Key Takeaways QSR sees near-term margin pressure as Burger King U.S. faces high-teens beef cost inflation.QSR views beef inflation as cyclical, tied to herd rebuilding, with signs that costs may be peaking.Restaurant Brands International relies on efficiencies and value, avoiding sharp price hikes.Rising beef costs have re-emerged as a talking point for quick-service restaurants, raising questions about whether margin pressure is structural or merely cyclical. Management commentary from Restaurant Brands In ...

Key Takeaways EPS estimates for BROS rose 15.3% for 2025 and 8.6% for 2026, reflecting growing confidence in power.Order Ahead and Dutch Rewards drive over two-thirds of BROS transactions, boosting frequency while margins.New shop expansion and innovation support growth, even as BROS trades at a premium 5.11X price-to-sales.Earnings expectations for Dutch Bros Inc. (BROS) have strengthened notably, underscoring rising confidence in its growth trajectory. Over the past six months, 2025 EPS estimates have cli ...

Core Insights - ClearBridge Investments released its fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter for the ClearBridge Large Cap Growth Strategy, emphasizing investment in undervalued leading companies with growth potential [1] - Large-cap stocks showed strength in the quarter, driven by strong earnings from mega-cap companies and enthusiasm for generative AI, although the ClearBridge strategy underperformed the Russell 1000 Growth Index by approximately 900 basis points for the year [1] - The underperformance was attributed to underweight exposure to mega-cap AI beneficiaries and lower-quality AI-related names [1] Company-Specific Insights - Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) reported a one-month return of 11.47% but experienced a 32.89% decline in value over the last 52 weeks, with a market capitalization of $52.12 billion as of January 7, 2026 [2] - ClearBridge's strategy involved closing a position in Starbucks to concentrate on Chipotle, citing faster long-term store growth potential and better unit economics for Chipotle compared to Starbucks [3] - Chipotle's sales for the third quarter of 2025 grew by 7.5% to reach $3 billion, although it is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 65 hedge fund portfolios holding its stock at the end of the third quarter [4]

首店经济的持续升温，让市民在家门口就能尽享品质消费新体验。在盒马鲜生3000平方米的经营空间内，全品类商品覆盖一日三餐与日常所需，现场海鲜 加工、即买即食的便捷服务，让市民直呼"便利又省心"。而此前巴奴毛肚火锅连云港首店开业时，国风珍珠画DIY与沸腾火锅交织的烟火气，更让消费者 在品尝地道风味的同时，收获了沉浸式消费的乐趣。 "十四五"期间，我市已引进各类首店超230家，涵盖服装零售、餐饮服务、文体娱乐等多个领域，其中服装与零售类106家、餐饮类86家、文体娱乐类20 家，盒马鲜生、梅果、汕心、山缓缓等一批热门首店实现"吃喝玩乐"一站式消费覆盖，持续引领港城消费新风尚。 首店经济的蓬勃发展，离不开政策的精准赋能与营商环境的持续优化。我市紧扣"扩大内需、提振消费"主线，将首店经济作为消费提质升级的重要抓手， 纳入《连云港市提振消费专项行动实施方案》重点支持，通过分层培育、差异化招商，在海州区苏宁广场、万达广场等核心载体构建起多元业态格局，形 成显著的首店集聚效应。 近期，盒马鲜生、巴奴毛肚火锅、泸溪河纷纷落地连云港。各类潮流品牌的集中亮相，越来越多的首店正为港城消费市场注入新活力，推动商业生态向更 高质量升级。 ...

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce the grand opening of Heal Wellness ("Heal") in Red Deer, Alberta, this Saturday January 10th, marking the brand's 31st operating location nationwide. The new restaurant is located at 499 Timberlands Drive, Unit #9105, within a high-traffic retail node serving one of Central Alberta's faste ...

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: FAT), a leading global franchising company and parent company of iconic brands including Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, Twin Peaks, Fazoli’s and 13 other restaurant concepts, today announced their participation in the 28th Annual ICR Conference. Andy Wiederhorn, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and Ken Kuick, Chief Financial Officer, will host a fireside chat on Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, ...

I wrote about The Wendy's Company ( WEN ) previously with a sell rating because major operating metrics were down and the breakfast strategy wasn't working. While there are new data that suggest WEN'sI am an individual investor that is now fully focus on managing my own capital that I have saved up over the years. My investing background spreads across a wide spectrum as I believe there are merits to each approach, for instance: Fundamental investing [Bottoms-up etc.], Technical investing [historical charts ...

Core Viewpoint - Brinker International (EAT) has shown a positive performance over the past year, with a 14% increase, although recent performance has been more volatile [1] Company Performance - The company has successfully reinvigorated its Chili's brand, making it one of the top-performing brands in the industry [1]

EQUITY RESEARCH | 7 January 2026 | 10:39PM JST RESURGENT JAPAN — SEIZING THE GLOBAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITY Further unlocking value of Japanese IP/brands; highlighting 11 stocks The strength of Japanese IPs and consumer brands, we believe, lies not only in their high functionality but also in the craftsmanship and technology that embed refined sensibilities into products and services. In addition to world-renowned IPs such as Dragon Ball (serialization started in 1984), Super Mario Bros. (NES launch in 1985), an ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the fiscal first quarter were $73.5 million, up from $64.5 million in the prior year period, representing a comparable sales growth of negative 2.5% [10][12] - Cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales was 29.9%, compared to 29% in the prior year quarter, influenced by tariffs on imported ingredients [11][12] - Labor costs as a percentage of sales decreased to 32.5% from 32.9% in the prior year, attributed to operational initiatives [6][11] - Net loss 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][14] - 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 the first quarter and has 10 units under construction, with plans to open one more in the fiscal second quarter [4][7] - 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% after lapping prior year increases [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to open 16 new units in fiscal 2026, maintaining an annual unit growth rate above 20% [14] - The focus on aggressive cost management has reduced general and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales by 80 basis points on an adjusted basis [4] - The company is leveraging technology, such as robotic dishwashers, to improve operational efficiency [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving qualitative comparable sales for the year, citing strong momentum from the end of the first quarter into the second [4][26] - The management noted that the pricing taken in November has led to improved traffic and sales, indicating a positive consumer response [26][32] - There is optimism regarding the potential for improved margins and sales as the company navigates tariff impacts and operational efficiencies [32][46] Other Important Information - The company has $78.5 million in cash and no debt, indicating strong liquidity [14] - The company is currently engaged in marketing campaigns tied to popular IPs, which have been well received by customers [8][105] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on decoupling the reservation system from loyalty - Management noted that more than half of visits by rewards members are through the reservation system, indicating better-than-expected uptake [21][22] Question: Expectations for Q2 comparable sales - Management expects positive comps for Q2, supported by strong performance in November and December [26] Question: Impact of tariffs on food costs - Management indicated that food costs are expected to be around 30%, with a significant impact from tariffs, but negotiations have helped mitigate some costs [31][32] Question: Future promotions and collaborations - Management highlighted successful collaborations with popular IPs and plans for future promotions, including Sanrio and Jujutsu Kaisen [107] Question: Long-term growth targets - Management reiterated the target of 16 new units for the year, with no changes to the long-term growth target of 300 units in the U.S. [95][61]