement for indemnification against such costs, the indemnifying party, if any in such circumstances, may be unable to uphold its contractual obligations. If we cannot or do not license the infringed technology on reasonable terms or substitute similar technology from another source, our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, will qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (“LGP”) has more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors, and, as a result, we are considered a “controlled company” for the purposes of the New York Stock Exchange (“the NYSE”). Although we currently comply with the NYSE rules applicable to companies that do not qualify as a “controlled company,” as a “controlled company,” in the future we may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including the requirements:

For as long as LGP owns more than 50% of our common stock it will be able to exert a controlling influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the nomination and election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our Company or its assets. Even if LGP were to own or control less than a majority of our total outstanding shares of common stock, it will be able to influence the outcome of corporate actions so long as it owns a significant portion of our total outstanding shares of common stock.

LGP may have interests that are different from our other stockholders and may vote in a way with which our other stockholders disagree and that may be averse to their respective interests. In addition, LGP’s concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which could cause the market price of our common stock to decline or prevent our stockholders from realizing a premium over the market price for their common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation could prevent us from benefiting from corporate opportunities that might otherwise have been available to us.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or stockholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, stockholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of LGP or any of their affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that LGP or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted to undertake the opportunity under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.

As a result of these provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we may not receive the benefit from certain corporate opportunities, such as an acquisition target or other extraordinary transaction, that might have otherwise been available to us and potentially beneficial to our business.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market by our existing stockholders could cause our stock price to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.

Moreover, holders of approximately 71% of our outstanding common stock as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K have rights, pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, to require us to file registration statements for the public sale of their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. A registration statement covering such shares has been filed and has been declared effective. Any sales of securities by these stockholders could have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.

Some provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, as well as provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL"), could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us or increase the cost of acquiring us, even if doing so would benefit our stockholders, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions include:

These provisions could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control. They could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for stockholders to elect directors of their choosing and cause us to take corporate actions other than those that stockholders desire.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or federal district courts of the United States will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of lawsuits, which could limit our stockholders' abilities to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, or other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the amended and restated certificate of incorporation or the proposed bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware if the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction). The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws also require that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act; however, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of applicable law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. These provisions would not apply to any suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Moreover, the terms of our existing First Lien Term Loan and Revolving Commitment restrict our ability to pay dividends, and any additional debt we may incur in the future may include similar restrictions. In addition, Delaware law may impose requirements that may restrict our ability to pay dividends to holders of our common stock. As a result, stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy

As a component of our overall risk management system and processes, we have a risk-based cybersecurity program, dedicated to protecting our data as well as data belonging to consumers (including UWC Members), employees and suppliers. We devote significant resources and utilize a defensive in-depth strategy, with multiple layers of security controls to protect the security of our computer systems, software, networks, and other technology assets. Our security efforts are designed to preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and continued availability of all information we own, or is in our care, and protect against, among other things, cybersecurity attacks by unauthorized parties attempting to obtain access to confidential information, destroy data, disrupt or degrade service, sabotage systems, or cause other damage. These processes include technical, administrative and physical controls and processes, as well as contractual mechanisms to mitigate risk. We also have policies and procedures to oversee and identify the cybersecurity risks associated with our use of third-party service providers, including the regular review of SOC reports, relevant cyber attestations, and other independent cyber ratings.

Through a combination of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) resources, we

Our systems are periodically the target of directed attacks intended to lead to interruptions and delays in our service and operations as well as loss, misuse or theft of personal information (of third parties, employees, and our customers) and other data, confidential information or intellectual property. However, to date, we are not aware of any incident or cybersecurity risks having a material impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Board Oversight and Governance

Our Board recognizes the important role of information security and mitigating cybersecurity and other data security threats. While the full Board has overall responsibility for risk oversight, it is supported in this function primarily by its committees. The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and discussing our policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including risks related to cybersecurity and other technology issues. The Board periodically evaluates our cybersecurity strategy to help ensure its effectiveness. Management provides periodic reports to the Audit Committee regarding cybersecurity and other information technology risks, as well as our plans to mitigate cybersecurity risks and to respond to any breaches.

