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<P style="font-size: 14pt" align="center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549
</FONT></B>

<P style="font-size: 18pt" align="center"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P style="font-size: 12pt" align="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): February 12, 2009</B>


<P style="font-size: 24pt" align="center"><B>PANERA BREAD COMPANY<BR>
</B><FONT
style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
</FONT>
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center" cellspacing="0"
cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

 <TR>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="33%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>000-19253</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>04-2723701</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
 </TR>

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cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">

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  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>6710 Clayton
Road<BR>
Richmond Heights, MO<BR>
</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>63117</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
 </TR>

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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number,
including area code: <B>314-633-7100</B>
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cellpadding="0" width="30%" border="0">

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  <TD width="100%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap><B>Not
Applicable<BR>
</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<BR>



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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">1
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Item&nbsp;2.02. <U>Results of
Operations and Financial Condition</U>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">Attached as
Exhibit&nbsp;99.1, and incorporated herein by reference, is a copy of the
Company&#8217;s press release dated February12, 2009 announcing its financial
results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December&nbsp;30, 2008 and
describing the Company&#8217;s earnings targets for the first quarter and full
year of fiscal 2009.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">The information in
this Form 8-K (including Exhibit&nbsp;99.1) shall not be deemed
&#8220;filed&#8221; for purposes of Section&nbsp;18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the &#8220;Exchange Act&#8221;) or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference
in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as
expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Item&nbsp;7.01. <U>Regulation&nbsp;FD
Disclosure</U>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">Panera Bread Company
will discuss fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December&nbsp;30, 2008
results, preliminary comparable bakery-cafe sales results for the first
43&nbsp;days of the fiscal 2009 first quarter, and quarterly and full year 2009
targets and business outlook in a conference call that will be broadcast on the
Internet at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, February&nbsp;13, 2009.
Investors can access the call at <U>http://www.panerabread.com/investor</U>.
Access to the call will be archived for one year.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Item&nbsp;9.01. <U>Financial Statements
and Exhibits</U>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 2%" align="left">(d)&nbsp;Exhibits

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">The following exhibit
relating to Item&nbsp;2.02 shall be deemed to be furnished, and not filed:
<DIV align="center">
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  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">Exhibit&nbsp;No. </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Exhibit</TD>
 </TR>
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<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">99.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Press Release, dated February&nbsp;12, 2009</TD>
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>SIGNATURES</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="left">Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 45%" align="left">PANERA BREAD COMPANY

<P style="font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 45%" align="left">By: <U>/s/ Jeffrey W. Kip&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><Br>
Name: Jeffrey W. Kip<BR>
Title: <I>Senior Vice President,</I> <BR>
<I>Chief Financial Officer</I>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Date: February&nbsp;12, 2009

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">2
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">Exhibit&nbsp;Index
<DIV align="center">
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border="0">
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  <TD width="11%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="84%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 10pt" valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap align="left">Exhibit
No.</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap
align="center">Exhibit</TD>
 </TR>
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 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">99.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Press Release, dated February&nbsp;12, 2009</TD>
 </TR>
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;

<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">3
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PANERA BREAD CO", "cik": "0000724606", "assigned-sic": "5812", "irs-number": "042723701", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1227"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-19253", "film-number": "09597050"}, "business-address": {"street1": "6710 CLAYTON RD", "city": "RICHMOND HEIGHTS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63117", "phone": "3146337100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "6710 CLAYTON RD", "city": "RICHMOND HEIGHTS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63117"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "AU BON PAIN CO INC", "date-changed": "19940201"}, {"former-conformed-name": "AU BON PAIN COMPANY INC", "date-changed": "19920501"}]}
Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported): February 12, 2009
PANERA BREAD COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
000-19253
04-2723701
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
6710 Clayton
Road
Richmond Heights, MO
63117
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number,
including area code:
314-633-7100
Not
Applicable
(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the
Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of
the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant
to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 2.02.
Results of
Operations and Financial Condition
Attached as
Exhibit 99.1, and incorporated herein by reference, is a copy of the
Company's press release dated February12, 2009 announcing its financial
results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 30, 2008 and
describing the Company's earnings targets for the first quarter and full
year of fiscal 2009.
The information in
this Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1) shall not be deemed
"filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference
in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as
expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 7.01.
Regulation FD
Disclosure
Panera Bread Company
will discuss fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 30, 2008
results, preliminary comparable bakery-cafe sales results for the first
43 days of the fiscal 2009 first quarter, and quarterly and full year 2009
targets and business outlook in a conference call that will be broadcast on the
Internet at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, February 13, 2009.
Investors can access the call at
http://www.panerabread.com/investor
.
Access to the call will be archived for one year.
Item 9.01.
Financial Statements
and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
The following exhibit
relating to Item 2.02 shall be deemed to be furnished, and not filed:
Exhibit No.
Exhibit
99.1
Press Release, dated February 12, 2009
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
PANERA BREAD COMPANY
By:
/s/ Jeffrey W. Kip
Name: Jeffrey W. Kip
Title:
Senior Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer
Date: February 12, 2009
Exhibit Index
Exhibit
No.
Exhibit
99.1
Press Release, dated February 12, 2009