Core Viewpoint - The recruitment fair in Zhengzhou aims to provide over 10,600 job opportunities for various groups, including recent graduates and veterans, to promote high-quality employment [1] Group 1: Event Details - The recruitment fair titled "Meet Zheng Talent, Welcome Salary and Fortune" will be held on December 27, from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM at the first-floor corridor hall of Zhengzhou Jinshui Xinwan Plaza [1] - The event is organized by the Jinshui District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Fengqing Road Street Office, and Henan 123 Talent Network [1] Group 2: Target Audience - The recruitment fair primarily targets recent and past university graduates, high-level talents, unemployed youth, job changers, skilled young talents, and veterans [1] Group 3: Participating Industries - Key participating industries include computer technology, environmental science, smart digitalization, mechanical manufacturing, finance, law, education, media, healthcare, logistics, hospitality, automotive, and beauty [1] Group 4: Job Opportunities - The fair will offer over 10,600 quality job positions across various professional categories, including roles such as new media specialists, project managers, store managers, management trainees, e-commerce specialists, technical engineers, administrative staff, designers, accountants, operations supervisors, hosts, and lawyers [1]

Core Insights - European Wax Center, Inc. (EWCZ) reported a revenue of $54.19 million for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting a decrease of 2.3% year-over-year, while EPS increased to $0.25 from $0.12 in the same quarter last year, indicating a strong performance against expectations [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $52.79 million by 2.65%, and the EPS surpassed the consensus estimate of $0.14 by 78.57% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - System-wide sales reached $238.2 million, slightly below the average estimate of $239.69 million from three analysts [4] - Same-store sales were reported at 0.2%, compared to the estimated 0.4% by analysts [4] - The ending center count was 1,053, surpassing the average estimate of 1,044 [4] - Revenue from marketing fees was $7.57 million, marginally below the estimated $7.58 million, representing a year-over-year decline of 0.4% [4] - Royalty fees revenue was $13.2 million, slightly above the average estimate of $13.15 million, but down 1.6% year-over-year [4] - Product sales revenue was $30.61 million, exceeding the estimated $29.26 million, but reflecting a 3.4% decrease year-over-year [4] - Other revenue remained consistent at $2.81 million, matching the average estimate and showing a year-over-year increase of 2.9% [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, shares of European Wax Center have returned +3.4%, compared to a +4.6% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide sales for Q3 2025 were $238.2 million, a decrease of 0.8% year-over-year, primarily due to closed centers [20][22] - Same-store sales grew by 20 basis points year-over-year [20] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 9.6% to $20.2 million from $18.4 million in the prior year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin improvement of 400 basis points to 37.2% [23] - Total revenue decreased by approximately $1.2 million, or 2.2%, primarily due to lower contributions from wholesale product and retail revenue [22] - Net interest expense increased to $6.5 million from $6.3 million in the prior year [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened three growth centers during the quarter and closed nine, resulting in six net closures, which was better than the expected closure range of 15-16 [22] - Wax Pass sales saw a slight year-over-year uptick, indicating stability in core guest engagement [39] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Com trends were strong through July and mid-August before softening in the latter half of August and September [21] - Regional performance showed improvement in California, while areas like New York, Philadelphia, and DC experienced more weakness [39] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three strategic priorities: driving sales through traffic growth, improving four-wall profitability for franchisees, and pursuing disciplined, profitable expansion [7][12] - A new brand agency has been brought on to refine brand identity and connect with high-value audiences, with initiatives expected to scale meaningfully in 2026 [12][54] - The company expects to return to positive net center growth by year-end 2026, with a focus on new centers and markets with strong demand [17][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management reaffirmed full-year financial guidance, expecting system-wide sales of $940-$950 million and same-store sales to be flat to up 1% for the full year [26][27] - The company is optimistic about the strategic groundwork established, which is beginning to take hold and position the company for sustainable long-term growth [28][29] - Management acknowledged that new guest acquisition remains pressured but expects improvement in 2026 [26][27] Other Important Information - The company narrowed its closure range for the year to between 35 and 40, reflecting timing shifts in anticipated closures and progress made on initiatives with franchisees [25][26] - The company ended the quarter with $73.6 million in cash and a net leverage ratio of 3.9 times [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you quantify the lift from revamped marketing efforts? - Management noted that they have improved contactability from 38% to 60% of guests, which has enhanced engagement and driven frequency improvements [32][33] Question: What trends are observed in Wax Pass sales and regional performance? - Wax Pass sales have seen a slight uptick year-over-year, with stability in the core guest base, while California has shown improvement compared to weaker performance in New York, Philadelphia, and DC [39] Question: What are the expectations for center openings and closures moving forward? - Management indicated that closures are primarily low-volume units due to various factors, and they expect to return to net positive growth by the end of 2026 [40][46] Question: What is the outlook for new guest acquisition? - Management highlighted that robust data analytics and a refreshed brand identity are expected to enhance new guest acquisition efforts moving forward [54][55] Question: Can you provide insights on guest count versus ticket growth? - Management emphasized a balanced approach to driving traffic and ticket growth, focusing on both increasing guest count and smart pricing strategies [56][58]