Item 2. Properties

We lease 25,350 and own 27,973 square feet of office space at our corporate headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. As of December 31, 2023, we leased 419 locations and owned 55 locations. We also operate 2 locations still owned by third-party developers. The chart below provides a breakdown of our operating car wash locations as of December 31, 2023:

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

We are subjected from time-to-time to various claims, lawsuits and other legal proceedings, including intellectual property claims. Some of these claims, lawsuits and other legal proceedings involve highly complex issues, and often these issues are subject to substantial uncertainties. Accordingly, our potential liability with respect to a large portion of such claims, lawsuits and other legal proceedings cannot be estimated with certainty. Management, with the assistance of legal counsel, periodically reviews the status of each significant matter and assesses potential financial exposure. We recognize provisions for claims or pending litigation when we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable, and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. Due to the inherent uncertain nature of litigation, the ultimate outcome or actual cost of settlement may materially vary from estimates. If management’s estimates prove incorrect, we could incur a charge to earnings which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. We are not party to any material legal proceedings.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Information About Our Executive Officers

Our executive officers as of February 23, 2024, are as follows:

John Lai: Mr. Lai has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of our board of directors since June 2013, and previously served as our Vice President of Market Development. Mr. Lai joined Mister Car Wash in 2002. Mr. Lai has served as a director at the Southern Arizona Leadership Council since December 2019. Mr. Lai received a B.S. from the University of Arizona.

Jed Gold: Mr. Gold has served as our Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer since July 2019. Mr. Gold previously served as Senior Director Finance, Assistant Treasurer at Yum Brands, Inc. from May 2016 to July 2019, and as Chief Financial Officer MENAPak at KFC Corporation from October 2014 to May 2016. Mr. Gold received an M.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from Indiana University and a B.S. in accounting from the University of Utah.

Mayra Chimienti: Effective March 14, 2022, Mayra Chimienti was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Ms. Chimienti had served as our Vice President, Operations Services since July 2017. Ms. Chimienti joined the Company in 2007 and previously served as Director of Training & Development from March 2013 to July 2017.

Markus Hartmann: Effective October 28, 2022, Markus Hartmann was named General Counsel and leads our legal function in ethics and compliance, intellectual property and other general corporate legal matters. Mr. Hartmann brings over 25 years of experience advising companies on wide-ranging critical corporate initiatives, legal and compliance related activities. He began his career as an associate attorney with the law firm Hale & Dorr LLP (now WilmerHale) and is a retired Colonel in the Marine Corp Reserve.

Mary Porter: Effective April 17, 2023, Mary Porter was named our first Chief People Officer. Ms. Porter previously served as the Vice President of Human Resources for Nordstrom from January 2018 to April 2023, supporting Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack locations across both US and Canada, a position she achieved as the culmination of a 27-year long journey with the company. From HR compliance to Talent Acquisition to strategic business support, Ms. Porter has experience across many Human Resources functions. Ms. Porter earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington.

Joseph Matheny: Effective October 13, 2023, Joseph Matheny was appointed Chief Innovation Officer of the Company. Mr. Matheny had served as our Senior Vice President, Operations since March 2020. Mr. Matheny previously served as our Vice President, Operations from December 2016 to March 2020, and served as our General Manager, Regional Manager, and Division Manager since 1998.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information for Common Stock

Our common stock has traded on The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), under the symbol “MCW” since our initial public offering in June 2021. Prior to that time, there was no public market for our common stock.

Holders of Record

As of February 15, 2024, there were 1,342 holders of record of our common stock. This number excludes stockholders whose stock is held in street name by banks, brokers and other nominees.

Dividend Policy

We currently intend to retain any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business, and, therefore, we do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our share capital in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, restrictions under our Credit Facilities and any other agreements governing our indebtedness and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, we did not repurchase any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act.

Stock Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative stockholder return since June 25, 2021, the date our common stock began trading on NYSE with S&P 1500 Consumer Services Index, S&P 500 Total Return Index, and Russell 2000 Index. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our stock and in each index was $100 at June 25, 2021, and that all dividends were reinvested.

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements based upon current plans, expectations and beliefs involving risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” or in other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following includes a discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for 2023 and 2022 and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022. For discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for 2021 and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021, see Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Factors Affecting Our Business and Trends

We believe that our business and growth depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us and may pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Factors Affecting the Comparability of Our Results of Operations

Our results have been affected by, and may in the future be affected by, the following factors, which must be understood in order to assess the comparability of our period-to-period financial performance and condition.

