QSR

Restaurant Traffic Down, Chipotle Still a Favorite Idea

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Image Source: Chipotle (page 89 of 160) In late April of this year, we added Chipotle to the simulated Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio. By Brian Nelson, CFA We like Chipotle (CMG) for three primary reasons: 1) in CEO Brian Niccol, the company has a new bold visionary at the helm and he is hiring top talent to fill gaps, 2) buyouts in the restaurant space will only offer support for shares as the fast-casual segment remains a key focus area for private equity (here and here), and 3) Chipotle has been plagued with so many health issues (“foodborne illnesses”) in the past that, even with the recent bounce in shares, the market’s expectations are still rather low. Though our fair value … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 16

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 16. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Acushnet Holdings (GOLF): now $0.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.12. American Vanguard (AVD): now $0.02 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.015. Atlantica Yield (AY): now $0.31 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.29. BRT Apartments (BRT): now $0.20 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.18. Canterbury Park (CPHC): now $0.07 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.06. CareTrust REIT (CTRE): now $0.205 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.185. … Read more

Market Valuations Not “Insane” But Certainly Not Cheap Either

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The stock market is not insanely overpriced, but it is certainly not cheap either. We’re watching the technicals and moves in the 10-year Treasury closely for signs of where the market may go next. We discuss Walmart’s recent disappointment and add another to the list of companies that the Dividend Cushion ratio effectively highlighted the heightened income risk profile of, prior to the dividend cut. Chipotle is on the move! By Kris Rosemann and Brian Nelson, CFA According to the February 16, 2018 release of Factset’s Earnings Insight, the forward 12-month P/E ratio for the S&P 500 is still north of 17 times, above both the 5-year average of 16 and the 10-year average of 14.3. The “right” multiple for … Read more

Buffalo Wild Wings Should Go Private and Hasbro Should Buy Mattel…But at the Right Price

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Image Source: Hasbro There is a lot happening across the M&A landscape as of late. Buffalo Wild Wings has reportedly received a go-private offer, while speculation is swirling that Hasbro is looking to gobble up Mattel. We like the prospects of both scenarios. However, price will always matter. Buffalo Wild Wings should hold out for the very best offer, while Hasbro should be very careful not to overpay for assets that may be past their prime. By Brian Nelson, CFA Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) has long been a favorite of ours. You have to read, “3 Reasons Why Buffalo Wild Wings Is a Long-Term Winner” from July 2015. Certainly the beer, wings and sports establishment is facing a host of … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending September 15

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending September 15. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week American Tower (AMT): now $0.66 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.64. Argan (AGX): now $1.00 per share annual dividend, was $0.70. Broadridge Financial Solutions (BR): now $0.365 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.33. Curtis-Wright (CW): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.13. Entravision (EVC): now $0.05 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.03125. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMAO): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.25. … Read more

Examining Same-Store Sales in the Restaurant Industry

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Key Takeaways September 2016 marked the fourth consecutive month of same-store restaurant sales declines, but the pressure is not indiscriminant. Millennials account for nearly a quarter of restaurant spending and are anticipated to account for 40% of restaurant purchases by 2020. Their preferences are becoming important considerations for the strategic planning of restaurants. Fast food restaurants with exposure to the coffee and breakfast segments appear to be faring better than those with limited or no exposure to the segments. Experiential dining is becoming increasingly important in the full-service arena as the gap between grocery prices and food away from home prices has widened of late.     By Kris Rosemann The broader restaurant sector (BITE) has been under pressure as of … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending September 2

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised/lowered their dividends during the week ending September 2. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Bank of America (BAC): now $0.075 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.05. Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): now C$0.74 per share quarterly dividend, was C$0.72. Broadcom (AVGO): now $0.51 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP): now $0.59 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.57. Campbell Soup (CPB): now $0.35 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.31. Capital Southwest (CSWC): now $0.11 per share quarterly … Read more

Treasury Erects Iron Tax Curtain

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Image Description/Source: Berlin Wall, 1963; Roger “If history is any guide, it would seem that tax lawmakers may want to think about the current political agenda’s similarities with respect to that of a “new” Berlin Wall–not one built of barbed wire but of prohibitive, restrictive tax laws–and whether such measures make sense in light of the events of the late 1980s.” – Valuentum Securities Late Monday April 4, the US Department of the Treasury launched an all-out attack on companies pursuing tax inversion deals and a technique called earnings stripping, the latter used as a means to minimize taxes after an inversion. Stating in no uncertain terms that such companies have only been successful due to the “benefits of being based … Read more

We Like the News! Buffett Scoops Up Kinder Morgan; FVE: $20

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It looks like crude oil (USO) overproduction will continue. Dashing hopes that any rational behavior would prevail in the energy resource markets, member nations of OPEC February 16 said not that they would cut output but that they would not increase crude-oil output any further, as if the current pace of production isn’t already drowning the world in the black liquid. It turns out the rumor from last week had some basis to it, “Your Hard-Earned Money,” but it didn’t have much substance, in our view, especially since the deal hinges on cooperation from Iran, which remains dedicated to increased production to reach pre-sanction levels. We’re not reading much into the news, as Saudi Arabia, while included in the parties … Read more

ICYMI: 5 Concerns About Impending Rate Hikes

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The first Fed rate hike in nearly a decade came and went December 16, putting an environment of ZIRP (zero interest rate policy) to an end, a policy that grew out of the Financial Crisis and the depths of the Great Recession late last decade. The Fed had paused plans to hike the federal funds rate for much of 2015 as a result, in our view, of getting a more informed read on the potential implications of emerging market developments–namely dislocations in the local Chinese equity markets (FXI) and recessionary conditions in Brazil (EWZ)–and the stock market crash (SPY) in the US in August that sent equities of some of the most well-known stocks including Apple (AAPL) and General Electric … Read more