Dick Portillo opened a hot dog stand in Chicago with $1,100 and built it into a billion-dollar regional chain, Portillo’s. After cashing out in 2014, he bought back some stores and built a new real estate and restaurant empire. https://t.co/Gas7q0w7s8 (Photo: Nate Ryan) https://t.co/sXnK7vekC5 ...

Stock Performance - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store shares jumped in premarket trading [1] Company Actions - The restaurant chain reversed a controversial change in its logo [1]

Company Actions - Cracker Barrel scrapped its new logo following backlash [1]

Core Insights - Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM) is set to announce its second-quarter fiscal 2025 results on August 27, with expectations of continued earnings growth and revenue performance exceeding previous estimates [1][2] Revenue Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WSM's Q2 earnings per share (EPS) has increased to $1.79, reflecting a 2.9% rise from $1.74 in the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue expectations are pegged at $1.82 billion, indicating a 1.6% growth from $1.79 billion year-over-year [2] - The company's revenue growth is anticipated to be driven by increased non-furniture sales, improved furniture sales, and effective collaborations [3] Segment Analysis - Projected revenues for the Pottery Barn brand are $730.2 million, a 0.7% increase year-over-year [5] - West Elm brand revenues are expected to reach $472.2 million, up 2.9% from the prior year [5] - The namesake brand's revenues are forecasted at $247.4 million, indicating a 3.2% year-over-year increase [6] - Pottery Barn Kids and Teen brand revenues are projected at $268.2 million, reflecting a 3.4% increase year-over-year [6] Margin Expectations - WSM's bottom line and margins are expected to improve due to supply chain optimization and operational efficiency [7] - Selling, general and administrative expenses are projected to contract by 40 basis points year-over-year to 29% [8] - Gross profit is expected to increase by 1% year-over-year to $812.4 million [8] Comparable Sales Growth - Comps growth for Pottery Barn Kids and Teen is expected to be 3.4%, compared to a 1.5% increase a year ago [9] - Pottery Barn's comps are projected to grow by 1%, recovering from a 7.1% decline last year [10] - West Elm's comps are anticipated to increase by 2.1%, improving from a 4.8% decline a year ago [10] - The namesake brand's comps are expected to rise by 2.9%, recovering from a 0.8% decline last year [10] Earnings Prediction - The model predicts an earnings beat for WSM, supported by a positive Earnings ESP of +1.33% and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [11][12]

Summary of Haidilao International Holding (6862.HK) Earnings Call Company Overview - **Company**: Haidilao International Holding - **Ticker**: 6862.HK - **Market Cap**: HK$82.9 billion / $10.6 billion - **Industry**: Restaurant and Food Service Key Financial Metrics - **1H25 Sales**: RMB 20.7 billion, a decline of 3.7% year-over-year (yoy) [1][4] - **Net Profit**: RMB 1.76 billion, a decline of 14% yoy, missing expectations by 8% [1][13] - **Recurring Net Income**: RMB 1.55 billion, a decline of 27% yoy [1][13] - **Interim Dividend**: HK$0.338 per share, with a payout ratio of 95% [1][14] - **Operating Income**: RMB 2.2 billion, with an operating profit margin (OPM) of 10.6%, missing expectations of 11.8% [11][16] Sales and Revenue Insights - **System Sales**: Declined by 6.5% yoy in 1H25 [3] - **Revenue from Haidilao Restaurants**: Below expectations due to a reduction in store count and lower per store sales [4] - **Delivery Revenue**: Increased due to the rapid growth of single-serving fast food business [4] - **Same-Store Sales Growth (SSSG)**: Overall group SSSG was -10% yoy, with variations across tiers [5] Operational Metrics - **Average Table Turn**: 3.8x in 1H25, down 10% from 4.2x in 1H24 [10] - **Store Count**: 1,322 stores, with 33 net closures in 1H25 [9] - **Average Selling Price (ASP)**: RMB 97.9 in 1H25, slightly up from previous periods [10] Cost and Margin Analysis - **Gross Profit Margin (GPM)**: Lower-than-expected due to increased labor and operational costs [1][11] - **Effective Tax Rate**: 33.2%, above expectations of 29% [13] - **Operating Expenses**: Increased in various categories, notably other expenses which rose by 23.4% yoy [16] Future Outlook and Strategic Focus - **Key Focus Areas for 2H25**: 1. Table turn trends and outlook 2. Pricing strategy and promotion trends 3. Margin outlook and potential for improvement 4. Store expansion plans, particularly for the Haidilao brand and new brands like Yanqing [2] 5. Progress on new brands and shareholder return plans [2] Investment Rating and Price Target - **Current Rating**: Neutral - **12-Month Price Target**: HK$15.30, with an upside of 2.8% from the current price of HK$14.88 [18][19] - **Key Risks**: Variability in table turn recovery, expansion speed, cost inflation, and food safety issues [18] Conclusion Haidilao International Holding has faced challenges in the first half of 2025, with declines in sales and net profit attributed to operational inefficiencies and increased costs. The company is focusing on strategic areas for improvement and expansion, while maintaining a stable dividend payout. The outlook remains cautious, with a neutral rating from analysts.

Chinese hotpot restaurant chain Haidilao's reported a second consecutive drop in sales as consumers increasingly turned to cheaper food options in a slowing economy https://t.co/Urz7iEFtkq ...

Industry Focus - The restaurant industry is being highlighted through the lens of restaurateur Carlos Quirarte [1] Business Mention - ForbesVetted is featuring Carlos Quirarte [1]

Well, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes are revealing more about their new restaurant in Kansas City. It's called 1587 Prime, and reservations are opening up tomorrow with the grand opening coming on September 17th. And get this, the restaurant's name is a combination of their jersey numbers 15 and 87. ...

Business Focus - The document discusses restaurateur Carlos Quirarte and his "Night In The Life" [1] Industry Implication - The restaurant industry is highlighted through the lens of a specific restaurateur [1]

Business Growth & Strategy - The speaker aimed to build something in the Harlem community, starting from humble beginnings with zero English and limited resources [1] - After working in the restaurant business, the speaker opened four restaurants: Ponty Bistro, Renaissance Harlem, Harlem Cafe, and PB Brasserie [1] - The first restaurant, opened in 2008, was a 30-seat establishment funded by savings and a small loan from Chase [6][7] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of hard work, dedication, and not giving up on dreams [10] - The speaker expresses pride in PB Brasserie for bringing a new level of dining to the Harlem community [13] Community & Social Impact - The speaker highlights the importance of giving back to the community and helping others, especially those who need a chance [14] - The speaker provides job opportunities to people who lack skills or have a criminal record [19] - The speaker advocates for supporting young people in learning trades and business skills [20][22] - The speaker notes the lack of ownership within the Harlem community and expresses a desire for greater economic empowerment [16][17] Challenges & Opportunities - The speaker faced initial rejection from real estate brokers when trying to open a restaurant in Harlem [5] - The restaurant business is described as tough, with a high failure rate (90% close by the end of the year) [18] - COVID slowed down the process of opening PB Brasserie after the lease was signed [13] - The speaker emphasizes the need for community members to stick together and help each other [16]