EATZ

6%+ Dividend Yielder Cracker Barrel Needs to Raise Menu Prices More Aggressively

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By Brian Nelson, CFA Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL) is a high-yielding restaurant idea with a unique concept that has fallen on more difficult times of late. Our recent channel checks indicate that Cracker Barrel has a lot of room to raise prices versus peers, but the firm is having a hard time executing on this front as overall traffic trends remain challenged. Right now, Cracker Barrel yields ~6.3%, and if the company can turn things around, it might make for one of the most interesting income ideas on the market. The high end of our fair value estimate range of Cracker Barrel stands north of $100 (its shares are trading at ~$80 each), but investors should remain cautious … Read more

In the News: McDonald’s, Costco, Target

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By Brian Nelson, CFA The market is once again worried about a potential government shutdown in the U.S., beginning on Sunday, as Congress works on a budget for fiscal 2024 through the rest of September. This recurring news has been a seasonal part of the market’s jitters every few years or so, however, and we’re not worried about what we would describe as an overhyped risk. A potential government shutdown in the U.S., if it happens, will inevitably be resolved, and while it tends to make for scary media headlines, it just doesn’t factor into the thesis of long-term investors. We don’t think readers should overreact. That said, it’s hard to know how the markets may continue to perform with … Read more

Domino’s Longer Term Growth Runway Intact, Chipotle’s Free Cash Flow Remains Robust

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Image Source: Domino’s Pizza Inc – 2022 ICR Conference Presentation By Callum Turcan Domino’s Pizza Inc (DPZ) is contending with serious inflationary pressures and headwinds from changing consumer spending habits as the worst of the coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) pandemic fades. We continue to view the firm’s longer term outlook quite favorably and appreciate its franchise-heavy business model (~98% of its stores are franchised), which enables Domino’s to generate substantial free cash flows in almost any operating environment. Our fair value estimate for Domino’s sits at $517 per share, and we include shares of DPZ as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. Shares of DPZ yield ~1.3% as of this writing, offering incremental income generation upside potential to its favorable … Read more

Best Idea Domino’s Is Incredibly Shareholder Friendly

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Image Shown: Domino’s Pizza Inc is incredibly shareholder friendly. Image Source: Domino’s Pizza Inc – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan Domino’s Pizza Inc (DPZ) is one of our favorite restaurant franchises. We include Domino’s as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio as we are huge fans of its asset-light business model, strong free cash flow generating abilities, bright growth outlook, and shareholder friendly management team. Our fair value estimate for Domino’s sits at $517 per share, substantially above where shares of DPZ are trading at as of this writing. Additionally, shares of DPZ yield a modest ~1.1% as of this writing, and its dividend program offers incremental upside to the potential return … Read more

Chipotle Sees Bigger Unit Growth Opportunity in North America, Continued Pricing Power

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Image: Chipotle’s shares look like they are poised to break out of a downtrend on news that its long-term unit restaurant opportunity is bigger than expected and that its pricing power remains intact. By Brian Nelson, CFA Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG) and Domino’s Pizza Inc. (DPZ) are two of our favorite restaurant ideas, with the former and Yum Brands’ (YUM) helping to drive restaurant stocks higher after the market’s reaction to their respective calendar fourth-quarter reports during the trading session February 9, 2022. Year-to-date, the AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ) has held up better than most other investable areas, down modestly, and we think the relative strength is a big win for investors in the restaurant sector in light of … Read more

Best Idea Domino’s Has a Massive Growth Runway

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Image Source: Domino’s Pizza Inc – Third Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan Domino’s Pizza Inc (DPZ) runs a great business. Most of its store locations are franchised (~98% as of September 2021), meaning inflation cost headwinds fall more squarely on its franchisees. The company has put up great same store sales performance on both a domestic and international basis in recent fiscal years, and it continues to have an immense growth runway. Domino’s is a stellar generator of free cash flow, too, thanks to its asset light revenue model. We include shares of Domino’s as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio.  The restaurant franchise space is appealing because these companies have asset-light business … Read more

Best Idea Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Growth Runway is Enormous

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Image Shown: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc’s restaurant level unit economics continued to improve in the third quarter of 2021, supporting the company’s growth trajectory. Image Source: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc – Third Quarter of 2021 Non-GAAP Reconciliation Presentation By Callum Turcan On October 21, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG) reported third-quarter 2021 earnings that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. Comparable restaurant sales grew 15% year-over-year last quarter as Chipotle’s e-commerce business held up well, with digital sales up 9% year-over-year (representing 43% of its total sales during this period), while customers resumed in-store dining activities in earnest. We liked what we saw in Chipotle’s latest earnings report. Shares of CMG are included as an idea in the Best … Read more

Domino’s Pizza Is a Stellar FCF Generator with an Enormous Growth Runway

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Image Source: Domino’s Pizza Inc – Second Quarter of Fiscal 2021 IR Earnings Presentation By Callum Turcan One of our favorite capital appreciation ideas is Domino’s Pizza Inc (DPZ), and we include shares of DPZ as an idea in our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. The company’s unit economics are incredibly attractive for current and potential franchisees, which encourages current franchises to expand their existing operations and potential franchisees to join the team. At the top end of our fair value estimate range, Domino’s Pizza has a fair value of $541 per share, well above where shares of DPZ are trading at as of this writing. Great Business Model Domino’s Pizza recently launched its first store in Lithuania and now operates … Read more

Shares of Best Idea Domino’s Pizza Jump Higher!

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Image Shown: In the wake of Domino’s Pizza Inc’s stellar fiscal second quarter earnings report published on July 22, shares of DPZ surged higher. We include Domino’s Pizza as an idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and continue to be huge fans of the name. By Callum Turcan On July 22, Domino’s Pizza Inc (DPZ) reported second quarter earnings for fiscal 2021 (period ended June 20, 2021) that smashed past consensus top- and bottom-line estimates with its US same-store sales growing by 3.5% and its international same-store sales increasing by 13.9%. The company noted that last fiscal quarter represented its 41st consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth in the US as its digital and delivery investments over the past decade … Read more

Best Idea Chipotle Rockets Higher!

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Image Shown: We include Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc an as idea in the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. On July 21, shares of CMG surged higher after the firm reported a stellar earnings report after the market close on July 20. By Callum Turcan On July 20, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG) reported second-quarter 2021 earnings that beat both consensus top- and bottom-line estimates. The company’s comparable store sales boomed higher by over 31% year-over-year as Chipotle’s customer base returned to its in-store dining offerings in the wake of coronavirus (‘COVID-19’) containment efforts getting eased across the US. Its digital sales were up almost 11% year-over-year and represented a little under half of its total revenues. Chipotle’s momentum is expected to … Read more