December same-store sales increased 4.5% year-over-year The average price paid for the top 500 items in December increased 2.3% year-over-year NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NRSInsights, a provider of sales data and analytics drawn from retail transactions processed through the National Retail Solutions (NRS) point-of-sale (POS) platform, today announced comparative retail same-store sales results for December 2025. As of December 31, 2025, the NRS retail network comprised approximately 38 ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for Q1 2026 were $73.5 million, up from $64.5 million in the prior year, with comparable sales growth of negative 2.5% [5][10] - Cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales increased to 29.9% from 29% in the prior year quarter, influenced by tariffs [5][11] - Labor costs as a percentage of sales decreased to 32.5% from 32.9% in the prior year, due to operational initiatives [5][11] - Net loss for the quarter was $3.1 million, or negative $0.25 per share, compared to a net loss of $1 million, or negative $0.08 per share in the prior year [12][13] - Adjusted net loss was $2.8 million, or negative $0.23 per share, compared to an adjusted net loss of $1 million, or negative $0.08 per share in the prior year [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened four new restaurants in Q1 2026, with ten more under construction [6] - Restaurant-level operating profit as a percentage of sales was 15.1%, down from 18.2% in the prior year quarter [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable sales in the West Coast market were negative 2.8%, and in the Southwest market, they were negative 2.7% [10] - Effective pricing for the quarter was 3.5%, with expectations for the second quarter to be 4.5% [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to open 16 new restaurants in fiscal 2026, maintaining an annual unit growth rate above 20% [14] - The company is focusing on aggressive cost management, reducing G&A as a percentage of sales by 80 basis points on an adjusted basis [4] - Marketing efforts include a campaign with Kirby, coinciding with the release of Kirby Air Riders for Switch 2, and the introduction of a reservation system [6][8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving qualitative comparable sales for the year, with expectations for positive comps in Q2 [4][23] - The company noted that the first quarter created a strong foundation for growth, with momentum continuing into December [5][23] - Management acknowledged the impact of tariffs on costs but expressed optimism about negotiations with suppliers mitigating some of the pressures [28][81] Other Important Information - The company has $78.5 million in cash and no debt, indicating strong liquidity [13] - General and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales were 13%, down from 13.5% in the prior year quarter [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on decoupling the reservation system from loyalty - Management reported that over half of visits by rewards members are through the reservation system, indicating better-than-expected uptake [19] Question: Expectations for Q2 comps - Management expects positive comps for Q2, citing strong performance in November and December [23] Question: Impact of tariffs on food costs - Management indicated that it takes 4-6 months to see the impact of tariff changes on food costs due to inventory cycles [27] Question: Future promotions and collaborations - Management confirmed ongoing promotions with Kirby and upcoming collaborations with Sanrio and Jujutsu Kaisen [88] Question: Long-term growth target - Management did not revise the long-term growth target of 300 units in the U.S. but will provide updates as necessary [78]

Core Viewpoint - Both Shake Shack and Chipotle have experienced significant stock declines this year, despite the S&P 500's 16% return, with both stocks down over 30% year to date, indicating sector-specific challenges beyond broader market trends [2][3] Chipotle Overview - Chipotle has seen a dramatic increase in its restaurant count from 581 in 2006 to 4,000, with a total return of over 4,000% since its IPO [4] - Recent performance has been concerning, with same-store sales growth dropping to just 0.3% last quarter, following a decline of 4% in the previous quarter and a decrease of 0.4% in Q1 [5][6] - Management has cut its forecast for comparable sales to a low-to-mid single-digit decline and noted falling restaurant-level margins, while also engaging in a $687 million share buyback that was poorly timed [8] Shake Shack Overview - Shake Shack is experiencing healthy growth, with same-store sales increasing by 4.9% year over year last quarter and overall sales up 16% year over year [9] - The company is planning an ambitious expansion, aiming to triple its store count, having opened 20 new locations recently, bringing the total to over 630 [9][10] - Shake Shack has demonstrated strong pricing power, increasing same-store sales for 19 consecutive quarters despite raising prices, indicating a loyal customer base [10] Valuation Considerations - Shake Shack's current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 84, which is considered too high compared to the S&P 500 average of just under 30, suggesting that the stock may be overvalued [12][13] - While Shake Shack presents a more promising investment opportunity than Chipotle, caution is advised regarding its valuation before making any investment decisions [13]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues decreased approximately 5.1% for the quarter to $34 million and decreased approximately 0.5% compared to the all-time record fiscal year 2024 sales of $141.6 million [11] - Net loss to common shareholders for the quarter was $3,000 or 0 cents per share versus net income of $0.2 million, 2 cents per share in the fourth quarter last year [18] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was negative $74,000 compared to $1.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Bad Daddy's, total restaurant sales decreased $1.7 million to $24 million for the quarter and decreased $2.2 million to $101.4 million for the full year [11] - Same-store sales for Bad Daddy's decreased 4.6% for the quarter, with 38 locations in the comp base [11] - For Good Times, total restaurant sales decreased approximately $0.3 million to $9.7 million for the quarter and increased $1.2 million to $39.2 million for the year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Same-store sales at Good Times decreased 6.6% for the quarter, with 27 locations in the comp base [15] - Same-store sales for Bad Daddy's improved sequentially to date in the first quarter, down approximately 1.6% through the first 11 weeks compared to the same period in the prior year [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to immediate improvement in profitability and has focused on realigning general manager schedules to enhance operational efficiency [5] - The company plans to address value concerns with targeted promotions and an expanded loyalty program [8] - The introduction of a cook-to-order process aims to improve product quality while maintaining service speed [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed disappointment in the fourth quarter results but noted a sequential improvement in same-store sales for Good Times [4] - The company expects lower input costs in the first quarter of 2026 and anticipates improvements in food and beverage costs as a percentage of sales [13][17] - Management is optimistic about the first quarter of fiscal 2026, expecting improvements in same-store sales and Adjusted EBITDA [23] Other Important Information - Food and beverage costs for Bad Daddy's were 31.6% for the quarter, a 40 basis point increase from the prior year quarter, primarily due to high ground beef prices [12] - Labor costs increased to 35.7% for Bad Daddy's and 35.9% for Good Times, attributed to lower productivity and rising wage rates [13][17] - The company anticipates general and administrative costs to be around 6%-7% in fiscal 2026 [18] Q&A Session Summary - There were no questions during the Q&A session [21]