Greenfield Location Development

A part of our historical growth strategy has involved acquiring local and regional car wash operators, upgrading the facilities and equipment, training the team to provide the “Mister Experience” and converting the site to the “Mister” brand. More recently, we have also grown through greenfield development of Mister Car Wash locations, with particular focus on Express Exterior Locations, and anticipate continued pursuit of this strategy in the future. During 2023, we successfully opened a total of 35 greenfield locations, with the expectation of driving the majority of our future location growth through greenfield development. We believe such a strategy will drive a more controllable pipeline of unit growth for future locations in existing and adjacent markets.

The comparability of our results may be impacted by the inclusion of financial performance of greenfield locations that have not delivered a full fiscal year of financial results nor matured to average unit volumes, which we typically expect after approximately three full years of operation.

Business Acquisitions

In 2023, we completed two business acquisitions of six properties. Following acquisition, we implement a variety of operational improvements to unify branding and enhance profitability. As soon as feasible, we fully integrate and transition acquired locations to the “Mister” brand and make investments to improve site flow, upgrade tunnel equipment and technology, and install our proprietary Unity Chemical system, which is a unique blend of our signature products utilizing the newest technology and services to make a better car wash experience for our customers. We also establish member-only lanes, optimize service offerings and implement training initiatives that we have successfully utilized to improve team member engagement and drive UWC growth post-acquisition. The costs associated with these onboarding initiatives, which vary by site, can impact the comparability of our results.

The comparability of our results may also be impacted by the inclusion of financial performance of our acquisitions that have not delivered a full fiscal year of financial results under Mister Car Wash’s ownership.

Divestitures

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we did not consummate any significant divestitures.

Key Performance Indicators

We prepare and analyze various operating and financial data to assess the performance of our business and to help in the allocation of our resources. The key operating performance and financial metrics and indicators we use are set forth below, as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Location Count (end of period)

Our location count refers to the total number of car wash locations operating at the end of a period, inclusive of new greenfield locations, acquired locations and offset by closed locations. The total number of locations that we operate, as well as the timing of location openings, acquisitions and closings, have, and will continue to have, an impact on our performance. In fiscal year 2023, we increased our location count by 40 net locations, including 35 greenfield locations and six business acquisition locations, offset by one location that was closed. In fiscal year 2022, we increased our location count by 40 locations, including 28 greenfield locations and 12 business acquisition locations. One location, which was part of a 2021 acquisition, opened during the second quarter of 2022 and is included as an acquired location above.

Comparable Store Sales Growth

A location is considered a comparable store on the first day of the 13th full calendar month following a location’s first day of operations. A location converted from an Interior Cleaning Location format to an Express Exterior Location format is excluded when the location did not offer interior cleaning services in the current period but did offer interior cleaning services in the prior year period. Comparable store sales growth is the percentage change in total wash sales of all comparable store car washes.

Opening new locations is a component of our growth strategy and as we continue to execute on our growth strategy, we expect that a significant portion of our sales growth will be attributable to non-comparable store sales.

Accordingly, comparable store sales are only one measure we use to assess the success of our growth strategy. During 2023, comparable store sales increased 0.3% compared to an increase of 5% in 2022.

UWC Members (end of period)

Members of our monthly subscription service are known as Unlimited Wash Club Members, or UWC Members. We view the number of UWC Members and the growth in the number of UWC Members on a net basis from period to period as key indicators of our revenue growth. The number of UWC Members has grown over time as we have acquired new customers and retained previously acquired customers. There were approximately 2.1 million and approximately 1.9 million UWC Members as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our UWC program grew by approximately 0.2 million UWC Members, or approximately 10.2%, from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023.

UWC Sales as a Percentage of Total Wash Sales

UWC sales as a percentage of total wash sales represent the penetration of our subscription membership program as a percentage of our overall wash sales. Total wash sales are defined as the net revenue generated from express exterior cleaning services and interior cleaning services for both UWC Members and retail customers. UWC sales as a percentage of total wash sales is calculated as sales generated from UWC Members as a percentage of total wash sales. We have consistently grown this measure over time as we educate customers as to the value of our subscription offering. UWC sales were 71% and 68% of our total wash sales for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure of our operating performance and should not be considered as an alternative to net income as a measure of financial performance or any other performance measure derived in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax provision (benefit), depreciation and amortization expense, (gain) loss on sale of assets, loss on extinguishment of debt, stock-based compensation expense, acquisition expenses, management fees, non-cash rent expense, expenses associated with the completion of our initial public offering in June 2021 ("the IPO"), expenses associated with the secondary public offering, and other nonrecurring charges. Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenues for a given period.