Core Insights - Small-cap stocks present lucrative investment opportunities due to frequent mispricings from lack of analyst coverage, but their growth is often hindered by subscale operations [1] Group 1: Liberty Broadband (LBRDK) - Liberty Broadband operates in the U.S. providing high-speed internet, cable television, and telecommunications services with a market cap of $7.2 billion [3] - The stock is currently trading at $50.38 per share, reflecting a high valuation of 40.9x forward EV-to-EBITDA, raising caution for potential investors [5] Group 2: European Wax Center (EWCZ) - European Wax Center is a beauty and waxing salon chain with a market cap of $160 million, specializing in professional wax services and skincare products [6] - The stock price of $3.69 indicates a valuation ratio of 6.9x forward P/E, suggesting investors should reconsider its inclusion in their portfolios [8] Group 3: Apogee (APOG) - Apogee, with a market cap of $743.6 million, is involved in architectural products and services, including high-performance glass for commercial buildings [9] - The company has experienced a 1.3% annual revenue decline over the last two years, indicating postponed customer purchases [10] - Revenue growth of 3.1% over the same period was slower than peers, and negative free cash flow raises concerns about investment returns [11] - Disappointing same-store sales and flat estimated sales for the next 12 months suggest weak demand [12] - Earnings per share have contracted by 8.7% annually over the last two years, which may negatively impact stock prices [13]

Financial Performance - European Wax Center, Inc. reported revenue of $55.91 million for the quarter ended June 2025, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 6.6% [1] - The EPS for the same period was $0.27, an increase from $0.15 a year ago, indicating a positive trend in earnings [1] - The reported revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $56.93 million, resulting in a surprise of -1.79% [1] - The company achieved an EPS surprise of +42.11%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.19 [1] Key Metrics - Same-store sales were reported at 0.3%, outperforming the estimated -0.4% by four analysts [4] - System-wide sales reached $257.6 million, slightly above the average estimate of $257.31 million based on three analysts [4] - The ending center count was 1,059, exceeding the estimated 1,054 by two analysts [4] - Revenue from marketing fees was $8.11 million, surpassing the estimated $7.79 million, but representing a -0.4% change year-over-year [4] - Revenue from royalty fees was $14.28 million, compared to the estimated $14.02 million, reflecting a -1.3% change year-over-year [4] - Product sales revenue was $30.52 million, below the average estimate of $31.29 million, indicating a -10.1% year-over-year change [4] - Other revenue was reported at $3.01 million, slightly below the estimated $3.22 million, with a year-over-year change of -9.9% [4] Stock Performance - Shares of European Wax Center have returned -14.4% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.1% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - European Wax Center, Inc. (EWCZ) has shown a significant price increase of 51.5% over the past four weeks, with a mean price target of $6.50 indicating a potential upside of 27.7% from the current trading price of $5.09 [1] Price Targets and Analyst Consensus - The average price targets for EWCZ range from a low of $4 to a high of $15, with a standard deviation of $3.51, indicating variability in analyst estimates [2] - The lowest estimate suggests a decline of 21.4%, while the most optimistic estimate indicates a potential upside of 194.7% [2] - A low standard deviation among price targets suggests a high degree of agreement among analysts regarding the stock's price movement [9] Earnings Estimates and Analyst Optimism - Analysts have shown strong agreement in revising EWCZ's earnings estimates higher, which correlates with potential stock price increases [11] - Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased by 127.1%, with four estimates moving higher and no negative revisions [12] - EWCZ holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [13] Caution on Price Targets - Solely relying on price targets for investment decisions may not be wise, as analysts' ability to set unbiased targets has been questioned [3][10] - Analysts often set overly optimistic price targets due to business incentives, which can lead to inflated estimates [8]

Core Insights - European Wax Center, Inc. (EWCZ) reported a revenue of $51.43 million for the quarter ended March 2025, reflecting a decrease of 0.9% year-over-year, while EPS increased to $0.22 from $0.13 in the same quarter last year [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $49.4 million by 4.11%, and the EPS surpassed the consensus estimate of $0.05 by 340% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Same-store sales increased by 0.7%, outperforming the average estimate of -0.6% from five analysts [4] - System-wide sales reached $225.90 million, exceeding the average estimate of $219.72 million from four analysts [4] - The ending center count was 1,062, slightly above the average estimate of 1,061 based on three analysts [4] - Revenue from marketing fees was $7.20 million, surpassing the average estimate of $6.78 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.5% [4] - Revenue from royalty fees was $12.43 million, slightly above the average estimate of $12.26 million, with a year-over-year change of -0.1% [4] - Revenue from product sales was $28.87 million, exceeding the average estimate of $27.69 million, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 2.1% [4] - Other revenue amounted to $2.93 million, surpassing the average estimate of $2.78 million, with a year-over-year increase of 2.9% [4] Stock Performance - Shares of European Wax Center have returned +20% over the past month, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9.9% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating potential for outperformance in the near term [3]