What Analyst Projections for Key Metrics Reveal About Cracker Barrel (CBRL) Q3 Earnings

Core Viewpoint - Analysts forecast a significant decline in Cracker Barrel's quarterly earnings, with an expected EPS of $0.56, representing a year-over-year decrease of 53.7% and revenues projected at $826.55 million, down 0.7% from the previous year [1]. Earnings Projections - Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate has been revised downward by 13.1%, indicating a collective reassessment by analysts of their initial forecasts [2]. - Changes in earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor reactions, as empirical studies show a strong correlation between earnings estimate trends and short-term stock price movements [3]. Revenue Estimates - Analysts estimate 'Revenues- Retail' to be $149.54 million, reflecting a decline of 1.2% from the prior-year quarter [5]. - 'Revenues- Restaurant' are expected to reach $677.01 million, showing an increase of 1.7% compared to the previous year [5]. - The forecast for 'Comparable-store sales - Restaurant - YoY change' is -0.3%, a significant drop from the year-ago value of 7.4% [5]. Store Metrics - The consensus estimate for the 'Number of stores - Total (End of Period)' is 727, an increase from the year-ago figure of 661 [6]. Stock Performance - Over the past month, Cracker Barrel's shares have declined by 24.8%, contrasting with a 4% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [6]. - Currently, Cracker Barrel holds a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the overall market in the near future [6].