We present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our ongoing operating performance. You are encouraged to evaluate these adjustments and the reasons we consider them appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that we will not modify the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA in future periods, and any such modification may be material. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

Our management believes Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance compared to other measures, which can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. We also use Adjusted EBITDA in connection with establishing discretionary annual incentive compensation; to supplement U.S. GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies; to make budgeting decisions; and because our Amended First Lien Credit Agreement (as defined below) uses measures similar to Adjusted EBITDA to measure our compliance with certain covenants.

Our Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $285.9 million and $281.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our Adjusted EBITDA margin was 31% and 32% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The increase experienced in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year is primarily attributable to an increase in car wash sales due to growth in UWC Members and the year-over-year addition of 40 net locations, offset by an increase in operating costs and expenses. The following is a reconciliation of our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented.

Results of Operations

The results of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 have been derived from the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Net Revenues

The increase in net revenues was primarily attributable to the increase in car wash sales due to growth in UWC Members and the year-over-year addition of 40 net locations.

Store Operating Costs

Cost of Labor and Chemicals

The increase in the cost of labor and chemicals is primarily driven by an increase in labor and benefits of approximately $9.1 million and an increase in wash chemicals and supplies of approximately $1.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2023, both attributable to an increase in volume and the year-over-year addition of 40 net locations, as well as some inflationary pressures on both our labor and chemicals. As a percentage of net revenues, costs of labor and chemicals for the year ended December 31, 2023 decreased by 1% due to improved labor staffing and volume mix as compared to the prior year period.

Other Store Operating Expenses

The increase in other store operating expenses was primarily attributable to the year-over-year addition of 40 net locations. Utilities and maintenance expenses increased approximately $14.7 million, depreciation expense increased approximately $8.6 million and rent expense increased approximately $14.5 million with the addition of 47 new land and building leases.

General and Administrative

The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily driven by an increase of approximately $3.2 million in salaries and benefits, an increase of approximately $1.4 million in stock-based compensation expense and related taxes, an increase of $1.8 million in marketing expenses and an increase of approximately $0.5 million in other corporate-related costs.

(Gain) Loss on Sale of Assets, net

The (gain) loss on sale of assets, net in 2023 was primarily driven by losses associated with our sale-leaseback transactions.

Other Expense

The increase in other expense was primarily driven by an increase in interest expense due to higher average interest rates and the expiration of our interest rate swap in October 2022, as compared to the prior year period.

Income Tax Provision

The decrease in income tax provision in 2023 was primarily due to our income before taxes generated during the current year, which was lower than in 2022.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Funding Requirements

Our primary requirements for liquidity and capital are to fund our investments in our core business, which includes lease payments, pursue greenfield expansion, acquisitions of new locations and to service our indebtedness. Historically, these cash requirements have been met through funds raised by the sale of common equity, utilization of our Revolving Commitment, First Lien Term Loan, sale-leaseback transactions and cash provided by operations. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents of $19.0 million and $65.2 million, respectively, and $149.2 million and $148.6 million, respectively, of available borrowing capacity under our Revolving Commitment. On June 4, 2021, we entered into an amendment to our amended and restated First Lien Credit Agreement to, among other things, increase the commitments under the Revolving Commitment from $75.0 million to $150.0 million. In December 2021, in connection with the Clean Streak Ventures acquisition, we entered into Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated First Lien Credit Agreement (“Amended First Lien Credit Agreement”) increasing the principal term loan borrowings by $290 million to $903 million. For a description of our Credit Facilities, please see Note 9 Debt in the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with the covenants under our Credit Facilities and we expect to comply with our covenants in the next 12 months from the issuance date of the financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We believe that our sources of liquidity and capital will be sufficient to finance our growth strategy and resulting operations, as well as planned capital expenditures, for the next 12 months. However, we cannot assure you that cash provided by operating activities or cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to meet our future needs. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows from operations in the future, we may have to obtain additional financing. If we obtain additional capital by issuing equity, the interests of our existing stockholders will be diluted. If we incur additional indebtedness, that indebtedness may contain significant financial and other covenants that may significantly restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that we could obtain additional financing on favorable terms or at all.

Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022

The following table shows summary cash flow information for the periods presented: