Starbucks is giving corporate employees a 2% raise this year, moving away from merit-based increases at a time when the coffee chain is striving to control costs https://t.co/jYcAHjnUZG ...

Starbucks plans to give salaried employees from store managers to corporate workers a 2% raise across the board this year. All the coffee chain's salaried employees in North America are set to get the raise, the company confirmed to Business Insider. That's a change from previous years, when managers weighed in on how much of a raise their salaried direct reports got.The 2% raise doesn't apply to hourly workers, such as store baristas. Bloomberg earlier reported on the raise. Starbucks has spent nearly a ...

Core Viewpoint - Ark Restaurants Corp. (ARKR) has experienced a significant stock performance fluctuation, gaining 10.6% post-earnings report while facing a monthly decline of 12.9% against the S&P 500's rise of 2.5% [1] Revenue and Earnings Performance - For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Ark Restaurants reported revenues of $43.7 million, a decrease of 13.3% from $50.4 million year-over-year [2] - Food and beverage sales contributed to the revenue decline, falling 12.7% to $42.9 million from $49.2 million [2] - The company recorded a net loss of $3.5 million, or $0.96 per share, compared to a net income of $0.6 million, or $0.18 per share, in the previous year [2] - Adjusted EBITDA on a non-GAAP basis decreased by 46.9% to $1.8 million from $3.4 million [2] Year-to-Date Performance - For the 39-week period, revenues fell 8.4% to $128.4 million from $140.1 million, with a net loss widening to $9.5 million from a net income of $0.6 million last year [3] Segment Performance - Same-store sales declined by 7.4% in the quarter, with New York and Washington, D.C. experiencing steep declines of 20.9%, partially offset by a modest gain of 1.8% in Florida [4] - The decline in New York was attributed to lost catering and event revenues due to ongoing landlord litigation, while the D.C. downturn was linked to reduced traffic from hybrid work schedules and safety concerns [4] Cost and Expense Analysis - Food and beverage costs as a percentage of revenues increased to 27.6% from 26.4% year-over-year, reflecting higher commodity prices [5] - Payroll expenses decreased by 12.6% to $15.3 million, accounting for approximately 34.9% of revenues [5] - Occupancy expenses fell by 13% to $5.4 million, while other operating costs declined by 4.2%, impacted by legal fees related to the Bryant Park dispute [5] Non-Cash Charges - The company recorded $4.7 million in impairment charges at its Sequoia restaurant and recognized a $3.4 million goodwill impairment earlier in the fiscal year [6][9] - Despite these charges, Ark Restaurants maintained a solid balance sheet with $12.3 million in cash against $3.9 million in debt [6] Management Commentary - CEO Michael Weinstein noted that individual restaurants, excluding Bryant Park and Sequoia, are performing well, with Las Vegas properties growing cash flow despite a slowdown in visitors [7] - Management acknowledged that litigation-related costs and negative publicity continue to impact Bryant Park Grill, a significant source of revenue volatility [7] Factors Influencing Results - Ongoing legal disputes over Bryant Park Grill & Cafe have generated over $800,000 in legal expenses and negatively affected the restaurants' reputation, leading to lost bookings and weaker traffic [8] - The recognition of impairment charges at Sequoia highlighted broader challenges in the D.C. dining market, where demand has been suppressed due to hybrid work patterns and safety concerns [10] Year-over-Year Comparisons - The closure of El Rio Grande and the Tampa Food Court contributed to revenue declines, as these locations accounted for several million dollars in sales in prior periods [11] Guidance and Future Outlook - Management did not provide formal quantitative guidance but expressed a cautious outlook regarding the ongoing litigation over Bryant Park [12] - Potential upside exists from a possible Meadowlands casino license, which would allow Ark Restaurants to operate food and beverage concessions if approved [12] Other Developments - Ark Restaurants continues to operate Bryant Park Grill & Cafe while pursuing legal challenges, with these locations generating $19.7 million, or 15.4% of total revenues for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 [13] - The company completed extensions of key Las Vegas leases, committing to property refreshes slated for completion by late 2025 and early 2026 [14]

Starbucks will give all salaried employees in North America a 2% raise this year, a shift from previous increases that were decided by managers’ discretion https://t.co/6BmojIA6xR ...

Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.Individual investor ...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Rock Coffee Bar, Inc. (“Black Rock Coffee Bar”) today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) relating to a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. The proposed offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assur ...

Key Takeaways Papa John's added 2.7M loyalty accounts since enhancing its Papa Rewards program.Loyalty members ordered more often in Q2, with gains across all customer frequency segments.CRM, AI tools and app upgrades are enhancing personalization and boosting conversion rates.Papa John's International, Inc. (PZZA) is aiming to turn first-time customers into repeat buyers in an increasingly competitive market. The company continued to see strong results from its revamped loyalty program in the second quarte ...

Core Viewpoint - TH International Limited, operating as Tims China, is set to release its second quarter 2025 financial results on August 26, 2025, before the U.S. market opens, followed by a conference call [1] Group 1: Company Overview - TH International Limited (Nasdaq: THCH) is the exclusive master franchisee of Tim Hortons coffee shops in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau [2] - The company was founded by Cartesian Capital Group and Tim Hortons Restaurants International, a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International (TSX: QSR) (NYSE: QSR) [2] Group 2: Company Philosophy - The company's philosophy emphasizes world-class execution, data-driven decision making, local relevance, continuous innovation, community engagement, and convenience [3]

Core Viewpoint - Momentum investing focuses on "buying high and selling higher," contrasting with traditional strategies of "buying low and selling high" [1] Group 1: Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investing can be risky as stocks may lose momentum when their valuations exceed future growth potential [1] - A safer approach involves investing in bargain stocks that exhibit recent price momentum, identified through the Zacks Momentum Style Score [2] Group 2: Potbelly (PBPB) Stock Analysis - Potbelly (PBPB) has shown a four-week price change of 0.9%, indicating growing investor interest [3] - PBPB gained 26.7% over the past 12 weeks, demonstrating its ability to deliver positive returns over a longer timeframe [4] - The stock has a beta of 1.55, suggesting it moves 55% more than the market in either direction, indicating fast-paced momentum [4] - PBPB has a Momentum Score of B, suggesting it is an opportune time to invest in the stock [5] - The stock has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to upward revisions in earnings estimates, which typically attract more investors [6] - PBPB is trading at a Price-to-Sales ratio of 0.81, indicating it is reasonably valued at 81 cents for each dollar of sales [6] Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides PBPB, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen, presenting further investment opportunities [7] - Zacks offers over 45 Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles, aiding in identifying potential winning stocks [8]

Specialty Coffee Chain Sees Potential to Leverage Blockchain Innovation Across Treasury Management, Payments, and Customer Engagement while Advancing Aggressive Global Expansion Plans BREA, Calif., Aug. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reborn Coffee Inc. (Nasdaq: REBN), a leader in the specialty coffee market, today announced it has initiated a strategic review to assess the potential use of regulated digital asset strategies as part of its broader treasury management framework. This review aligns with Reborn C ...