Group 1 - Macy's stock has performed well in 2025, gaining 36.3% through December 16, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 14.8% increase [4] - Including dividends, Macy's total return for shareholders reached 43.3%, surpassing the S&P 500 by 27.6 percentage points [4] - Same-store sales growth has improved, with a 3.2% gain reported in the fiscal third quarter ending November 1 [5] Group 2 - Management is executing a turnaround plan that includes closing underperforming stores, revamping locations, and enhancing customer service [6] - The company is focusing on selling more to upper-income consumers, particularly through its Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury brands [6] - Bloomingdale's has shown strong performance, with a 9% increase in same-store sales in the latest quarter [9] Group 3 - The performance of Macy's is influenced by the economic conditions affecting different consumer demographics, particularly the higher-income segment [8] - A potential slowdown in housing price gains and stock market pullbacks could indicate challenges for upper-income consumers, which may impact Macy's sales [9]

As we exit 2025, one of the key themes pervading the markets is a weakening consumer spending environment, which can be readily measured in decelerating comp sales (or same-store sales) in the retail and restaurant stocks that report this metric. Though vast portions of bothWith combined experience of covering technology companies on Wall Street and working in Silicon Valley, and serving as an outside adviser to several seed-round startups, Gary Alexander has exposure to many of the themes shaping the indus ...

November same-store sales increased 3.8% year-over-year  The average price paid for the top 500 items in November increased 3.1% year-over-year NEWARK, N.J., Dec. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NRSInsights, a provider of sales data and analytics drawn from retail transactions processed through the National Retail Solutions (NRS) point-of-sale (POS) platform, today announced comparative retail same-store sales results for November 2025. As of November 30, 2025, the NRS retail network comprised approximately 38 ...

Core Insights - Wingstop (WING) has experienced moderate expansion and top-line growth, primarily driven by the opening of new units, while same-store sales remain significantly negative, indicating ongoing challenges at the store level [1] Revenue Growth - The revenue growth for Wingstop is largely attributed to the addition of new units, rather than improvements in same-store sales, which have continued to decline [1] Store Performance - Same-store sales are reported to be deep in negative territory, extending a concerning trend for the company, suggesting persistent weaknesses in customer demand or operational challenges [1]

Core Viewpoint - Kroger Co. is facing stock price pressure despite exceeding earnings expectations, primarily due to lower-than-expected sales figures, which has raised investor concerns [2][5]. Financial Performance - Kroger reported earnings of $1.05 per share, surpassing the anticipated $1.03, but total sales were $33.9 billion, falling short of the expected $34.2 billion [2][5]. - The company experienced a 2.6% year-over-year increase in same-store sales, while total revenue decreased by 0.9% [3][5]. - A $3 million charge related to asset impairment in its automated fulfillment network contributed to a GAAP earnings loss of $2.02 per share [3]. Market Outlook - Edward Kelly from Wells Fargo set a price target of $70 for Kroger, indicating a potential increase of 10.86% from the current price of $63.14 [1]. - Kroger maintained its full-year guidance, projecting earnings per share to approach $4.80 [4]. - The stock price has fluctuated between $60.96 and $64.25, with a market capitalization of approximately $41.84 billion [4].

Core Insights - Jack in the Box's shares increased by up to 12% following the release of its fiscal fourth-quarter results and expectations for fiscal 2026, despite being down for the year [1] Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter revenue decreased by 6.6% year over year to $326.2 million, but exceeded Wall Street estimates [3] - Adjusted earnings fell to $5.8 million, or $0.30 per share, a significant drop from $1.16 a year ago and below consensus forecasts [3] - Same-store sales declined by 7.4%, affected by weakened traffic at both company-operated and franchised restaurants [4] Future Outlook - Management described fiscal 2026 as a "rebuilding year," with expectations for same-store sales to range from a 1% decline to a 1% increase [5] - The company anticipates adjusted EBITDA of $225 million to $240 million for fiscal 2026, which is notable given its market capitalization of approximately $300 million [5] - Investment in the "Jack on Track" plan is planned for fiscal 2026, alongside the divestment of Del Taco to simplify operations and reduce debt [6]